Methodology

Civic Evidence is built to reduce sloppy debate, not replace judgment. The goal is to organize claims by evidence strength while preserving the context needed to understand them honestly.

What this site is for

Civic Evidence organizes political and public-policy claims into evidence-based topic pages so users can review arguments more carefully, compare evidence strength, and reopen the underlying sources quickly.

What this site is not

This site is not a substitute for reading primary sources. It is also not meant to hide details that complicate one side of an argument. If an event includes a stated reason, a denial, or an outcome that materially changes how the claim should be understood, the site should include that context rather than frame the event selectively.

Claim categories

Verified Claims

Claims strongly supported by cited evidence.

False Claims

Claims contradicted by strong evidence.

Unsettled Claims

Claims that remain debated, mixed, unclear, or not fully proven.

Event analysis standard

For major political or wartime events, each topic should present enough context to show the event honestly rather than selectively.

what happened
who did it
what reason or justification was given
who denied or challenged that reason
what damage, casualties, or outcome were reported
what remains unresolved

Leaving out the stated reason behind an action can create a distorted picture even when the underlying event is real. Including the stated reason does not mean endorsing it. It means recording what was claimed, who challenged it, and what the public evidence does and does not resolve.

Source standard

The site prefers the strongest available sourcing and tries to make the basis for each claim visible.

official government or court sources when they are relevant to the claim
major wire services and other reputable reporting
direct institutional statements when they materially shape the public record
multiple sources when possible for controversial or fast-moving claims

Some topics are still developing and may need broader source coverage over time. When the evidence base is thin or rapidly changing, that should be reflected in the claim category and the notes around it.

Updating claims

Claims may move between categories as better evidence emerges. Civic Evidence aims to keep those shifts visible instead of forcing certainty too early.

A widely repeated claim may later be shown false.
An unsettled claim may later become verified or false.
A verified event may still leave motive, legality, or proportionality unsettled.