Summary
- Begin with primary evidence whenever possible.
- Separate current state from historical records.
- Let the finished artifact prove completion.
Find the Surface Closest to Reality
Documentation, caches, logs, and a live page can all describe the same system while reflecting different moments in time. Verification should begin with the surface closest to the present fact.
A conclusion should stand on evidence that can be checked.
Preserve the Source Path
Reliable research gives more than an answer. It shows where the answer came from. Source, date, and scope determine whether a conclusion can be checked later.
Finish with Results
Completion is not a status sentence. A page that opens, a link that resolves, refreshed data, and a file that exists are the concrete evidence of finished work.