official records
Printed or written documents which were clearly produced by an authoritative source.
Official records include anything printed as authoritative by or under the direction of persons involved in an object, who should be presumed to have accurate knowledge of the data conveyed. This is a medium-to-high source of data, nevertheless below technical drawings and direct measurement or observation.
The record is produced as authoritative by people involved with the object or under their direction. This direct involvement distinguishes its authority from the reputation of an unrelated publisher alone.
The stated source rank remains below technical drawings and direct observation or measurement. Official presentation does not remove the need to consider whether the record's producer has accurate knowledge of the particular fact.
Related definitions
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academic paper
An unpublished article produced in university or college research, with journal-published papers classified as magazines. -
book
A bound, published text generally presumed to have undergone an editorial quality check. -
brochure
A printed informational sheet or booklet about a topic, distributed in a different manner from a published book. -
government database
A collection of data which is maintained and issued by a governmental agency or authority. -
magazine
A periodical publication other than a newspaper, usually devoted to a subject and issued weekly or less frequently. -
newspaper
A frequently issued publication which reports general news without focus on a particular topic. -
private database
A collection of data which is maintained and issued by a non-governmental entity. -
sign
A posted placard conveying information, used as a data source when its content and responsible issuer are sufficiently reliable.