Fact-checking Guide
This document defines how factual verification is conducted within the Craftpedia ecosystem. It applies to all languages, all regional portals and all types of craft-related articles.
The aim of this guide is to ensure that Craftpedia articles maintain a high standard of historical and cultural accuracy, aligned with museum-grade documentation practices.
Purpose of This Guide
The Fact-checking Guide establishes:
- what must be fact-checked;
- where reliable information should be sourced from;
- how fact-checkers introduce new information responsibly;
- procedures for identifying and correcting inaccuracies;
- best practices for verifying terminology, dates, origins, and cultural contexts.
Fact-checkers help ensure that Craftpedia remains a trustworthy, academically oriented digital resource.
Role of the Fact-checker
The fact-checker focuses on content accuracy, not language or style.
Their responsibilities include:
- verifying historical facts, dates, origins, and attributions;
- checking claims about materials, techniques, and regional variations;
- confirming terminology against museum and academic usage;
- identifying unsupported or ambiguous statements;
- ensuring that references are authoritative and correctly applied.
Introducing New Information
A fact-checker may introduce new facts if the following conditions are met:
- the information is fully supported by reliable, authoritative sources;
- the source is clearly cited in the references section;
- the fact-checker provides enough bibliographic detail for others to verify the source;
- no speculative, interpretive, or unsourced content is added.
In other words: > Fact-checkers may expand and improve articles, but must base all added information on transparent, authoritative evidence.
Editors reviewing the article do not need to re-check the fact-checker’s research process; they only need to confirm:
- that the source is clearly cited, and
- that the source is authoritative.
What Must Be Fact-checked
Fact-checkers must verify the following categories of information:
Historical Background
- origin dates and centuries;
- dynasties, eras, and transitions (e.g., Edo period, Ming dynasty);
- development of techniques over time.
Geographical Information
- region, prefecture, province, or cultural group;
- proper identification of regional schools or styles;
- cross-regional influences (e.g., Korean → Japanese porcelain).
Materials and Techniques
- raw materials and their properties;
- accurate description of processes and methods;
- identification of distinctive technical features.
Terminology
- correct craft names (English + original language);
- correct transliteration;
- accurate naming of periods, styles, and technical terms.
Cultural Significance
- ritual use;
- symbolic meaning;
- connections to festivals or ceremonies;
- social or historical importance.
Modern Developments
- contemporary workshops or revival movements;
- notable modern artists;
- museum collections.
Numerical Claims
- dates;
- centuries;
- production counts (if applicable);
- chronological ranges.
Every number must be verified.
Acceptable Sources
Fact-checkers must rely on authoritative, reputable, and academically grounded sources.
Primary Sources of High Authority
- museum catalogues and collection descriptions;
- publications from major museums (e.g., Tokyo National Museum, British Museum, Met Museum);
- academic monographs and university press books;
- archaeological reports;
- peer-reviewed journal articles;
- publications from cultural heritage institutions (e.g., UNESCO, Agency for Cultural Affairs Japan).
Acceptable Online Sources
- official museum websites;
- university-hosted resources (.edu, .ac domains);
- digitized academic repositories.
Sources Requiring Caution
- artisan websites;
- auction houses;
- commercial and tourist sites;
- general-interest blogs.
These may offer context but are not authoritative for historical or technical facts.
Unacceptable Sources
- Wikipedia (use only for orientation, never as a citation);
- AI-generated content;
- personal blogs;
- unsourced claims from random websites.
How to Check a Fact
Fact-checkers should use the following process:
- Identify the statement that requires verification.
- Consult one or more authoritative sources.
- Compare terminology and phrasing across sources.
- Ensure the meaning is correctly represented in the article.
- Insert or update citations accordingly.
- Document major corrections in the edit summary or talk page.
If sources conflict:
- prefer academic or museum sources;
- explain the conflict in neutral terms if necessary.
Handling Disputed or Uncertain Information
Some crafts have ambiguous origins, contested dates, or multiple scholarly interpretations.
In such cases:
- present the most widely accepted interpretation;
- mention alternative interpretations when academically recognized;
- use cautious phrasing (e.g., “some sources suggest,” “scholars disagree,” “it is believed that”).
Example:
- Some researchers attribute the origin of this technique to the early 17th century, while others suggest a late 16th-century development.
Fact-checking Translated Articles
When reviewing translations, fact-checkers must ensure:
- no new unsourced claims were introduced;
- technical terms remain accurate;
- cultural and historical details match the original;
- the translation does not distort the meaning of the source article;
- transliterations remain correct.
Common issues in translations:
- mistranslated period names;
- incorrect geographic terminology;
- oversimplified technical descriptions;
- loss of precision.
What to Do When an Error Is Found
If an error is identified:
- correct the factual statement;
- supply a proper citation;
- add an explanatory note if needed;
- record major corrections in the edit summary;
- notify translators if other languages must be updated.
Fact-checkers should avoid rewriting large sections without coordination, unless the content is demonstrably incorrect.
Citations and References
Every article must:
- cite authoritative sources for major facts;
- include full bibliographic information;
- ensure that citations correspond directly to claims in the text.
Fact-checkers must confirm:
- the reference is authoritative;
- the reference actually supports the claim;
- the citation is properly formatted.
Version Control and Coordination
Fact-checkers should:
- monitor significant updates to articles;
- ensure consistency across related articles;
- communicate terminology issues to translators and editors;
- review changes that affect multiple language versions.
Large updates (e.g., new archaeological evidence or reclassification of a craft) should be documented on the talk page.
Common Pitfalls
Fact-checkers must avoid:
- relying on Wikipedia instead of its sources;
- treating popular websites as authoritative;
- using outdated or superseded terminology;
- assuming information from one craft applies to another;
- ignoring contradictions in sources;
- accepting simplified descriptions from non-scholarly sources.
When Fact-checking Is Complete
A fact-checker may consider an article complete when:
- all major claims are verified;
- terminology matches authoritative usage;
- references are present and reliable;
- any disputed facts are properly documented;
- no unsupported or ambiguous statements remain.
Version History
- 1.1 – Clarified fact-checker responsibilities and added transparent sourcing requirements
- 1.0 – Initial release (English)