1 - Introduction ~5 mins
Welcome
At work, on placement, or in the write-up of the issue you are investigating, repeating the same claim three times is not the same as proving it. Finding the same line on three websites can feel like proof. Sometimes it is. Sometimes you have found the same paragraph travelling from a press release to a news rewrite to a blog, with nobody doing fresh checking. Today you learn how to tell the difference, because your investigation only holds up if its backing sources are genuinely independent.
In the picture above you can see three browser windows around one claim: two of them are linked, because one copied the other, and only the third stands on its own.
What you will be able to do today
- Check one claim in several places and tell whether those places really back each other up
- Spot when sources are copies of each other rather than separate checks
- Write down your independence check for one factual claim in your investigation
Warm-up
Think of a claim you can test. Use either a claim already in your search log or this class example for the warm-up only: "In Ireland, the digital age of consent is 16."
If three pages all say it, what would convince you they did not copy each other?
2 - Key Concepts ~6 mins
Before you sort real examples, get clear on four terms. They are what stop you mistaking a copy chain for real proof.
| Concept | Why it matters | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Independent verification — sources that reach the same claim from different origins or evidence | Only independent sources raise confidence; three copies do not | Revenue, Citizens Information, and a solicitor each state Ireland's digital age of consent as 16 in different words |
| Copy cascade — one original text rewritten or pasted across several pages | Counting cascade pages as "three sources" overstates the evidence | A club press release, a local news rewrite, and a fan page quoting the news only |
| Circular citation — Source A cites Source B, and Source B only cites Source A | The loop looks like agreement with no outside check | Two blogs each naming the other as the only reference for one statistic |
| Cross-check — testing one claim in separate places and recording whether sources stand alone | Turns "I saw it somewhere" into evidence you can defend | Claim checked on an official site, a news report with named data, and a third page not quoting either |
3 - Independent or Copied? ~15 mins
As a class, sort six source situations into independent verification or not independent. Talk each card through first, then place and check.
Stand-alone test: could each source still stand if the other two vanished?
Independent or copied?
4 - Common Issues ~2 mins
Common Issues
| Issue | Solution |
|---|---|
| Three pages agree, so I assumed they were independent | Check origin: do they cite different primary evidence, or are they rewriting the same release, article, or Wikipedia paragraph? |
| I cannot tell if two news sites copied each other | Compare unique phrases, quotes, and dates. If the wording is nearly identical and both only cite one press office, treat them as one source chain. |
| My third "source" is just a social post linking the first article | A link or share is not a new source. Find a page that adds its own evidence, data, or official original document. |
Keep this table open while you build your independence check. Glance back if you get stuck on a tricky page.
5 - Independent Practice ~25 mins
Independent Practice
- Go to {{code:onedrive.com}} or {{code:drive.google.com}}, open {{code:Project_Portfolio}}, then open {{code:09_specialism/sm4/}}.
- Create a new Word Online or Google Docs file named {{code:sm4_independence_check}} inside that folder.
- Pick one factual claim from your investigation. If {{code:sm4_search_log}} or {{code:sm4_references}} is missing or empty, use the class claim: "In Ireland, the digital age of consent is 16."
- Copy the template below into your document.
- Find that claim in at least three sources and fill each row (title, URL, what it says, independence note).
- Write one overall verdict: independent verification, partial dependence, or copy cascade.
If all three pages turn out to be the same chain, say so in your verdict — that still counts as doing the check properly. Do not invent independence you did not find.
- {{code:sm4_independence_check}} sits in {{code:09_specialism/sm4/}} and states one clear factual claim in a single sentence
- At least three sources are listed with title, URL, and a short note on what each says about the claim
- Each source has an independence note (independent / depends on another listed source / copy of another listed source)
- A final verdict names whether you have true independent verification or still need a better third source
Document template (copy this layout)
Claim (one sentence): ________________________________
| Source | Title | URL | What it says about the claim | Independence note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 (sample) | Citizens Information guidance | https://www.citizensinformation.ie (find the digital age of consent page) | States the digital age of consent in Ireland is 16 | Independent — official original page |
| 2 | independent / depends on… / copy of… | |||
| 3 | independent / depends on… / copy of… |
Overall verdict: independent verification / partial dependence / copy cascade (and what you will do next if needed)
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