01 / Identify the source type
An index is a pointer, not the underlying record
Search previews, directory cards, and aggregator pages often summarize material from somewhere else. Find the responsible publisher and, where possible, the primary page behind the summary.
Repetition across several aggregators may trace back to one copied record. Count independent sources, not the number of pages displaying the same claim.
02 / Use three levels
Let the evidence set the ceiling
Low confidence means a label or preview resembles the subject of the question. Medium confidence means the page supplies consistent, relevant context. Higher confidence requires a responsible primary source that directly supports the specific connection being considered.
These levels are not permanent grades. A corrected page, newly available primary source, or discovered contradiction can move the assessment in either direction.
03 / Separate layers
Observation and inference belong on different lines
First write what the page directly says. Then write the inference, if any, that a reader might draw. Keeping those layers separate exposes the exact point where uncertainty enters.
A careful note may conclude that the source is insufficient. That is a useful result because it prevents unsupported material from becoming a recycled fact.
Working principle
Prominence can attract attention; only source quality can earn confidence.
04 / Publish the limit
Make uncertainty easy to carry forward
Use narrow language, link the source, and include the viewing date when context may change. Avoid cropped fragments that make the assessment impossible to reproduce.
A good conclusion tells the reader both what is supported and what is not. That boundary is the most reusable part of the research.