C012 — Claim Definition¶


Research	R0052 — Methodology Claims
Run	2026-03-31
Claim	C012

Claim as Received¶

Journalism is principles-based, not methodology-based — no journalistic framework has a hierarchical evidence quality scale, calibrated uncertainty language, structured bias assessment domains, or source reliability tiering.

Claim as Clarified¶

The claim asserts that journalistic standards are organized around ethical principles (seek truth, minimize harm, act independently, be accountable) rather than structured methodologies, and that no journalistic framework includes the specific analytical tools listed: hierarchical evidence quality scales, calibrated uncertainty language, structured bias assessment domains, or formal source reliability tiering systems.

BLUF¶

The claim is substantially correct but requires nuance. Journalism is fundamentally principles-based (SPJ Code of Ethics is explicitly 'a statement of principles, not a set of rules'). No journalistic framework was found with hierarchical evidence quality scales, calibrated uncertainty language, or structured bias assessment domains comparable to those in scientific/IC frameworks. However, journalism does have informal source reliability practices.

Scope¶

Domain: Journalism ethics and methodology
Timeframe: Current
Testability: Comparison of journalistic standards against the four specific features listed

Assessment Summary¶

Probability: Very likely (80-95%)

Confidence: Medium

Hypothesis outcome: H2 best supported — the claim is mostly correct but slightly overstated regarding source reliability.

[Full assessment in assessment.md.]

Status¶

Field	Value
Date created	2026-03-31
Date completed	2026-03-31
Researcher profile	Phil Moore
Prompt version	ai-research-methodology v1 research.md
Revisit by	2027-03-31
Revisit trigger	A major journalism organization publishes a structured methodology with any of the four listed features