The Behavioural Brief / Method note / 9 September 2026
Follow the claim as it travels.
The repetition of a claim can look like corroboration even when every version has the same origin.
Keep the first account in view
Start with the earliest account you can establish and preserve its wording, date and context. An earlier publication is not automatically the original source; record that limitation.
Track changes, not just mentions
A tentative suggestion can become a confident assertion through repetition. Compare what each version adds, removes or reframes. Those changes may matter more than the total number of references.
Test independence
Three reports based on the same source are not three independent confirmations. A source map should distinguish independent evidence from amplification and make unresolved provenance clear.
Connect the analysis to the decision
Explain what the available evidence supports, what remains contested and which next check would be useful. Reach is relevant to a communications response; it does not establish that the underlying claim is true.