fact-check-workflow

# Fact-check workflow Fact-checking is systematic, not intuitive. This skill provides structure for claim verification, evidence documentation, and rating decisions. ## When to use - Pre-publication fact-checking of articles - Dedicated fact-check stories (rating claims) - Verifying source statements during reporting - Building fact-checking protocols for a newsroom - Training staff on verification standards ## The fact-check process ``` 1. Identify claim → 2. Research claim → 3. Gather evidence → 4. Contact sources → 5. Rate/verify → 6. Document → 7. Publish/correct ``` ## Step 1: Claim extraction ### What to check **Check:** - Factual assertions ("X happened," "Y is true") - Statistics and numbers - Dates and timelines - Quotes and attributions - Causal claims ("X caused Y") **Don't check (opinions):** - "This policy is good/bad" - "We should do X" - Predictions about the future - Matters of taste or preference ### Claim extraction template ```markdown ## Claim log **Article/Source:** [where the claim appeared] **Date:** [when] ### Claim 1 **Statement:** [exact quote or paraphrase] **Speaker:** [who said it] **Context:** [surrounding context] **Type:** [statistic/historical/quote/causal] **Priority:** [high/medium/low based on importance to story] **Status:** [pending/verified/false/unverifiable] ### Claim 2 [same structure] ``` ### Prioritizing claims | Priority | Criteria | |----------|----------| | **High** | Central to the story's thesis, easily checkabl...