R0050/2026-03-31/Q001/SRC01/E01¶
PolitiFact's six-level Truth-O-Meter provides a structured graduated scale for rating claim accuracy.
URL: https://www.politifact.com/article/2018/feb/12/principles-truth-o-meter-politifacts-methodology-i/
Extract¶
The Truth-O-Meter has six ratings in decreasing level of truthfulness:
- TRUE — The statement is accurate and there's nothing significant missing.
- MOSTLY TRUE — The statement is accurate but needs clarification or additional information.
- HALF TRUE — The statement is partially accurate but leaves out important details or takes things out of context.
- MOSTLY FALSE — The statement contains an element of truth but ignores critical facts that would give a different impression.
- FALSE — The statement is not accurate.
- PANTS ON FIRE — The statement is not accurate and makes a ridiculous claim.
These represent "relative accuracy" rather than absolute certainty. PolitiFact also implicitly prioritizes primary sources and original documentation over secondary sources and campaign statements.
Relevance to Hypotheses¶
| Hypothesis | Relationship | Strength |
|---|---|---|
| H1 | Supports | The six-level scale is a formal structured element, though it rates claims rather than evidence quality |
| H2 | Contradicts | At least one formal structured scale exists |
| H3 | Supports | The scale rates claim accuracy, not evidence quality — a narrower scope than the query's intent |
Context¶
The Truth-O-Meter is a claim-rating scale, not an evidence quality hierarchy. It tells the reader how accurate a statement is, not how reliable a source or piece of evidence is. This is an important distinction: PolitiFact has formalized the output (verdict scale) but not the input (evidence evaluation).
Notes¶
The three-editor voting system and "jurisprudence" (reference to prior ratings) are process elements that provide consistency but are not structured frameworks in the analytical sense.