E01¶


Research	R0002 — Research Standards for AI-Assisted Writing
Run	2026-03-13
Claim	C011
Source	SRC01
Evidence	SRC01-E01
Type	Factual

SPJ Code Is Principles-Based and Voluntary

URL: Not captured — experimental run

Extract¶

The SPJ Code of Ethics is explicitly "not a set of rules, rather a guide" with "four overarching values and 35 individual principles." It is "entirely voluntary" with "no enforcement provisions or penalties for violations."

Relevance to Hypotheses¶

Hypothesis	Relationship	Strength
H1	Supports	Strong — directly confirms principles-based characterization
H2	Supports	Strong — confirms principles-based nature of journalism's primary ethical code
H3	Contradicts	Strong — explicitly refutes methodology-based characterization

Context¶

This is a direct self-description from the issuing organization. The SPJ Code is not a methodology — it is a set of aspirational principles with no enforcement mechanism. This is the strongest available evidence for the principles-based characterization of journalism.

Notes¶

The four overarching values are: Seek Truth and Report It, Minimize Harm, Act Independently, and Be Accountable and Transparent. None of these values include formal evidence hierarchies, uncertainty calibration, or structured bias assessment.