# Publication depth and evidence standard

Adopted September 27, 2026. This replaces the older short-format targets and compulsory five-section template. Distinguish documented fact, historical/reference meaning, observed reaction and Christian interpretation wherever relevant, without forcing identical headings into every article.

| Format | Required body length | Evidence and substance |
|---|---:|---|
| News brief | 350–600 | One bounded development; inspected original; precise dates, attribution, significance, limits. Label it a brief. |
| News report | 800–1,200 | Developed account of what changed, who is affected, essential history, evidence, response when relevant, and remaining uncertainty. No claim of firsthand reporting without it. |
| Analysis / explainer / substantive guide | 1,200–1,800 | Defined question, source-led explanation, context, competing interpretations or objections, limitations and a useful application. |
| Christian opinion / reflection | 1,000–1,600 | Defensible thesis, factual anchor, developed reasoning, serious counterargument, Scripture interpreted in context, relevant denominational distinctions and practical implications. |
| Evidence case | 1,200–2,000 | Claim-level source record, reference history, documented naming reason or explicit unknown, alternative meanings, reaction limits, interpretation and source context. |
| Investigation / dossier | 2,000–3,500+ | A documented evidence chain and a consequential question; corroboration, contrary evidence, method and response opportunity where appropriate. “Investigation” requires original investigative work, not just length. |

Counts exclude headlines, section headings, captions, navigation, source lists and related links. The minimum is a commissioning and structural gate, not permission to pad. The upper bound prompts editing rather than automatic rejection. If the evidence supports only a brief, explicitly commission and label a brief; do not quietly downgrade an article to evade a failed audit.

For the pastoral-care accountability opinion, the agreed specific target is 1,300–1,600 words.

## What depth means

A reader should understand the development or thesis; see why each important source is relevant; distinguish what the evidence proves from what it does not; encounter a fair alternative argument; and leave with useful implications. Links alone do not supply this work. An illustrative scenario must be explicitly hypothetical. Opinions cannot introduce unsupported factual allegations. Do not invent audience reaction, motives, author credentials, interviews or completed human review.

Scripture references need literary and historical context and an explanation of how the principle is being applied. A modern analogy is not a biblical prediction. Use proportionate citations, original prose and checked source context. A source's institutional authority does not turn its assertions into independently demonstrated outcomes.

## Applying the standard

The September 27, 2026 library revision applies these length standards to all 71 audited articles, substantive guides, dossiers and evidence narratives. A sufficient length does not establish accuracy: source verification, editorial judgment and appropriate human review remain separate requirements. Substantive revisions carry their own update dates while historical events retain their original dates.

## Weekly briefings

A weekly briefing is a concise, labeled synthesis of selected coverage already published by AI Faith Monitor. It connects the evidence, offers practical questions or actions, links to the full work, and states its coverage-through date and limits. It is distinct from a standalone news report or substantive analysis and has no padded word minimum. A briefing must not serve as a shortcut around those formats’ evidence or depth requirements. New factual claims require their own verification before inclusion. Later changes within a coverage week keep the same edition link and carry an update date.