Direct answer
Evidence is a verifiable record that supports a specific claim within a defined scope and time. The mere existence of a link or document is not enough: the record must genuinely support the statement being examined.
In plain language
Consider the claim, 'The shop is open today.' A photograph taken last year may be a source, but it does not prove today's opening hours. Evidence is the source that answers the right question at the right time.
Why this matters
Without evidence, systems, people and auditors cannot separate a claim from reality. A source matched to the wrong claim creates a representation that looks supported but cannot be verified.
Do not confuse
- Source: the record from which information comes.
- Evidence: the part and context of a source that support a particular claim.
- Citation: a visible reference to a source, not the support itself.
What should you do?
- Break long sentences into claims that can be verified separately.
- Link each claim to the relevant section or field of its source.
- Record the source's date, owner and scope.
- Separate a first-party statement from independent verification.
- Manage conflicting evidence visibly instead of deleting it.
How do you audit it?
- Is the claim clear and unambiguous?
- Does the source support this exact claim?
- Is the source current, authoritative and unchanged?
- Has its scope or date been exceeded?
- Was counter-evidence recorded?
Limit
The strength of evidence depends on context. A source that is strong for one question may be weak for another.
Remember in one sentence
A source is a place; evidence is what genuinely supports your claim in that place.
Sources for this record
- S35W3C, *PROV-O: The PROV Ontology*Standard