claim-verification-checklist

Claim Verification Checklist

What This Skill Does

Generates a point-by-point checklist of every verifiable claim in a draft article, categorized by claim type and accompanied by the specific evidence needed to confirm each one.

When To Use This Skill

• A story is close to publication and needs a systematic fact-check before the editor or legal team sees it
• You are the assigning editor and want to hand a reporter a clear list of what still needs to be verified
• You have inherited a draft from another writer and need to understand what is sourced and what is asserted
• You want to ensure no factual claims slip through on deadline without a documented verification method

What You Need To Provide

Required: The full text of the draft article or a detailed section-by-section summary Optional: A note on which claims are already verified (so the checklist can mark them as such); the publication's fact-checking standard (minimal, standard, or rigorous); the story type (news, investigation, profile, feature)

How the Assistant Approaches This

1. Reads the draft and extracts every claim that is factually verifiable — distinguishing factual assertions from opinions, characterizations, and attributed quotes
2. Categorizes each claim by type: statistical, biographical, chronological, attribution (quote or paraphrase), official record, scientific, or legal
3. For each claim, specifies the minimum evidence standard needed for verification — primary source, secondary corroboration, expert confirmation, or documentary proof
4. Flags highest-risk claims: those that are specific, potentially defamatory, or that directly contradict public statements by named individuals
5. Closes with a "Next Step" note: which High-risk item to verify first, estimated time to clear the checklist, and whether libel-check-brief should be run alongside for any drafts containing allegations against named individuals

Output Format

Numbered checklist. Each item: Claim (exact quote from draft) | Claim Type | Required Evidence | Risk Level (Low / Medium / High). Grouped by section of the article. Followed by a Summary section noting total claim count, High-risk count, and items already marked as verified. Length scales with article length — typically 400–800 words for a 1,500-word article. Output ends with a "Next Step" note: which High-risk claim to verify first, how long the full check is likely to take, and whether libel-check-brief should be run on the same draft.