A worksheet for checking claims about public figures
A free, printable worksheet for comparing claims, dates, sources and limitations before sharing a story.
Use one worksheet per claim. Complete it in your own document or print this page from your browser. No account is needed.
1. Exact claim
What is asserted, about whom and with what certainty? Record the specific wording rather than just a headline.
2. Event date and document date
Record both. A recent report may describe an older event.
3. Source and link
Identify author, institution, title and URL. Is it an original record, testimony or reporting that cites another document?
4. What it establishes
Explain which part of the claim the record supports. Distinguish one person’s contribution from an organization’s work.
5. What it does not establish
Record limits on time period, population or scope. Are numbers missing, or is undocumented intent being inferred?
6. Legal status
Where relevant, distinguish an allegation, complaint, settlement and conviction. Record the jurisdiction and outcome date.
7. Another perspective
Look for relevant evidence that qualifies the claim without assuming all sources deserve equal weight.
8. Provisional conclusion
State what you can assert, what needs another source and when you would check again.
You may reuse and adapt this worksheet with attribution to Full Picture. It is a critical-reading tool, not an automated scoring system.