Evidence model
The public record should make the distance between an observation and a claim visible without requiring readers to decode confidence language.
Observed
Section titled “Observed”Captured directly from a named source, sample, environment, or event. The record includes identity, provenance, and time bounds.
Reproduced
Section titled “Reproduced”Observed again under controlled and documented conditions. Reproduction shows repeatability inside the stated environment, not universal validity.
Inferred
Section titled “Inferred”The best current explanation connecting observations. Alternatives and assumptions remain in view.
Unknown
Section titled “Unknown”Information the current method cannot establish. Unknown is a result, not a copy defect.
Withdrawn
Section titled “Withdrawn”A record whose evidence, disclosure state, or interpretation no longer supports public reuse. The stable identifier remains and the reason is named.