Verify Material Claims Independently
Work through the explanation, apply it to the example, and complete the quick check before continuing.
Verification needs evidence outside the output
Asking the same model Are you sure? may produce a correction or a stronger-sounding defence. It is not independent verification.
Independent verification uses a suitable source, calculation, test, record, or qualified reviewer that is separate from the generated claim.
Match the check to the claim
| Claim type | Suitable verification starting point |
|---|---|
| Current official date or rule | Current page or notice from the responsible authority |
| Amount or percentage | Original values plus a calculator, spreadsheet, or reproducible formula |
| Statement about a supplied document | Open the document and locate the exact passage |
| Product behaviour | Current official documentation and a controlled test where appropriate |
| Professional interpretation | Qualified person using applicable evidence and process |
| Quotation | Original source and surrounding context |
No single source type is best for every claim.
Prefer primary or authoritative evidence
Where practical, start with the source closest to the fact or decision:
- The responsible authority for an official rule.
- The original record for a transaction.
- The original research report for its findings.
- The product owner’s current documentation for a feature.
A summary or news article may help you discover a source. It should not replace stronger evidence when the consequence is material.
Use a verification sequence
- Write the exact claim.
- State what evidence would prove or disprove it.
- Find the best available source.
- Check date, version, location, population, and scope.
- Locate the exact supporting passage or reproduce the calculation.
- Record the result: supported, contradicted, partly supported, or unresolved.
- Decide what must change in the output.
Disagreement is information
If trustworthy sources disagree:
- Do not silently choose the answer you prefer.
- Check whether they cover different dates, definitions, populations, or versions.
- Record the disagreement.
- Escalate when the task requires authority or specialist judgement.
Unresolved is a valid result when evidence is not sufficient.
Worked verification
Claim:
Attendance increased by 20 percent, from 50 to 60 learners.
Check:
- Difference: 60 - 50 = 10.
- Percentage increase: 10 / 50 x 100 = 20 percent.
The calculation supports a 20 percent increase if the original counts are correct and comparable. It does not prove why attendance changed.
Quick check
Which action is independent verification?
A. Ask the same model to repeat the claim more confidently. B. Compare the claim with the current official source and record the matching passage. C. Accept it because three generated answers agree. D. Check only spelling.
Check the answer
Answer: B. The check uses evidence separate from the generated output.
Remember
- Match the verification method to the claim.
- Prefer primary or authoritative evidence where practical.
- Check applicability, not only existence.
- Record unresolved evidence instead of guessing.
Next, we will decide how much review a task deserves.