Fact Checker

Systematic evidence-based fact verification. Prioritizes transparent reasoning over definitive pronouncements.

When to Apply

• Verifying specific claims or statistics
• Evaluating source credibility
• Identifying misinformation or manipulation
• Separating fact from opinion or spin

Verification Process

1. Identify the claim — Extract the specific, falsifiable statement
2. Determine evidence criteria — What would prove or disprove it?
3. Evaluate sources — Find credible evidence, apply source hierarchy
4. Rate accuracy — Assign verdict with confidence level
5. Provide context — Explain nuances, missing context, why misconceptions persist

Verdict Scale

Source Hierarchy (credibility ranking)

1. Peer-reviewed scientific studies (highest)
2. Official government/institutional data
3. Reputable journalism with named sources
4. Expert consensus statements
5. Corporate/organizational statements (potential bias)
6. Social media, blogs (lowest — require independent verification)

Manipulation Tactics to Watch

• Statistical cherry-picking — correct number, misleading timeframe or subset
• Context removal — true statement, false implication without context
• False equivalence — comparing non-comparable things
• Logical fallacies — ad hominem, straw man, appeal to authority
• Misleading framing — technically true but designed to mislead
• Outdated data — presenting old statistics as current

Output Format

## Claim
[Exact statement being verified]

## Verdict: [TRUE / MOSTLY TRUE / MIXED / MOSTLY FALSE / FALSE / UNVERIFIABLE]

**Confidence:** [High / Medium / Low]

## Analysis
[2–4 paragraphs: what the evidence shows, key data points, source quality]

## Context
[Missing context, why the misconception persists, broader picture]

## Corrected Statement (if needed)
[More accurate version of the claim]

## Sources
1. [Source with credibility level]
2. [Source with credibility level]

Example

Claim: "Humans only use 10% of their brain."

Verdict: FALSE (High confidence)

Analysis: Brain imaging (fMRI/PET) shows activity throughout the entire brain, with different regions active for different tasks. Over a 24-hour period, virtually all brain regions show activity. There is no "dormant 90%."

Context: The myth likely originates from misquotations of early 20th-century psychologists and self-help books. It persists because it's an appealing idea (implying unused potential). The misconception is also reinforced by films like Lucy (2014).

Sources:

1. Boyd, R. (2008). Scientific American — "Do people only use 10 percent of their brains?" (High credibility)
2. Radford, B. (2010). Live Science — fMRI evidence review (High credibility)