01Source hierarchy
Primary evidence is preferred when available: laws, standards, filings, original research, direct company announcements, procurement documents, patents, and first-party data. Secondary reporting can add context but should not silently replace the underlying source.
02Freshness and timing
Publication date, event date, effective date, and retrieval date can mean different things. Time-sensitive intelligence records the distinction.
03Independence and corroboration
Material claims should be compared across independent sources where practical. Related articles repeating the same origin do not count as independent confirmation.
04Known limitations
Coverage gaps, unavailable private data, potential sponsor bias, conflicting evidence, and uncertain assumptions are stated in the brief.
05The working principles
Primary firstPrefer filings, laws, standards, direct announcements, original research, and first-party evidence.
Contradiction is usefulDisagreement is recorded and examined rather than smoothed into false certainty.
Date the eventPublication date and event date are tracked separately when timing matters.
Protect client contextInternal information is governed by the engagement’s confidentiality rules.