Begin with the record.
We look for the original document: the operational notice, published report, contract announcement, prepared testimony, recording, or official correspondence. Material factual claims carry source links close to the text they support.
Secondary sources are identified. A transcript can help locate a passage, but its relationship to the original recording should remain clear. A source register explains what each reference contributes.
Attribute statements precisely.
An announcement establishes what an organization publicly stated. It does not independently establish that a promised benefit was delivered. A request for an investigation establishes that questions were raised; it does not prove the allegations behind them.
We distinguish documented events, attributed claims, our analysis, and recommended questions. We identify the person or institution responsible for a statement and keep qualifications attached to it.
Keep time and uncertainty visible.
We distinguish when an event happened, when a notice was issued, and when someone described it afterward. Reports identify their review cutoff and the time zone used. Approximate times are labelled.
Two events occurring close together do not establish that one caused the other. A record we have not located is a gap in our review, rather than proof that the record does not exist. Where evidence is incomplete, the question remains open.
Turn research into useful questions.
A useful oversight question identifies what needs explaining, why it matters, who can answer, and which records would support the answer. Recommendations are labelled and kept distinct from reported findings.
Our perspective is grounded in technology, implementation, and the people affected by public decisions. We apply the same evidentiary standard regardless of who holds office or makes a claim. We include relevant historical context, agency responses, and evidence that challenges a proposed explanation. We do not give unsupported assertions equal weight merely to balance opposing positions.
Make corrections traceable.
Each report includes a dated updates section. Substantive corrections will identify what changed, why it changed, and the evidence supporting the correction. New information will be distinguished from a correction to earlier reporting.
Downloadable documents identify their edition or date. Readers should compare that date with the web report’s update record when using a brief.