THE PUBLICATION

Follow the evidence.

How to read an argument and examine the records behind it.

A concrete cargo container with a processor-chip roof and exposed circuit boards stands apart from a wooden crate.

Start with a specific question

Identify the place, period and decision being discussed. Read the linked source alongside the claim. A forecast, an announcement and an observed result describe different things.

Test the explanation

Consider who benefits, who bears a cost and what alternative explanations the evidence supports. Analysis should distinguish a plausible mechanism from a measured outcome.