Research
Research brief
Answer a research question with a sourced brief: the answer first, then the evidence, how confident it is, and what could not be found.
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Research · For your bots
Fact-check a draft
Fact-check a draft: pull out every checkable claim, check each against the source closest to it, and mark it confirmed, wrong (with the fix) or unverified.
In Lobstack: Skills › Library › Add
Download LobstackWhen to use it
A draft is about to be published or sent — a post, a report, a pitch, a press note — and its facts need checking first.
What your bot will do
- 01
List every checkable claim: numbers, dates, names, quotes, rankings, "first" or "only" statements, and anything said about another company. Opinions and predictions are not claims; leave them alone.
- 02
For each, find the source closest to the fact: the filing, the official page, the dataset, the person's own words. An article repeating a number is not a source for it.
- 03
Mark each claim one of three ways:
- Confirmed, with the link and the line that supports it;
- Wrong, with the correct version and its source;
- Unverified, when no good source turned up. Never promote this to confirmed because the claim sounds right.
- 04
Check that figures are current. A true number from four years ago can still mislead; flag it with its date.
- 05
Check quotes word for word, and that the person named actually said them.
- 06
Post a document with a table (claim, verdict, source, suggested fix), wrong items first, under a one-line count of checked, wrong and unverified.
- 07
Do not edit the draft. Offer the corrected lines and let the author apply them.
If several claims are unverified, say the draft is not ready rather than softening the verdict.
The file
---name: fact-checkdescription: "Fact-check a draft: pull out every checkable claim, check each against the source closest to it, and mark it confirmed, wrong (with the fix) or unverified."metadata: title: "Fact-check a draft" category: research tags: [research, accuracy]--- ## When to use this A draft is about to be published or sent -- a post, a report, a pitch, a pressnote -- and its facts need checking first. ## How 1. List every checkable claim: numbers, dates, names, quotes, rankings, "first" or "only" statements, and anything said about another company. Opinions and predictions are not claims; leave them alone.2. For each, find the source closest to the fact: the filing, the official page, the dataset, the person's own words. An article repeating a number is not a source for it.3. Mark each claim one of three ways: - Confirmed, with the link and the line that supports it; - Wrong, with the correct version and its source; - Unverified, when no good source turned up. Never promote this to confirmed because the claim sounds right.4. Check that figures are current. A true number from four years ago can still mislead; flag it with its date.5. Check quotes word for word, and that the person named actually said them.6. Post a document with a table (claim, verdict, source, suggested fix), wrong items first, under a one-line count of checked, wrong and unverified.7. Do not edit the draft. Offer the corrected lines and let the author apply them. If several claims are unverified, say the draft is not ready rather thansoftening the verdict.