Fact-Checking and Evidence

Number and Unit Verification

Check calculations, units, currencies, percentages, denominators, baselines, rounding, time periods, and numerical comparisons before publication.

Free editable Markdown · Fact-checkers, editors, and data writers · Updated July 30, 2026

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Numerical claim

Claim ID and location: [Draft section]
Published wording: [Exact sentence, label, or headline]
Number type: [Count, rate, percentage, currency, measurement, or duration]
Source ID and exact location: [Table, row, page, or cell]
Source version: [Date or release]
Population and period: [Who or what; start and end]
Unit and scale: [For example kg, thousands, USD]
Inputs: [Values and labels]
Formula: [Show calculation]
Denominator or baseline: [Exact base]

Recalculation and comparison

Independent result: [Value with unit]
Rounding rule: [Method and precision]
Conversion: [Factor, exchange rate, date, or None]
Adjustment: [Inflation, seasonality, weighting, or None]
Missing-data treatment: [Included, excluded, estimated, suppressed]
Comparison alignment: [Same definition, period, and scope?]
Difference from draft: [Value and explanation]
Decision: [Approve, revise, qualify, or remove]

Cross-publication checks

Units and scale are shown wherever ambiguity is possible.
Percentages include a meaningful denominator or baseline.
Percentage points and percent change are not confused.
Currencies include code and relevant pricing assumptions.
Conversions preserve appropriate precision.
Headline, chart, body, alt text, and summary agree.
Words such as “average” and “nearly” match the calculation.
Material corrections trigger a review of the conclusion.

How to use this template

Copy the published wording and classify the number as count, rate, percentage, currency, measurement, duration, or comparison.
Locate the original inputs, definitions, units, denominator, period, and approved source version.
Recalculate independently and document conversion, adjustment, missing-data, and rounding choices.
Check every place the number appears and verify that surrounding language preserves its meaning.
Record reviewer approval or block publication until discrepancies and material uncertainty are resolved.

Reconstruct the number from its inputs

Record the exact source location, input values, formula, filters, denominator, and rounding rule. Perform the calculation independently and keep units attached throughout. A percentage without its base can mislead, and a “twofold increase” is not the same expression as an increase of two percentage points. For an average, identify whether it is a mean, median, rate, or weighted result. Check whether totals include missing, duplicate, estimated, or suppressed records and whether the draft uses the same population as the source.

Normalize comparisons carefully

Compare values only after aligning dates, time zones, geographies, categories, units, and definitions. Currency figures need currency code, price basis, tax treatment where relevant, and either the original amount or the exchange-rate source and date. Physical measurements need explicit units and correctly converted precision. Inflation-adjusted and nominal values are not interchangeable. When periods differ in length, consider rates or clearly disclose the mismatch rather than presenting raw totals as a direct comparison.

Review language as well as arithmetic

A correct calculation can still support misleading prose. Check “more than,” “less than,” “up to,” “average,” “typical,” and “nearly” against the value. Ensure the headline, chart, body, alt text, summary, and metadata use consistent figures and qualifiers. Avoid false precision: rounding should reflect source quality, and converted values should not gain unjustified decimal places. If a correction changes the direction or importance of a finding, reopen the editorial conclusion rather than fixing only the numeral.

See the fields in context

Fictional example: workshop registration rate

The Foxmere Workshop program and all counts are invented to demonstrate numerical verification.

Draft claim: “Registration rose 50 percentage points after the schedule change.”
Inputs: Fictional registrations move from 20 of 100 invitations to 30 of 100.
Recalculation: Rates are 20% and 30%; the change is 10 percentage points or 50% relative to the 20% baseline.
Revision: “The fictional registration rate rose from 20% to 30%, a 10-percentage-point increase.”
Qualification: The record describes invitations sent, not all eligible residents, and does not establish why the rate changed.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between percent and percentage points?

A move from 20% to 30% is a rise of 10 percentage points. Relative to the original 20%, it is a 50% increase. State the intended measure clearly.

How many decimal places should be kept?

Use precision justified by the measurement and reader need. Calculations and conversions should not imply greater certainty than the source data provides.

Is a spreadsheet result enough verification?

No. Inspect formula, cell references, filters, units, missing values, and source version. An automatically calculated result can faithfully reproduce an incorrect setup.

What if two authoritative sources report different totals?

Compare definitions, revision dates, coverage, and methods. Select the source appropriate to the claim or explain the discrepancy rather than silently choosing one.