Toolkits · Training

Evidence Literacy 101

A drill-based course to publish with cleaner sourcing, clearer limits, and fewer avoidable mistakes. Education only. Not legal advice. No case review. No outcomes sold.

Claim vs evidence Sourcing hygiene Clear limits Corrections-ready
Back to Training Buy full course ($79) Browse Toolkits

Why this training exists

Publishing fails most often at the basics: mixing claims with evidence, citing weak sources, overstating certainty, and losing track of what can be corrected later. This course teaches a minimal workflow that stays defensible.

  • Goal: raise the baseline quality of public-interest publishing without turning it into a full-time job.
  • Not included: case-specific advice, document review, or outcome prediction.
  • Privacy-first: avoid identifying details; keep raw records private and controlled.

Who it’s for

  • Individuals who want to write carefully: what is known vs. not known.
  • Creators and community members who publish allegations, patterns, or public-interest issues.
  • Small teams who need a consistent sourcing standard and a corrections path.

Who it is not for

  • Legal advice, emergency services, or a substitute for professional counsel.
  • Case review, evidence verification, or document drafting for individuals.
  • Publishing identifiable info about minors or vulnerable people.

What you’ll learn (skills)

  • Separate claims from evidence (and label uncertainty clearly).
  • Identify sources that “hold up” vs. sources that collapse later.
  • Use a minimal sourcing workflow: capture → log → cite → preserve limits.
  • Write limits: what is known, what is not known, and what would change the conclusion.
  • Cite without oversharing identifying details.
  • Stay corrections-ready: update without silently rewriting history.

Course structure (outline)

Short modules with drills and templates. Built for repeat use.

Module 1
Claims vs. evidence
What a claim is, what evidence is, and how to keep them separate in writing.
Module 2
Source hygiene
What holds up: primary docs, official records, direct observation. What collapses: hearsay, screenshots without context, vague posts.
Module 3
Minimal sourcing workflow
A small system you can run every time: capture, label, limit, cite.
Module 4
Limits writing
How to say “what is known vs not known” without sounding evasive or overstating certainty.
Module 5
Citing without oversharing
How to cite responsibly while avoiding privacy leaks and unnecessary identifiers.
Module 6
Corrections readiness
How to correct transparently: what changed, when, and why.
Buy full course ($79) Read Corrections standard

Minimum standard checklist (quick win)

A defensible post is usually built from a few repeatable habits.

  • Label: what is a claim vs what is evidence.
  • Source: prefer primary records; document where each key fact came from.
  • Limit: state what you do not know (and what would change your conclusion).
  • Privacy: remove identifying details; avoid posting raw screenshots with metadata.
  • Trace: keep a private log so corrections can be made transparently.
  • Calm tone: no exaggeration; no certainty beyond the evidence.

Worked example (fictional)

Fictional example for education. Shows a defensible structure: claim → evidence → limits.

Before (too loose)
“They stole my wages and everyone knows it. The company is corrupt. I have messages.”
After (defensible structure)
Claim: “Payment did not match the agreed rate for a period of time.”
Evidence: “A pay statement and a written rate confirmation exist (retained privately).”
Limits: “This summary does not assess legality; it describes a documented discrepancy.”
  • Overstatement removed; claim narrowed to what can be supported.
  • Evidence referenced without publishing private identifiers.
  • Limits state what the text is and is not doing.

Limits & safety boundaries

  • Education only. Not legal advice.
  • No case review: no document review, no “tell me what to file,” no strategy.
  • No outcomes sold: purchasing does not buy results, coverage, or favourable treatment.
  • Do not send sensitive personal data: avoid names, addresses, IDs, and private records in messages.
Support does not buy coverage or outcomes. If you want to understand the editorial standards, read Principles.

FAQ

Is this legal advice?

No. Education only. Not legal advice.

Will WitnessBC review my situation or documents?

No. No case review and no outcomes sold.

Is this only for journalists?

No. It applies to anyone doing public-interest publishing online.

Does buying training influence coverage?

No. Purchases and support do not buy coverage, outcomes, or favourable treatment.

What should I start with?

If you want templates first, start on Toolkits. If you want structured habit-building, use this training.

Buy full course ($79) Back to Training Support (Tip)

Next step

If you publish more than once, clean structure compounds: fewer retractions, fewer edits, more clarity.

Buy full course ($79) Browse Toolkits Standards & boundaries