The method
- Define the question and period. Record each article’s author, address, publication date and revision date; leave a field blank when its precision is unknown.
- Add one row for each reported event, with its date and the passage describing it. An announcement, a decision and implementation can be three separate events even when a headline groups them together.
- Compare versions covering the same event. Record corrections, original documents and unresolved differences. Several articles repeating one agency report are not several independent confirmations.
Fictional worked example
A fictional article appears on the 12th and is revised on the 14th. It describes an announcement on the 10th and an opening planned for the 20th. Your table retains four dates: announcement, publication, revision and planned milestone. The opening remains “planned” until a source confirms it happened.
Compare two times with their UTC offsets
Identical displayed times can refer to different instants. Enter the date, time and offset stated by each source.
Fictional example: 02:30 at +02:00 is 00:30 UTC; 02:30 at +01:00 is 01:30 UTC. The second instant is 60 minutes after the first.
Method: convert each time to UTC, then subtract the first instant from the second. Use the offset applicable on that date; this tool does not determine a city’s daylight-saving rules.
Local calculation to the minute. Entries are neither sent nor saved. A time difference cannot establish the actual order of events if their source dates are wrong. Dates and time zones explained · W3C ↗
The record to keep
Keep addresses, distinct dates and decisive passages, then record your own consultation date. This record lets you revisit the reasoning after another publication.
Your record, step by step
For your own situation, record the following information. Check a field when it is documented; missing information still needs verification. The boxes are a reminder within this page.
This checklist does not validate your project. No entries are sent or saved.
Completed fictional example: these values only explain the method. Adapt the rows to your circumstances and keep unknowns explicit.
| Element | Value or observation | Interpretation |
|---|---|---|
| Announcement | 10 October | Date of the announced event |
| Article | 12 October | Publication date |
| Revision | 14 October | Date the text changed |
What this method can establish
A coherent timeline proves neither causation nor the accuracy of every statement. Unconfirmed events should remain explicitly unresolved.
Supporting documentation
These references support the method. Each source shows its language and consultation date; an available directory record explains its purpose.
- AFP Factuel — méthode de travail FR ↗
Documentation consulted on · Resource record : AFP Factuel
An editorial method, a fictional example and references for further reading.