Q001 — ACH Matrix¶


Research	R0050 — Journalism Disciplines
Run	2026-03-31-02
Query	Q001

Matrix¶

	H1: All four features present	H2: Partial features across frameworks	H3: No structural features
SRC01-E01: IFCN procedural commitments, no scoring	--	+	+
SRC02-E01: Six-point claim rating scale	-	++	--
SRC03-E01: Nine-criteria 100-point source scoring	-	++	--
SRC03-E02: Credibility/transparency domain split	-	+	-
SRC04-E01: Principle-based verification, no tools	--	+	+
SRC05-E01: Structured phases, 3-source minimum	-	+	-
SRC06-E01: Pure principle-based ethics	--	N/A	+
SRC07-E01: Explicit rejection of standardization	--	+	+
SRC08-E01: Academic confirmation of gaps	--	+	+

Legend:

++ Strongly supports
+ Supports
-- Strongly contradicts
- Contradicts
N/A Not applicable to this hypothesis

Diagnosticity Analysis¶

Most Diagnostic Evidence¶

Evidence	Why Diagnostic
SRC03-E01	NewsGuard's 100-point scoring system strongly discriminates between H2 and H3 — it proves structured tools exist (eliminating H3) while its outlet-level scope prevents it from confirming H1
SRC07-E01	The Verification Handbook's explicit rejection of standardization is highly diagnostic — it strongly contradicts H1 while supporting H2/H3 by confirming the absence is partly deliberate
SRC08-E01	Academic confirmation of methodology gaps independently validates the finding from a non-journalistic perspective

Least Diagnostic Evidence¶

Evidence	Why Non-Diagnostic
SRC06-E01	SPJ's principles are too general to discriminate between hypotheses — ethics codes are expected to be principle-based
SRC04-E01	BBC guidelines are representative of broadcast standards but do not sharply distinguish H2 from H3

Outcome¶

Hypothesis supported: H2 — Individual structural elements (NewsGuard's source scoring, PolitiFact's claim rating, Bellingcat's minimum corroboration threshold) exist across different frameworks, but no single framework integrates all four features.

Hypotheses eliminated: H1 — No framework contains all four features. H3 — Structured assessment tools clearly exist (NewsGuard, PolitiFact).

Hypotheses inconclusive: None — all three hypotheses have clear outcomes.