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Claim attribution

Recording who actually made a claim, separately from the outlet where it appeared.

Claim attribution records who actually made a statement. When a news story quotes a spokesperson, the claim is the spokesperson's; the outlet is where it appeared. When an opinion column carries a byline, the claim is the author's.

Getting attribution right keeps the record fair. It prevents an outlet from being blamed for a quote it accurately reported, and it prevents a claim from being pinned on someone who only repeated or reported it. TruthRanking stores the speaker, the publisher, the date, and the exact quote for every claim, and flags cases where the attribution is unclear.

Related

First sourceThe earliest publication of a claim that can be found, the origin the copies trace back to.Republication vs. corroborationCopies of one statement are republication. Corroboration requires an independent source reaching the same fact from its own evidence.Unverified vs. falseUnverified means not yet checked or no evidence found. False (contradicted) requires linked evidence that shows the claim is wrong.Mixed claimA statement that combines a checkable fact with an opinion or prediction. It is split so each part is handled correctly.

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