Research Sources

Every source cited on the site: what it found, how, the limits of its method, when it was last checked, and which motions and arguments use it.

74 sources · 62 full text checked · 2 official summary checked · 9 abstract checked · 1 secondary report checked

“Full text checked” means the original page or publication was read and the cited finding checked against it. Sources checked only against an abstract, an official summary or a secondary report are labelled as such wherever they are cited.

How it was checked

74 of 74 sources

1. Tournament recordVerification: Full text checkedtab-oxford-schools-china-2024
  Oxford Schools China 2024 Nationals: motions
  Oxford Schools China (Tabbycat) · date not recorded
  Key finding
  Lists the Round 1 (televised court trials), Round 2 (glorification of e-sports players), Round 5 (trend towards authenticity on social media) and Round 6 (recent graduate rejecting in-person employment) motions.
  Methodology
  Official motion list published on the tournament's Tabbycat (calicotab) site.
  Methodological limitations
  Confirms the original BP wording and round only. The PF-style wording used on this site is an editorial rendering, not the tournament's text.
  Last checked: 2026-10-31
Where it appears: Social Media Authenticity · Esports Celebrity Culture · Remote Work and University Graduates · Televising Court Trials
1. Tournament recordVerification: Full text checkedtab-aodc-bp-2024
  AODC BP 2024: motions
  AODC BP 2024 (Tabbycat) · date not recorded
  Key finding
  Lists the Round 1 (“successful tuition fee” model), Round 2 (five homegrown starters) and Grand Final (rise of “Hermit Cutlure” [sic]) motions.
  Methodology
  Official motion list published on the tournament's Tabbycat (calicotab) site.
  Methodological limitations
  Confirms the original BP wording and round only. The PF-style wording used on this site is an editorial rendering, not the tournament's text.
  Last checked: 2026-10-31
Where it appears: Voluntary Solitude · Outcome-Contingent Tuition · Homegrown Football Players
1. Tournament recordVerification: Full text checkedtab-ssdi-bp-2025
  SSDI BP 2025: motions
  SSDI BP 2025 (Tabbycat) · date not recorded
  Key finding
  Lists the Round 1 (subsidies for global virtual schools), Round 5 (redevelopment must guarantee return of displaced residents) and Grand Final (environmental movement and corporate partnerships) motions.
  Methodology
  Official motion list published on the tournament's Tabbycat (calicotab) site.
  Methodological limitations
  Confirms the original BP wording and round only. The PF-style wording used on this site is an editorial rendering, not the tournament's text.
  Last checked: 2026-10-31
Where it appears: Virtual Schools · Redevelopment and Right to Return · Environmental Movements and Corporate Partnerships
1. Tournament recordVerification: Full text checkedtab-dlc-bp-2026
  2026 DLC BP Open: motions
  2026 NHSDLC BP Open (Tabbycat) · date not recorded
  Key finding
  Lists the Round 3 (“influencerisation” of sports media), Round 5 (abolish zoning laws in the U.S.) and School Semifinals (parents helping an average child become an influencer) motions.
  Methodology
  Official motion list published on the tournament's Tabbycat (calicotab) site.
  Methodological limitations
  Confirms the original BP wording and round only. The PF-style wording used on this site is an editorial rendering, not the tournament's text.
  Last checked: 2026-10-31
Where it appears: Influencer-Driven Sports Media · Child Influencers · Residential Zoning Reform
1. Tournament recordVerification: Full text checkedtab-bido-2026
  BIDO 2026: motions
  BIDO 2026 (Tabbycat) · date not recorded
  Key finding
  Lists the Round 1 (grade caps), Round 3 (consolidation of the luxury industry), Round 4 (soundness over significance in peer review) and Novice Finals (mandate prenups) motions.
  Methodology
  Official motion list published on the tournament's Tabbycat (calicotab) site.
  Methodological limitations
  Confirms the original BP wording and round only. The PF-style wording used on this site is an editorial rendering, not the tournament's text.
  Last checked: 2026-10-31
Where it appears: Scientific Reproducibility · University Grade Distribution Caps · Luxury Brand Consolidation · Prenuptial Agreements
1. Tournament recordVerification: Full text checkedtab-shumen-2026
  Shumen Online Open 2026: motions
  Shumen Online Open 2026 (Tabbycat) · date not recorded
  Key finding
  Lists the Round 5 motion regretting the rise of management consultancy.
  Methodology
  Official motion list published on the tournament's Tabbycat (calicotab) site.
  Methodological limitations
  Confirms the original BP wording and round only. The PF-style wording used on this site is an editorial rendering, not the tournament's text.
  Last checked: 2026-10-31
Where it appears: Management Consulting
1. Academic publicationVerification: Abstract checkedpinch-2024-bereal
  “Is it time for me to be authentic?”: Understanding, performing, and evaluating authenticity on BeReal
  Annika Pinch, Floor Fiers, Jeremy Birnholtz, Justine Fisher, Brigid Reilly (New Media & Society) · 2024-08-14
  Key finding
  BeReal (launched 2020) prompts users to post unfiltered front- and back-camera photos at a set time. Interviewed users resisted the prompts and used strategies to regain control over self-presentation, while also accepting the app's ideal of effortless “realness” and judging others as fake when they ignored the prompts.
  Methodology
  Qualitative interviews with 25 BeReal users.
  Methodological limitations
  Small, self-selected interview sample; describes how users interpret authenticity, not how common these behaviours are or their effects on wellbeing. Checked against the published abstract (Crossref metadata); full text is paywalled.
  Last checked: 2026-10-31
Where it appears: Social Media Authenticity (Realistic content reduces harmful upward comparison; Authenticity becomes a new performance standard)
1. Academic publicationVerification: Full text checkedbailey-2020-authentic-expression
  Authentic self-expression on social media is associated with greater subjective well-being
  Erica R. Bailey, Sandra C. Matz, Wu Youyou, Sheena S. Iyengar (Nature Communications 11, 4889) · 2020-10-06
  Key finding
  Study 1: among 10,560 Facebook users, closer agreement between self-rated personality and personality predicted from Likes or status updates was associated with higher life satisfaction (small effects; largest standardized β ≈ 0.11). Study 2: in a two-week within-subject experiment with 90 students, the week of authentic posting produced higher mood and positive affect than the week of self-idealised posting, but no significant change in life satisfaction.
  Methodology
  Study 1: correlational regressions on myPersonality app data. Study 2: pre-registered within-subject experiment (target 200, achieved 90 because of COVID-19 lab closure), randomised order of authentic and idealised posting weeks.
  Methodological limitations
  Study 1 is correlational; personality predictions from digital traces are imperfect (r ≈ 0.56 for Likes, 0.41 for language). Study 2 is small, some results are marginal, and it used a different mood scale from the one pre-registered. Neither study compares authentic posting with not using social media.
  Last checked: 2026-10-31
Where it appears: Social Media Authenticity (Realistic content reduces harmful upward comparison; Expressing your actual self is better for the person posting; Authenticity norms erode privacy and selective self-presentation) · Math × Debate: Correlation vs. Causation
1. Academic publicationVerification: Abstract checkedtiggemann-2020-instagram-vs-reality
  Social media is not real: The effect of ‘Instagram vs reality’ images on women's social comparison and body image
  Marika Tiggemann, Isabella Anderberg (New Media & Society 22(12), 2183–2199) · 2019-11-16
  Key finding
  305 women aged 18–30 were randomly assigned to view paired “Instagram vs reality” images, only idealised images, or only realistic images. Both the paired and the realistic sets reduced body dissatisfaction relative to the idealised set, and appearance comparison was less harmful in those conditions.
  Methodology
  Randomised between-subjects online experiment, single exposure.
  Methodological limitations
  Immediate effects after one viewing session; women aged 18–30 only; long-term effects untested, as the authors note. Checked against the published abstract (Crossref metadata).
  Last checked: 2026-10-31
Where it appears: Social Media Authenticity (Realistic content reduces harmful upward comparison; Authenticity becomes a new performance standard) · Math × Debate: Correlation vs. Causation
1. Academic publicationVerification: Abstract checkedabidin-2017-calibrated-amateurism
  #familygoals: Family Influencers, Calibrated Amateurism, and Justifying Young Digital Labor
  Crystal Abidin (Social Media + Society 3(2)) · 2017-06-05
  Key finding
  Family influencers craft an appearance of unpolished everyday life, which the author calls “calibrated amateurism”: a deliberate performance of authenticity that sustains follower engagement. Most follower comments express support or envy; some raise concerns about the children's wellbeing. Parents justify the digital labour their children perform.
  Methodology
  Ethnographically informed content analysis of two groups of family influencers.
  Methodological limitations
  Two case groups; interpretive method that identifies practices rather than measuring their prevalence or effects. Checked against the published abstract (Crossref metadata).
  Last checked: 2026-10-31
Where it appears: Social Media Authenticity (Authenticity becomes a new performance standard; Authenticity is commodified, making persuasion more effective) · Child Influencers (Guided participation is better than unguided exposure; Permanent exposure without the child's consent; Turning childhood into content distorts the parent–child relationship)
1. Academic publicationVerification: Abstract checkedmarwick-boyd-2011-context-collapse
  I tweet honestly, I tweet passionately: Twitter users, context collapse, and the imagined audience
  Alice E. Marwick, danah boyd (New Media & Society 13(1), 114–133) · 2010-07-07
  Key finding
  Social media collapses multiple audiences into one context, making self-presentation harder to manage. Users imagine audiences and use techniques such as targeting, concealing subjects and maintaining a sense of authenticity; some practices resemble micro-celebrity and personal branding.
  Methodology
  Interviews and survey responses from Twitter users with different kinds of followings.
  Methodological limitations
  Early Twitter (circa 2009); qualitative. Supports the concept of context collapse, not estimates of harm. Checked against the published abstract (Crossref metadata).
  Last checked: 2026-10-31
Where it appears: Social Media Authenticity (Authenticity norms erode privacy and selective self-presentation)
1. Government documentVerification: Full text checkednorway-retouch-label-guideline
  The Norwegian Consumer Authority's Guideline on Labelling Retouched Advertising
  Forbrukertilsynet (Norwegian Consumer Authority) · 2022-11-10
  Key finding
  Under section 2, second paragraph, of the Marketing Control Act, advertising in which body shape, size or skin has been altered by retouching or other manipulation must carry a standardised label from 1 July 2022. Influencers and similar creators are covered when they receive payment or other benefits for promoting a trader's goods or services.
  Methodology
  Official regulatory guidance (updated 25 January 2023).
  Methodological limitations
  Describes the legal duty, not its effects. No evaluation of whether labels change viewers' body image or trust was found during this review.
  Last checked: 2026-10-31
Where it appears: Social Media Authenticity (Authenticity norms are making commercial persuasion more honest; Authenticity is commodified, making persuasion more effective)
1. Research instituteVerification: Official summary checkedusc-2025-athlete-owned-media
  Owning the Narrative: first-of-its-kind study reveals rise of athlete-owned media
  USC Annenberg Norman Lear Center (co-PI Dean Willow Bay) · 2025-10-09
  Key finding
  Identified 33 athlete-owned production companies producing more than 370 media properties; athlete-owned podcasts have more than 7 billion YouTube views. New Heights secured a $100 million deal with Amazon's Wondery and The Pat McAfee Show was licensed to ESPN for $85 million. Only 22% of the top athlete-owned podcasts featured any women as hosts or guests; content often covers family, identity and mental health.
  Methodology
  Historical review, analysis of 370+ athlete-owned media properties, content analysis of the 45 most-watched athlete-owned video podcasts, and interviews with academics, journalists, executives and athlete-creators.
  Methodological limitations
  Descriptive; sample period not stated on the summary page; no data on effects on journalism or audience trust. Checked against the university's summary.
  Last checked: 2026-10-31
Where it appears: Influencer-Driven Sports Media (Athlete-controlled media replaces scrutiny with self-promotion; Popularity is not credibility; Revenue drains from newsrooms, and voices narrow; Athletes get to tell their own stories; New media reaches audiences legacy outlets lost)
1. Research instituteVerification: Full text checkedpew-2024-news-influencers
  America's News Influencers
  Pew Research Center · 2024-11-18
  Key finding
  21% of U.S. adults (37% of those aged 18–29) regularly get news from news influencers on social media. 77% of news influencers have no affiliation with or background in a news organisation.
  Methodology
  Survey of 10,658 U.S. adults (July–August 2024) plus analysis of 500 sampled news influencers and 104,786 of their posts.
  Methodological limitations
  Covers news influencers in general, not sports: for 58% of them, politics, government or the election was the most common post topic, and the report gives no sports-specific figures. U.S. only. Use for sports media only as indirect evidence.
  Last checked: 2026-10-31
Where it appears: Influencer-Driven Sports Media (Popularity is not credibility; New media reaches audiences legacy outlets lost)
1. News reportingVerification: Full text checkedcbs-2024-sports-illustrated-layoffs
  Sports Illustrated lays off most or all of its workers, union says
  Kate Gibson, CBS News (MoneyWatch) · 2024-01-19
  Key finding
  The Arena Group planned to lay off a significant number of union-represented Sports Illustrated staff, possibly all of them, after Authentic Brands Group terminated Arena's publishing licence over a missed quarterly fee; Arena announced over 100 job cuts company-wide citing substantial debt.
  Methodology
  News reporting citing the union, company statements and other outlets.
  Methodological limitations
  Reports one outlet's crisis, driven by licensing and debt; does not show that influencers caused it.
  Last checked: 2026-10-31
Where it appears: Influencer-Driven Sports Media (Revenue drains from newsrooms, and voices narrow; Legacy sports media was never fully independent)
1. Government documentVerification: Full text checkedca-sb764-padilla-2024
  California Governor Signs Senator Padilla Bill Updating Financial Protections for Youth Content Creators
  Office of California State Senator Steve Padilla · 2024-09-26
  Key finding
  SB 764, the Child Content Creator Rights Act, signed on 26 September 2024 and in force from 1 January 2025, covers creators who feature minors in at least 30% of their content and requires them to set aside 65% of a proportionate share of gross earnings in a trust the minor can access at adulthood.
  Methodology
  Official legislative press release.
  Methodological limitations
  Summary by the bill's author, not the statute text; does not describe enforcement or record-keeping details.
  Last checked: 2026-10-31
Where it appears: Child Influencers (The law now protects the child's earnings; For an average child, the likely payoff is small and the protections are narrow)
1. Government documentVerification: Full text checkedca-governor-2024-child-influencers
  Governor Newsom joins Demi Lovato to sign legislation to protect the financial security of child influencers
  Office of the Governor of California · 2024-09-26
  Key finding
  The Governor signed SB 764 and AB 1880. AB 1880 extends the Coogan Law, which already requires employers to place at least 15% of a child performer's gross earnings in trust, to minors employed as online content creators.
  Methodology
  Official press release.
  Methodological limitations
  Announcement; does not evaluate compliance or effects.
  Last checked: 2026-10-31
Where it appears: Child Influencers (The law now protects the child's earnings; Parents, not the state or critics, should make this choice; For an average child, the likely payoff is small and the protections are narrow)
1. Government documentVerification: Full text checkedchildrens-commissioner-2018-data
  Who knows what about me? A Children's Commissioner report into the collection and sharing of children's data (infographic)
  Children's Commissioner for England · 2018-11
  Key finding
  States that by age 13, parents have posted 1,300 photos and videos of their child to social media, and that children themselves post 26 times a day on social media, nearly 70,000 posts by age 18. Warns that the long-term consequences of this data are unknown.
  Methodology
  Report by an independent statutory children's rights body; the infographic does not describe how the figures were estimated.
  Methodological limitations
  Underlying data sources and methods for the 1,300 figure are not given in the infographic; figures are averages for UK children, not child influencers.
  Last checked: 2026-10-31
Where it appears: Child Influencers (Guided participation is better than unguided exposure; Permanent exposure without the child's consent)
1. International organisationVerification: Full text checkedwho-gaming-disorder-qa
  Addictive behaviours: Gaming disorder (Questions and answers)
  World Health Organization · date not recorded
  Key finding
  WHO's ICD-11 (released mid-2018) defines gaming disorder as impaired control over gaming, increasing priority given to gaming over other activities, and continuation despite negative consequences, causing significant impairment and normally evident for at least 12 months. Studies suggest it affects only a small proportion of people who play video games.
  Methodology
  WHO explanatory guidance on the ICD-11 diagnosis.
  Methodological limitations
  Clinical definition; does not concern esports fandom or celebrity culture specifically.
  Last checked: 2026-10-31
Where it appears: Esports Celebrity Culture (Glorification normalises excessive gaming; Most gamers are not harmed, and stigma is the bigger problem)
1. DatasetVerification: Full text checkedesports-earnings-top-players
  Top Players by Overall Earnings
  Esports Earnings (esportsearnings.com) · date not recorded
  Key finding
  The highest-earning esports players by recorded tournament prize money are Dota 2 players with roughly $5.3–7.2 million each (e.g. N0tail ≈ $7.18 million, KuroKy ≈ $5.30 million in tenth place).
  Methodology
  Crowd-sourced database of tournament prize money compiled from published information.
  Methodological limitations
  Prize money only (excludes salaries, streaming and sponsorship income); covers recorded tournaments; values change over time. Figures read on 2026-10-31.
  Last checked: 2026-10-31
Where it appears: Esports Celebrity Culture (Celebrity success misrepresents an extremely risky career; Esports stars model discipline, teamwork and strategy) · Math × Debate: Selection Bias · Math × Debate: Base Rate Fallacy · Math × Debate: Probability Distributions
1. News reportingVerification: Full text checkedreuters-2024-olympic-esports
  Saudi Arabia to host inaugural Olympics Esports Games in 2025
  Reuters (published by ESPN) · 2024-07-12
  Key finding
  The IOC announced that Saudi Arabia would host the first Olympic Esports Games in 2025 under a 12-year partnership with the Saudi National Olympic Committee, subject to ratification at the IOC Session before the Paris Olympics. Critics accused Saudi Arabia of sportswashing, which it denies.
  Methodology
  Wire news report.
  Methodological limitations
  Reports an announcement pending ratification; later developments were not checked.
  Last checked: 2026-10-31
Where it appears: Esports Celebrity Culture (Glorification serves commercial and political interests; Recognition legitimises and professionalises the industry)
1. Academic publicationVerification: Abstract checkednguyen-2018-solitude
  Solitude as an Approach to Affective Self-Regulation
  Thuy-vy T. Nguyen, Richard M. Ryan, Edward L. Deci (Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin 44(1), 92–106) · 2017-10-26
  Key finding
  Being alone generally reduced both positive and negative high-arousal emotions, an effect not seen when people were with another person. When people actively chose to be alone, solitude was associated with relaxation and reduced stress.
  Methodology
  Series of experiments comparing short periods alone with periods in company.
  Methodological limitations
  Short laboratory sessions; mostly student samples; effects on long-term wellbeing not tested. Checked against the abstract (Crossref).
  Last checked: 2026-10-31
Where it appears: Voluntary Solitude (Chosen solitude restores and regulates emotion)
1. Academic publicationVerification: Abstract checkedholt-lunstad-2015-isolation
  Loneliness and Social Isolation as Risk Factors for Mortality: A Meta-Analytic Review
  Julianne Holt-Lunstad, Timothy B. Smith, Mark Baker, Tyler Harris, David Stephenson (Perspectives on Psychological Science 10(2), 227–237) · 2015-03-11
  Key finding
  Across studies controlling for confounds, social isolation, loneliness and living alone were associated with 29%, 26% and 32% increased likelihood of mortality respectively; objective and subjective isolation had similar effects, and effects were stronger in samples under 65.
  Methodology
  Meta-analysis of prospective studies on mortality.
  Methodological limitations
  Observational studies; associations, not proof of causation; does not distinguish chosen solitude from unwanted isolation. Checked against the abstract (Crossref).
  Last checked: 2026-10-31
Where it appears: Voluntary Solitude (Time alone is not the same as loneliness; Isolation carries serious health risks) · Math × Debate: Absolute vs. Relative Risk
1. News reportingVerification: Full text checkedafp-2023-japan-hikikomori
  Japan govt survey finds 1.5 million living as recluses
  AFP (published by Free Malaysia Today) · 2023-04-05
  Key finding
  A Japanese Cabinet Office survey estimated 1.46 million people aged 15–64 (around 2%) had withdrawn from society to some extent; the most common reason was quitting a job, with bullying and depression also cited, and about a fifth cited the pandemic. There is no directly comparable past data.
  Methodology
  Wire report of a government household survey.
  Methodological limitations
  Secondhand reporting; the survey measures social withdrawal (hikikomori), which is not the same as voluntary solitude; no trend comparison possible.
  Last checked: 2026-10-31
Where it appears: Voluntary Solitude (Time alone is not the same as loneliness; Celebrating solitude hides involuntary withdrawal)
1. Research instituteVerification: Full text checkedowid-time-use
  Time Use
  Esteban Ortiz-Ospina, Bastian Herre, Tuna Acisu, Charlie Giattino, Max Roser (Our World in Data) · 2020-11-29
  Key finding
  U.S. time-use data show time spent alone rises with age (especially after 40) and that older people today spend more time alone than in the past. But spending time alone is not the same as feeling lonely: solitude by itself is not a good predictor of loneliness.
  Methodology
  Analysis of American Time Use Survey data and loneliness studies.
  Methodological limitations
  Cross-sectional data pooled over years; age patterns may reflect cohort differences.
  Last checked: 2026-10-31
Where it appears: Voluntary Solitude (Respecting different social needs is a gain in autonomy; Time alone is not the same as loneliness; Isolation carries serious health risks; Communities depend on participation)
1. Academic publicationVerification: Abstract checkedosc-2015-reproducibility
  Estimating the reproducibility of psychological science
  Open Science Collaboration (Science 349(6251), aac4716) · 2015-08-28
  Key finding
  Replications of 100 experiments published in 2008 in three high-ranking psychology journals reproduced roughly one-third to one-half of the original findings, depending on the criterion used.
  Methodology
  Coordinated direct replications, with several criteria for comparing each replication with its original.
  Methodological limitations
  One discipline and three journals; replications can fail for reasons other than a false original (differences in samples, procedures or power). Checked against the abstract (Crossref).
  Last checked: 2026-10-31
Where it appears: Scientific Reproducibility (Rewarding novelty fills journals with results that do not hold up; Replication failure is not mainly an editorial problem) · Math × Debate: Bayes' Theorem · Math × Debate: Confidence Intervals · Math × Debate: Regression to the Mean
1. Academic publicationVerification: Abstract checkedscheel-2021-registered-reports
  An Excess of Positive Results: Comparing the Standard Psychology Literature With Registered Reports
  Anne M. Scheel, Mitchell R. M. J. Schijen, Daniël Lakens (Advances in Methods and Practices in Psychological Science 4(2)) · 2021-04-16
  Key finding
  96% of 152 randomly sampled standard hypothesis-testing psychology articles reported a positive result for their first hypothesis, versus 44% of 71 Registered Reports, in which peer review and the publication decision happen before results are known.
  Methodology
  Comparison of published Registered Reports (to November 2018) with a random sample of standard articles, coding the first hypothesis of each.
  Methodological limitations
  Registered Reports may test different kinds of hypotheses (e.g. more replications), so the gap is not entirely due to publication bias, as the authors acknowledge. Checked against the abstract (Crossref).
  Last checked: 2026-10-31
Where it appears: Scientific Reproducibility (Rewarding novelty fills journals with results that do not hold up; Judging methods before results removes the incentive to manufacture positives) · Math × Debate: Bayes' Theorem · Math × Debate: Regression to the Mean
1. Academic publicationVerification: Full text checkedwang-2017-novelty-bias
  Bias against novelty in science: A cautionary tale for users of bibliometric indicators
  Jian Wang, Reinhilde Veugelers, Paula Stephan (Research Policy 46(8), 1416–1436; NBER Working Paper 22180) · 2017-10
  Key finding
  Among 773,311 Web of Science research articles from 2001, papers combining prior knowledge in unprecedented ways (11% of the sample) were cited less in their first years and less likely to appear in high-impact-factor journals, but were much more likely to become top-1% cited papers in the long run and to inspire important follow-up work.
  Methodology
  Bibliometric analysis; novelty measured as first-time combinations of referenced journals.
  Methodological limitations
  Citations are an imperfect proxy for scientific value; novelty measured from reference-list journal combinations (89% of papers make none, so about 11% are novel). Full NBER working paper checked.
  Last checked: 2026-10-31
Where it appears: Scientific Reproducibility (Editors are poor judges of impact anyway; A soundness-first rule further disadvantages risky, original work; Readers need curation as well as validity)
1. OtherVerification: Full text checkedplos-one-criteria
  PLOS ONE: Criteria for Publication
  PLOS · date not recorded
  Key finding
  PLOS ONE evaluates submissions on technical and ethical soundness: rigorous experiments with appropriate controls, conclusions supported by the data, adequate reporting and data availability. It aims to publish all valid research, including negative and null results, and its criteria do not include perceived importance or novelty.
  Methodology
  Journal editorial policy page.
  Methodological limitations
  Describes stated criteria, not how consistently reviewers apply them or the journal's influence.
  Last checked: 2026-10-31
Where it appears: Scientific Reproducibility (Editors are poor judges of impact anyway; Readers need curation as well as validity)
1. Government documentVerification: Full text checkedcfpb-2021-bff-isa
  CFPB Takes Action Against Student Lender for Misleading Borrowers About Income Share Agreements
  Consumer Financial Protection Bureau · 2021-09-07
  Key finding
  The CFPB found that Better Future Forward's income share agreements (education funding repaid as a percentage of income until a cap or period is reached) were credit and private education loans, that the company falsely told consumers they were not loans and did not create debt, failed to give required disclosures, and imposed unlawful prepayment penalties.
  Methodology
  Federal consumer-protection consent order (no admission or denial by the company).
  Methodological limitations
  Concerns one provider; legal classification rather than evidence on outcomes for students.
  Last checked: 2026-10-31
Where it appears: Outcome-Contingent Tuition (Risk-shifting threatens university finances and invites exploitation) · Math × Debate: Expected Value
1. Government documentVerification: Full text checkeduk-gov-student-loan-repayment
  Repaying your student loan: what you pay
  UK Government (GOV.UK) · date not recorded
  Key finding
  English student loan borrowers on Plans 1, 2, 4 and 5 repay 9% of their income above a threshold (Plan 2: £29,385 a year; Plan 5: £25,000 a year); those earning below the threshold repay nothing.
  Methodology
  Official government guidance.
  Methodological limitations
  Thresholds change over time (read 2026-10-31); this is a government income-contingent loan, not tuition charged only on meeting outcome benchmarks.
  Last checked: 2026-10-31
Where it appears: Outcome-Contingent Tuition (It insures students against the risk of a bad outcome; Benchmarks measure earnings, not the value of education; Risk-shifting threatens university finances and invites exploitation)
1. News reportingVerification: Full text checkededsurge-2022-purdue-isa
  Purdue University Suspends Income-Share Agreements, Its Loan Alternative
  Nadia Tamez-Robledo, EdSurge · 2022-06-24
  Key finding
  Purdue, the first major public university to offer income-share agreements (2016), suspended its Back a Boiler programme in 2022 after its servicer stopped originating new agreements. Nearly 1,000 students from 150 majors used it; borrowing limits and terms varied by major; students paid a percentage of salary for about 10 years, and paying off early cost 250% of the principal. Purdue still described ISAs as a useful income-dependent alternative to private loans.
  Methodology
  News reporting with university statements.
  Methodological limitations
  One programme; does not report repayment outcomes or the percentage of income charged.
  Last checked: 2026-10-31
Where it appears: Outcome-Contingent Tuition (Universities become accountable for results; It replaces worse private financing; Universities will admit safe bets and shrink low-paid fields; Risk-shifting threatens university finances and invites exploitation) · Math × Debate: Expected Value
1. Research instituteVerification: Full text checkedcredo-2015-online-charters
  Online Charter School Study 2015
  Center for Research on Education Outcomes (CREDO), Stanford University · 2015-10
  Key finding
  Compared with matched “virtual twins” in traditional public schools, students in U.S. online charter schools had typical annual growth of −0.25 standard deviations in maths (about 180 fewer days of learning on a 180-day year) and −0.10 in reading (about 72 fewer days). In reading, 67% of online charter schools had weaker growth than their comparison schools, 32% were no different and 2% were stronger; in maths, 88% had significantly weaker growth.
  Methodology
  Matched comparison of online charter students with demographically similar students with similar prior achievement in traditional public schools.
  Methodological limitations
  Online charters in 17 U.S. states and Washington, D.C., not virtual schooling in general; matching uses observable characteristics and prior scores, so unmeasured differences (for example the reasons a family switched) cannot be ruled out. Full report checked: growth estimates in Section 4 (Figure 3); school quality shares in Figure 12.
  Last checked: 2026-10-31
Where it appears: Virtual Schools (Flexibility serves students traditional schools fail; Full-time virtual schools have produced much weaker learning) · Math × Debate: Confounding Variables
1. International organisationVerification: Full text checkedunesco-2023-gem-technology
  Global Education Monitoring Report 2023: Technology in education – A tool on whose terms? (summary by the Austrian Commission for UNESCO)
  UNESCO Global Education Monitoring Report team · 2023-07-26
  Key finding
  The benefits of learning technology disappear when it is used in excess or without qualified teachers; technology should never replace face-to-face, teacher-led instruction. One in four primary schools has no electricity; at least half a billion students were excluded when schooling moved online during COVID-19; only 16% of countries guarantee data protection in education by law.
  Methodology
  Global review of evidence and country data by UNESCO's GEM Report team.
  Methodological limitations
  Summary page of a long report; global figures mask large differences between countries.
  Last checked: 2026-10-31
Where it appears: Virtual Schools (Global providers can share high-quality curriculum across borders; The digital divide makes virtual priority regressive; School is more than content delivery)
1. Research instituteVerification: Full text checkedair-2011-online-algebra
  Access to Algebra I: The Effects of Online Mathematics for Grade 8 Students (NCEE 2012-4021, final report)
  Jessica B. Heppen et al., American Institutes for Research and Education Development Center, for the Institute of Education Sciences (REL Northeast and Islands) · 2011-12
  Key finding
  In 68 schools in Maine and Vermont (61 rural) that did not offer a full section of Algebra I in grade 8, schools were randomly assigned to offer an online Algebra I course or their usual curriculum. Algebra-ready students in schools offering the course scored significantly higher on an end-of-year algebra test and were about twice as likely to take an advanced course sequence in high school (predicted probability 0.51 vs 0.26). The course had no negative effects on the measured outcomes of students who were not algebra ready.
  Methodology
  School-level randomised controlled trial (35 treatment, 33 control schools), 2008/09 with follow-up to 2010; analytic samples of 440 algebra-ready and 1,445 other grade-8 students.
  Methodological limitations
  One online course for algebra-ready students, taken in school with a local proctor (usually the grade-8 maths teacher); online teachers and students interacted less than planned; not full-time virtual schooling. Checked against the full report.
  Last checked: 2026-10-31
Where it appears: Virtual Schools (Virtual provision brings courses to students local schools cannot serve; Global providers can share high-quality curriculum across borders) · Math × Debate: Sample Size and Variability
1. News reportingVerification: Full text checkedcrimson-2026-harvard-grade-cap
  FAS Passes a Grade Cap
  Abigail S. Gerstein, Amann S. Mahajan (The Harvard Crimson) · 2026-05-20
  Key finding
  Harvard's Faculty of Arts and Sciences voted 458–201 (69.5%) to limit A grades in undergraduate courses to 20% of enrollment, with flexibility for up to four additional A's, from fall 2027. A faculty report had found more than 60% of 2024–25 undergraduate grades were A's. Nearly 85% of respondents to a student government survey disapproved; an amendment letting some courses opt out failed 292–364.
  Methodology
  Student newspaper reporting of a faculty vote and related documents.
  Methodological limitations
  Student press; details of implementation (e.g. how the cap is enforced) were still being decided.
  Last checked: 2026-10-31
Where it appears: University Grade Distribution Caps (Grades should reflect achievement, not rank; Better tools exist for grade inflation; Without caps, grades stop carrying information; Caps make grading consistent across courses; Faculty chose caps through legitimate governance) · Math × Debate: Simpson's Paradox · Math × Debate: Probability Distributions
1. News reportingVerification: Full text checkedplanet-princeton-2014-deflation
  Princeton University to Eliminate ‘Grade Deflation’ Policy
  Planet Princeton · 2014-10-06
  Key finding
  Princeton's faculty voted to end a decade-old policy capping A grades at 35%, which students often read as a quota that made them compete for a limited number of A's. A faculty committee found no measurable negative effect on graduate school, professional school, fellowship or employment prospects, but cited psychological factors and campus atmosphere, noting that “people fixate on numbers”; departments would instead set their own standards.
  Methodology
  Local news report of the faculty vote and committee report.
  Methodological limitations
  Summarises the committee's findings; the underlying data were not reviewed here.
  Last checked: 2026-10-31
Where it appears: University Grade Distribution Caps (Grades should reflect achievement, not rank; Caps create competition that harms learning culture; Better tools exist for grade inflation; Caps make grading consistent across courses) · Math × Debate: Probability Distributions
1. News reportingVerification: Full text checkedpaw-2014-grading-unbound
  Grading, Unbound
  Princeton Alumni Weekly · 2014-11-12
  Key finding
  On 6 October 2014 Princeton's faculty ended its ten-year-old policy of numerical targets for A grades, replacing it with departmental standards. A grades had risen from 30% to 48% between 1974 and 2003. Some faculty opposed the change, warning there was no clear strategy to control grade inflation and disparities between departments.
  Methodology
  University alumni magazine reporting.
  Methodological limitations
  Institutional publication; short report.
  Last checked: 2026-10-31
Where it appears: University Grade Distribution Caps (Without caps, grades stop carrying information; Caps make grading consistent across courses) · Math × Debate: Simpson's Paradox
1. Academic publicationVerification: Full text checkedbloom-2024-hybrid-rct
  Hybrid working from home improves retention without damaging performance
  Nicholas Bloom, Ruobing Han, James Liang (Nature 630, 920–925) · 2024-06-12
  Key finding
  Randomly allowing two work-from-home days a week cut attrition from 7.2% to 4.8% (about one-third) and raised job satisfaction, with no detectable effect on performance reviews over two years or on promotions. Reductions in quitting were significant for non-managers and women. Interns and probationary new hires were excluded because on-site learning and mentoring are especially important for them.
  Methodology
  Six-month randomised controlled trial (August 2021 – January 2022) with 1,612 graduate employees in engineering, marketing and finance at Trip.com in Shanghai; assignment by odd or even birthday.
  Methodological limitations
  One Chinese technology firm; tests a 3-office/2-home schedule, not fully remote work; excludes new hires; one co-author is Trip.com's co-founder and chairman with equity in the firm; trial registered after it began.
  Last checked: 2026-10-31
Where it appears: Remote Work and University Graduates (Flexibility has measured value and little measured performance cost; Collective refusal pushes employers to offer flexibility; Flexible work widens who can take graduate jobs; Early-career learning depends on proximity; The right arrangement depends on the person and the job) · Math × Debate: Selection Bias
1. Academic publicationVerification: Full text checkedemanuel-2023-proximity
  The Power of Proximity to Coworkers
  Natalia Emanuel, Emma Harrington, Amanda Pallais (NBER Working Paper 31880; Quarterly Journal of Economics, 2026) · 2023-11
  Key finding
  Among software engineers at a Fortune 500 firm, sitting near teammates increased coding feedback by 18.3% and improved code quality. Gains were concentrated among less-tenured and younger engineers, while experienced engineers wrote less code when near teammates. In national data, the authors report a relative rise in unemployment for young college graduates in remotable jobs after the pandemic.
  Methodology
  Difference-in-differences using office closures (2020) and return-to-office mandates (2022–23), comparing co-located with already-distributed teams, 2019–2024.
  Methodological limitations
  One firm and one occupation (software engineering); feedback is measured through code-review comments; the national unemployment pattern is descriptive, not a causal estimate. Full working paper checked (abstract and introduction).
  Last checked: 2026-10-31
Where it appears: Remote Work and University Graduates (Flexible work widens who can take graduate jobs; Early-career learning depends on proximity; A blanket rule shrinks options when the market is tightening)
1. OtherVerification: Full text checkedamazon-2024-rto-memo
  Message from CEO Andy Jassy: Strengthening our culture and teams
  Amazon (Andy Jassy) · 2024
  Key finding
  Amazon told corporate employees to return to the office five days a week from 2 January 2025, with exceptions only for extenuating circumstances or approved remote-work exceptions, citing collaboration, teaching and learning, and culture.
  Methodology
  Company statement published on Amazon's news site.
  Methodological limitations
  States the employer's reasons; it is not evidence that in-person work produces those benefits. The page does not display its publication date.
  Last checked: 2026-10-31
Where it appears: Remote Work and University Graduates (A blanket rule shrinks options when the market is tightening)
1. Official statisticsVerification: Full text checkedfed-shed-2025-employment
  Economic Well-Being of U.S. Households in 2025: Employment and Job Quality
  Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System · 2026-05
  Key finding
  In 2025, 39% of U.S. workers worked from home at least some of the time (17% fully remote, 23% hybrid). 23% of workers with at least a bachelor's degree worked entirely from home, versus 10% with a high school degree or less; the share of bachelor's-degree holders doing any remote work fell by 5 percentage points in 2025.
  Methodology
  Survey of Household Economics and Decisionmaking (SHED), a nationally representative annual survey of U.S. adults.
  Methodological limitations
  Self-reported; refers to the week before the survey; does not break out recent graduates or report preferences.
  Last checked: 2026-10-31
Where it appears: Remote Work and University Graduates (Collective refusal pushes employers to offer flexibility; A blanket rule shrinks options when the market is tightening)
1. Academic publicationVerification: Full text checkedaksoy-2023-time-savings
  Time Savings When Working from Home
  Cevat Giray Aksoy, Jose Maria Barrero, Nicholas Bloom, Steven J. Davis, Mathias Dolls, Pablo Zarate (NBER Working Paper 30866; AEA Papers and Proceedings 113) · 2023-01
  Key finding
  Across 27 countries, working from home saved an average of 72 minutes of commuting per day worked at home; workers devoted about 40% of the saved time to their jobs and about 11% to caregiving.
  Methodology
  Global Survey of Working Arrangements, an online survey of full-time workers in 27 countries (2021–2022).
  Methodological limitations
  Self-reported commute times; online survey samples are more educated than the general workforce. Full paper checked: 72 minutes is the simple average of country means; time allocation 40% job, 34% leisure, 11% caregiving.
  Last checked: 2026-10-31
Where it appears: Remote Work and University Graduates (Flexibility has measured value and little measured performance cost; Flexible work widens who can take graduate jobs)
1. OtherVerification: Full text checkedlvmh-2021-tiffany
  LVMH completes the acquisition of Tiffany & Co. (press release, SEC Form 8-K exhibit)
  LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton / Tiffany & Co. · 2021-01-07
  Key finding
  LVMH completed its acquisition of Tiffany & Co. on 7 January 2021, saying it would deeply transform its Watches & Jewelry division and complement its 75 Maisons. Louis Vuitton executives were appointed Tiffany's CEO and board chairman, Alexandre Arnault became executive vice president for product and communications, and Tiffany's chief artistic director and chief brand officer were to leave.
  Methodology
  Corporate press release filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.
  Methodological limitations
  Company's own framing; does not show later effects on Tiffany's design or suppliers.
  Last checked: 2026-10-31
Where it appears: Luxury Brand Consolidation (Concentration reduces competition and variety; Group management erodes houses' distinct identities; Scale funds brands that would otherwise struggle; Portfolios let houses keep separate identities) · Math × Debate: Multi-objective Optimization
1. News reportingVerification: Full text checkedwallpaper-2021-chanel-19m
  Chanel gathers its métiers d'art ateliers under one roof
  Amy Serafin (Wallpaper*) · 2021-10
  Key finding
  Chanel's subsidiary Paraffection holds 38 métiers d'art workshops (some 5,000 jobs), bought from 1985 onwards as many such workshops disappeared through industrialisation and lack of heirs. Eleven ateliers (e.g. Lesage embroidery, Lemarié feathers, Massaro shoes) moved into le19M, a 25,000 m² building in Aubervilliers housing 600 people. Chanel encourages the ateliers to work for other brands, and each pays rent and is expected to be profitable.
  Methodology
  Magazine feature with interviews with Chanel executives.
  Methodological limitations
  Based on company access and statements; no independent data on suppliers' finances.
  Last checked: 2026-10-31
Where it appears: Luxury Brand Consolidation (Suppliers become dependent on a single owner; Integration has preserved endangered crafts) · Math × Debate: Multi-objective Optimization
1. Research instituteVerification: Official summary checkeddeloitte-2020-luxury-powers
  Global Powers of Luxury Goods 2020 (Deloitte press release)
  Deloitte · 2020-11-25
  Key finding
  The Top 100 luxury goods companies generated US$281 billion in revenues in fiscal year 2019, and for the first time in seven editions the top 10 companies accounted for more than half of the Top 100's luxury goods sales.
  Methodology
  Deloitte's annual ranking of the 100 largest luxury goods companies by luxury goods sales.
  Methodological limitations
  Checked against Deloitte's own press release, not the full report; company-level figures (for example LVMH's sales) appear only in news coverage and are not used. Concentration among the top 100 is not the same as market concentration in particular product markets.
  Last checked: 2026-10-31
Where it appears: Luxury Brand Consolidation (Concentration reduces competition and variety)
1. Academic publicationVerification: Full text checkedbloom-2013-management-india
  Does Management Matter? Evidence from India
  Nicholas Bloom, Benn Eifert, Aprajit Mahajan, David McKenzie, John Roberts (NBER Working Paper 16658; Quarterly Journal of Economics 128(1), 2013) · 2011-01
  Key finding
  In a randomised field experiment, large Indian textile plants given free consulting on modern management practices raised average productivity by 11% through better quality and efficiency and lower inventory. Firms had not adopted the practices mainly because of informational barriers, and limited competition let poorly managed firms survive.
  Methodology
  Randomised controlled trial assigning management consulting to treatment plants; comparison with control plants.
  Methodological limitations
  Small sample (28 plants operated by 17 firms) in one industry and country; consulting was free and intensive, unlike most commercial engagements. Full working paper checked (abstract and introduction).
  Last checked: 2026-10-31
Where it appears: Management Consulting (Good management advice measurably raises productivity; Specialist expertise is valuable for complex tasks) · Math × Debate: Confounding Variables
1. Government documentVerification: Full text checkedalaska-ag-2021-mckinsey
  Attorney General Announces $573 Million Settlement with McKinsey & Company
  Alaska Department of Law (multistate settlement) · 2021-02-04
  Key finding
  Attorneys general from 47 states, the District of Columbia and five territories reached a $573 million settlement with McKinsey resolving investigations into its role advising opioid companies, including advising Purdue on how to maximise profits from its opioid products, targeting high-volume prescribers and circumventing pharmacy restrictions. McKinsey agreed to publish tens of thousands of internal documents, adopt an ethics code and stop advising on Schedule II and III narcotics.
  Methodology
  Official state attorney general press release.
  Methodological limitations
  Describes allegations in a complaint resolved by settlement; does not establish the effect of the advice on opioid harms.
  Last checked: 2026-10-31
Where it appears: Management Consulting (Consultants optimise what clients want, even when it harms the public; Scandals are met with accountability, not proof of net harm)
1. News reportingVerification: Full text checkedcanberra-times-2023-pwc
  ‘A calculated breach of trust’: Senate report admonishes PwC over tax scandal
  Sarah Basford Canales, Miriam Webber (The Canberra Times) · 2023-06-21
  Key finding
  An Australian Senate committee interim report called PwC's conduct a “calculated breach of trust”: a former partner who took part in a confidential Treasury consultation on multinational tax avoidance shared the information within the firm, where emails show at least 63 people received it; the Tax Practitioners Board banned him for two years and Treasury referred the matter to the Federal Police.
  Methodology
  News report on a parliamentary committee interim report and related regulatory actions.
  Methodological limitations
  One firm and one scandal (2023); later outcomes not checked.
  Last checked: 2026-10-31
Where it appears: Management Consulting (Working for government and private clients creates conflicts of interest; Reliance on consultants hollows out in-house capability; Scandals are met with accountability, not proof of net harm)
1. Government documentVerification: Full text checkedgao-2003-hope-vi
  Public Housing: HOPE VI Resident Issues and Changes in Neighborhoods Surrounding Grant Sites (GAO-04-109, Highlights)
  U.S. General Accounting Office · 2003-11
  Key finding
  Congress created HOPE VI in 1992 to redevelop severely distressed public housing; HUD awarded about $4.5 billion for 165 grants in FY1993–2001. Of roughly 49,000 residents relocated by June 2003, the largest share moved to other public housing. Grantees overall expected 46% of relocated residents to return, but expected and actual reoccupancy varied greatly by site. Neighbourhoods around 1996 sites generally improved on education, income and housing indicators, though GAO could not determine how much HOPE VI contributed.
  Methodology
  Analysis of HUD's HOPE VI reporting system (as of 30 June 2003), site visits, and comparison of four HOPE VI neighbourhoods with four comparable neighbourhoods.
  Methodological limitations
  Early data (many sites incomplete); reoccupancy figures partly planned rather than actual; neighbourhood comparison cannot attribute causation, as GAO notes.
  Last checked: 2026-10-31
Where it appears: Redevelopment and Right to Return (Without a guarantee, redevelopment benefits others at residents' expense; A blanket condition blocks beneficial projects; Return is not always best for residents: mobility can open opportunity) · Math × Debate: Multi-objective Optimization
1. Government documentVerification: Full text checkedgla-2018-estate-regeneration
  Better Homes for Local People: The Mayor's Good Practice Guide to Estate Regeneration
  Greater London Authority · 2018-02
  Key finding
  Estate regeneration schemes in London involving demolition should provide an increase in affordable housing, full rights to return or remain for social tenants, and a fair deal for leaseholders and freeholders. Displaced social tenants should have a full right to a suitably sized home on the regenerated estate at the same or a similar level of rent; schemes should be phased so households move no more than once. The Mayor proposed resident ballots as a condition of his funding for schemes involving demolition.
  Methodology
  Policy guidance following public consultation.
  Methodological limitations
  Guidance, not statute; applies its strongest conditions to schemes the Mayor funds. Describes intended protections, not outcomes.
  Last checked: 2026-10-31
Where it appears: Redevelopment and Right to Return (Without a guarantee, redevelopment benefits others at residents' expense; A guarantee builds the trust that makes redevelopment possible; Better tools exist than a universal precondition) · Math × Debate: Multi-objective Optimization
1. Academic publicationVerification: Full text checkedchetty-2016-mto
  The Effects of Exposure to Better Neighborhoods on Children: New Evidence from the Moving to Opportunity Experiment
  Raj Chetty, Nathaniel Hendren, Lawrence F. Katz (American Economic Review 106(4); NBER Working Paper 21156) · 2016-04
  Key finding
  Families in high-poverty public housing were randomly offered vouchers to move to lower-poverty areas. Children who moved before age 13 had higher college attendance and earnings: mid-twenties income $3,477 (31%) above the control mean of $11,270. For children who moved as teenagers, effects were, if anything, negative, possibly because of disruption.
  Methodology
  Randomised housing-mobility experiment linked to federal tax records.
  Methodological limitations
  Voluntary participants from public housing in five U.S. cities; effects of moving to a lower-poverty area, not of redevelopment itself. Full text checked (NBER Working Paper 21156, abstract and Section I): the $3,477 (31%) gain over the $11,270 control mean is for children under 13 at random assignment whose families took up the experimental voucher (treatment-on-the-treated).
  Last checked: 2026-10-31
Where it appears: Redevelopment and Right to Return (Community ties are a real loss that money and vouchers do not replace; Return is not always best for residents: mobility can open opportunity)
1. Research instituteVerification: Full text checkedding-2016-gentrification-mobility
  Gentrification and Residential Mobility in Philadelphia
  Lei Ding, Jackelyn Hwang, Eileen Divringi (Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia Working Paper 15-36/R) · 2016-09
  Key finding
  Using consumer credit data for Philadelphia (2002–2014), vulnerable residents (low credit scores, no mortgage) in gentrifying neighbourhoods were generally no more likely to move than similar residents elsewhere, but when they did move they were more likely to go to lower-income neighbourhoods. Higher overall mobility was largely driven by more advantaged residents.
  Methodology
  Panel analysis of a large consumer credit database, comparing gentrifying and non-gentrifying neighbourhoods.
  Methodological limitations
  Gentrification rather than demolition-led redevelopment; credit records miss people without credit files; one city.
  Last checked: 2026-10-31
Where it appears: Redevelopment and Right to Return (Community ties are a real loss that money and vouchers do not replace; A blanket condition blocks beneficial projects)
1. Government documentVerification: Full text checkedca-hcd-sb79
  SB 79 Transit-Oriented Development
  California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) · date not recorded
  Key finding
  SB 79, signed on 10 October 2025 (Government Code §§ 65912.155–65912.162), makes qualifying transit-oriented housing developments an allowed use on residential, mixed or commercial sites near specified transit stops in urban transit counties; local jurisdictions must process qualifying projects from 1 July 2026. Jurisdictions may adopt their own SB 79 ordinance or a TOD alternative plan, reviewed by HCD for compliance.
  Methodology
  State agency implementation page.
  Methodological limitations
  Does not state the height and density standards by tier; describes rules, not outcomes, which are not yet observable.
  Last checked: 2026-10-31
Where it appears: Residential Zoning Reform (Allowing more homes leads to more homes being built; Local vetoes impose costs on people who have no vote; Communities should decide how they grow) · Math × Debate: Sensitivity Analysis
1. Academic publicationVerification: Full text checkedauckland-upzoning-2023
  The impact of upzoning on housing construction in Auckland
  Ryan Greenaway-McGrevy, Peter C. B. Phillips (Journal of Urban Economics, 2023) · 2023
  Key finding
  Auckland's Unitary Plan (operational 15 November 2016) upzoned about three-quarters of residential land. Comparing upzoned with non-upzoned areas, the authors estimate about 23 additional permits per statistical area by 2021 (≈11,044 citywide in 2021) and 34,614 additional permits cumulatively in 2016–2021, mostly attached dwellings.
  Methodology
  Difference-in-differences on building permits (2010–2021) across 479 statistical areas.
  Methodological limitations
  Permits, not completions or prices; control areas may be affected by spillovers; the cumulative estimate depends on the counterfactual (the paper's robustness checks give 23,544 to 31,808 additional permits under alternative treatment dates); findings are disputed by some critics. Checked against the published article (Journal of Urban Economics 136, 103555; Cowles Foundation reprint).
  Last checked: 2026-10-31
Where it appears: Residential Zoning Reform (Allowing more homes leads to more homes being built; Upzoning can raise land prices before it adds homes) · Math × Debate: Correlation vs. Causation · Math × Debate: Sensitivity Analysis
1. Academic publicationVerification: Abstract checkedfreemark-2020-chicago-upzoning
  Upzoning Chicago: Impacts of a Zoning Reform on Property Values and Housing Construction
  Yonah Freemark (Urban Affairs Review 56(3)) · 2019-01-29
  Key finding
  Chicago upzonings near transit raised property values of affected parcels and prices of existing condominiums, but did not measurably increase new dwellings permitted over five years.
  Methodology
  Difference-in-differences on property sales and permits, exploiting upzonings not tied to specific development plans.
  Methodological limitations
  Short-run (five-year) window; one city and one type of reform. Checked against the abstract (Crossref).
  Last checked: 2026-10-31
Where it appears: Residential Zoning Reform (Allowing more homes leads to more homes being built; Upzoning can raise land prices before it adds homes) · Math × Debate: Correlation vs. Causation · Math × Debate: Sensitivity Analysis
1. Research instituteVerification: Full text checkedpew-2024-minneapolis
  Minneapolis Land Use Reforms Offer a Blueprint for Housing Affordability
  Linlin Liang, Adam Staveski, Alex Horowitz (The Pew Charitable Trusts) · 2024-01-04
  Key finding
  From 2017 to 2022 Minneapolis's housing stock grew 12% and average rents 1%, while the rest of Minnesota added 4% to its housing stock and rents rose 14%; households grew 10% in Minneapolis and 7% elsewhere in the state. Nearly 21,000 units were permitted in 2017–2022: Pew estimates 87% were in buildings of 20+ units and 1% in buildings of two to four units. Pew concludes that duplex and triplex legalisation has so far had a modest impact, while corridor and transit upzoning and the elimination of parking minimums (citywide in 2021) made apartment construction cheaper and easier.
  Methodology
  Descriptive comparison of Minneapolis with the rest of Minnesota using HUD building-permit data, American Community Survey housing-unit estimates, Apartment List rent estimates and HUD homelessness counts, 2017 and 2022.
  Methodological limitations
  Not a causal design: no control for other differences between Minneapolis and the rest of the state; the period includes years before Minneapolis 2040 took effect (2020); attributing growth to particular reforms is Pew's interpretation. Pew is a policy organisation advocating zoning reform. Original article checked in full.
  Last checked: 2026-10-31
Where it appears: Residential Zoning Reform (Allowing more homes leads to more homes being built; More supply restrains rents; Supply alone does not guarantee affordability for low-income households) · Math × Debate: Correlation vs. Causation
1. OtherVerification: Full text checkeduefa-ucl-2026-player-lists
  UEFA Champions League league phase player lists: registration
  UEFA · 2026-09-03
  Key finding
  Clubs may register a maximum of 25 players on List A; at least eight places are reserved for locally trained players, of whom no more than four may be association-trained. Locally trained means registered for three entire seasons (or 36 months) between ages 15 and 21 with the club (club-trained) or with clubs in the same association. If a club has fewer than eight, its List A maximum is reduced.
  Methodology
  Official competition regulation summary from the governing body.
  Methodological limitations
  Describes squad registration rules for UEFA club competitions only; domestic leagues have their own rules.
  Last checked: 2026-10-31
Where it appears: Homegrown Football Players (Only a matchday rule makes youth development pay; Clubs regain local identity and counter talent hoarding; Clubs will game the rule and hoard teenagers) · Math × Debate: Game Theory
1. OtherVerification: Full text checkeduefa-2014-protection-young-players
  Protection of young players
  UEFA · 2014-01-02
  Key finding
  The homegrown rule was phased in from four (2006/07) to six (2007/08) to eight (2008/09) homegrown players in a 25-man squad. Clubs are not required to field homegrown players on the pitch or on the matchsheet. Stated aims: encourage local training of young players, increase openness and fairness, counter hoarding by the richest clubs and re-establish local identity.
  Methodology
  UEFA explanatory article.
  Methodological limitations
  Governing body's own account of aims; reports no evaluation of effects.
  Last checked: 2026-10-31
Where it appears: Homegrown Football Players (Only a matchday rule makes youth development pay; A binding rule solves a collective-action problem; Clubs regain local identity and counter talent hoarding; The evidence shows homegrown rules barely work; Clubs will game the rule and hoard teenagers)
1. Research instituteVerification: Full text checkedec-2013-homegrown-study
  Study on the Assessment of UEFA's Home Grown Player Rule (final report)
  University of Liverpool and Edge Hill University, for the European Commission · 2013-04-30
  Key finding
  The rule's impact on competitive balance in the Champions League and Europa League group stages was “very modest”, with “very little evidence” of effects on the final stages. Its impact on youth training and development across the EU appeared “very limited”: the number of young players in first-team squads rose slightly, but the trend was more evident before the rule, and club policy appeared more influenced by other factors. The authors judged the aims legitimate but said less restrictive alternatives might achieve more, which would undermine proportionality.
  Methodology
  Commissioned evaluation (138 pages): statistical analysis of UEFA competition results and squad data, plus questionnaires and interviews with clubs and stakeholders, and legal analysis under EU free-movement law.
  Methodological limitations
  Early evaluation (rule phased in from 2006/07 to 2008/09); the authors say there was insufficient data to judge long-run effects on competitive balance. Checked against the full report (executive summary points 9–14 and chapters 6–7).
  Last checked: 2026-10-31
Where it appears: Homegrown Football Players (Only a matchday rule makes youth development pay; The evidence shows homegrown rules barely work; Clubs will game the rule and hoard teenagers) · Math × Debate: Game Theory
1. Court recordVerification: Full text checkedcjeu-2023-royal-antwerp
  Press release No 205/23: Judgment in Case C-680/21 Royal Antwerp Football Club
  Court of Justice of the European Union · 2023-12-21
  Key finding
  UEFA's and the Belgian association's home-grown player rules come under EU law and could infringe both competition rules (by restricting clubs' ability to compete for talent regardless of where it was trained) and free movement of workers (indirect nationality discrimination). The Belgian court must decide; UEFA may justify the rules by showing they encourage recruitment and training and are proportionate.
  Methodology
  Preliminary ruling of the EU's highest court (Grand Chamber), summarised in the official press release.
  Methodological limitations
  Press release is unofficial and not binding; the final outcome depends on the national court.
  Last checked: 2026-10-31
Where it appears: Homegrown Football Players (It restricts free movement and fair competition for talent)
1. LegislationVerification: Full text checkedfrcrmp-rule-53
  Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure, Rule 53: Courtroom Photographing and Broadcasting Prohibited
  United States (via Legal Information Institute, Cornell Law School) · date not recorded
  Key finding
  Except as otherwise provided by statute or the rules, U.S. federal courts must not permit photographs in the courtroom during judicial proceedings or the broadcasting of judicial proceedings from the courtroom.
  Methodology
  Text of the federal procedural rule and committee notes.
  Methodological limitations
  Federal criminal courts only; U.S. state courts set their own rules.
  Last checked: 2026-10-31
Where it appears: Televising Court Trials (Cameras change how trial participants behave; There is little evidence that cameras harm trials)
1. LegislationVerification: Full text checkeduk-crown-court-broadcasting-2020
  The Crown Court (Recording and Broadcasting) Order 2020 (SI 2020/637)
  Ministry of Justice (England and Wales) · 2020-06-19
  Key finding
  Permits recording and broadcasting of sentencing remarks in the Crown Court, but recording is only of the judge, by a person authorised by the Lord Chancellor, with the judge's written permission. Broadcasts must respect reporting restrictions, be fair and accurate in context, and must not be used for party politics, advertising, light entertainment or satire.
  Methodology
  Statutory instrument made under the Crime and Courts Act 2013.
  Methodological limitations
  Describes legal conditions; does not evaluate effects.
  Last checked: 2026-10-31
Where it appears: Televising Court Trials (Broadcast turns trials into entertainment and harms victims; Broadcast extends open justice to everyone; Harms can be managed with narrow rules)
1. Court recordVerification: Full text checkedchandler-v-florida-1981
  Chandler v. Florida, 449 U.S. 560 (1981)
  Supreme Court of the United States (via Legal Information Institute) · 1981-01-26
  Key finding
  The Constitution does not bar states from permitting broadcast coverage of criminal trials. The Court noted that no one had presented empirical data sufficient to show broadcast coverage inherently harms the judicial process; a defendant must show actual prejudice in the particular case, more than juror awareness of broadcasters.
  Methodology
  Supreme Court opinion (Burger, C.J.).
  Methodological limitations
  Legal standard, not empirical evidence; the empirical observation dates from 1981.
  Last checked: 2026-10-31
Where it appears: Televising Court Trials (Cameras change how trial participants behave; There is little evidence that cameras harm trials)
1. Government documentVerification: Full text checkedfjc-1994-media-pilot
  Electronic Media Coverage of Federal Civil Proceedings: An Evaluation of the Pilot Program in Six District Courts and Two Courts of Appeals
  Molly Treadway Johnson, Carol Krafka (Federal Judicial Center) · 1994
  Key finding
  During a federal pilot allowing cameras in civil proceedings (1 July 1991 – 30 June 1993), media applied to cover 257 cases and 82% of applications were approved. Judges and attorneys with experience of coverage generally reported small or no effects of camera presence on participants, courtroom decorum or the administration of justice, and judges' attitudes became more favourable with experience. Most evening news footage illustrated a reporter's narration and gave viewers little information about the legal process.
  Methodology
  Surveys of judges and attorneys, interviews with court staff and media, and review of state studies.
  Methodological limitations
  Civil cases only (no criminal trials, no jurors in most covered proceedings); self-reports by participants; early 1990s media environment without social media. Full report checked (Summary of Findings, p. 7).
  Last checked: 2026-10-31
Where it appears: Televising Court Trials (Cameras change how trial participants behave; There is little evidence that cameras harm trials)
1. OtherVerification: Full text checkedmdi-2022-depp-heard
  The broadcast of the Depp-Heard trial and its impact on domestic abuse narratives
  Virginia Méndez (Media Diversity Institute) · 2022-07-07
  Key finding
  Argues that televising the 2022 Depp v. Heard defamation trial turned a case about alleged domestic abuse into public entertainment, reinforced myths about abuse and the idea of a “perfect victim”, and may discourage survivors from coming forward; quotes the charity Refuge saying the verdict sent a chilling message to survivors.
  Methodology
  Signed opinion and analysis piece; cites news coverage but presents no original data.
  Methodological limitations
  Advocacy commentary on one high-profile civil case; does not measure effects on survivors' reporting.
  Last checked: 2026-10-31
Where it appears: Televising Court Trials (Broadcast turns trials into entertainment and harms victims; Selection of televised cases distorts perceptions of justice)
1. Court recordVerification: Full text checkedradmacher-2010-uksc
  Radmacher (formerly Granatino) v Granatino [2010] UKSC 42: press summary
  Supreme Court of the United Kingdom · 2010-10-20
  Key finding
  In England and Wales, a court should give effect to a nuptial agreement freely entered into by each party with a full appreciation of its implications, unless in the circumstances it would not be fair to hold the parties to it. Courts should respect individual autonomy, but an agreement cannot prejudice the reasonable requirements of children of the family. The majority (8–1) upheld the agreement.
  Methodology
  Official press summary of a Supreme Court judgment.
  Methodological limitations
  Applies to England and Wales; agreements are weighed by courts, not automatically binding.
  Last checked: 2026-10-31
Where it appears: Prenuptial Agreements (Every marriage already has a property regime; mandating a choice makes it explicit; A compelled contract contradicts the basis for enforcing prenups)
1. LegislationVerification: Full text checkedri-upaa-15-17-6
  Rhode Island General Laws § 15-17-6: Enforcement (Uniform Premarital Agreement Act)
  State of Rhode Island · date not recorded
  Key finding
  Under this state's version of the Uniform Premarital Agreement Act, a premarital agreement is unenforceable only if the challenging party proves, by clear and convincing evidence, that they did not sign voluntarily and that it was unconscionable when signed without fair disclosure, waiver or adequate knowledge; if an agreement would leave a spouse eligible for public assistance, a court may order support despite it.
  Methodology
  State statute text.
  Methodological limitations
  One U.S. state's version; other states differ in disclosure and unconscionability standards.
  Last checked: 2026-10-31
Where it appears: Prenuptial Agreements (A mandatory process can require disclosure and advice; Forced bargaining favours the stronger party)
1. Official statisticsVerification: Full text checkedcdc-2023-marriage-divorce
  FastStats: Marriage and Divorce
  U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Health Statistics · 2023
  Key finding
  Provisional 2023 data: 2,041,926 marriages (6.1 per 1,000 population) and 672,502 divorces (2.4 per 1,000 population) in 45 reporting states and D.C.
  Methodology
  National Vital Statistics System counts.
  Methodological limitations
  Crude rates per population, not the probability a given marriage ends in divorce; five states do not report divorces.
  Last checked: 2026-10-31
Where it appears: Prenuptial Agreements (Every couple faces the risk; planning protects both; For many couples the cost outweighs the benefit) · Math × Debate: Base Rate Fallacy · Math × Debate: Expected Value
1. OtherVerification: Full text checkednotaires-contrat-mariage
  Quand et comment faire établir un contrat de mariage ? (Le contrat de mariage)
  Office notarial (notaires.fr), France · date not recorded
  Key finding
  In France, a marriage contract must be drawn up by a notary before the civil wedding. Couples who marry without one are automatically under the community of acquisitions regime: income and property acquired during the marriage are shared and split equally on divorce, while property owned before marriage or received by gift or inheritance stays separate. Separation of property and other regimes can be chosen by contract.
  Methodology
  Explanatory document from a French notarial office.
  Methodological limitations
  Practitioner guidance, not the Civil Code text; France only.
  Last checked: 2026-10-31
Where it appears: Prenuptial Agreements (Every marriage already has a property regime; mandating a choice makes it explicit; Forced bargaining favours the stronger party)
1. LegislationVerification: Full text checkedeu-directive-2024-825
  Directive (EU) 2024/825 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 28 February 2024 (empowering consumers for the green transition)
  European Parliament and Council of the European Union (Official Journal of the European Union, L series) · 2024-03-06
  Key finding
  Amends the Unfair Commercial Practices Directive (2005/29/EC) and the Consumer Rights Directive (2011/83/EU). Annex I additions ban in all circumstances: displaying a sustainability label not based on a certification scheme or established by public authorities (point 2a); generic environmental claims where the trader cannot demonstrate recognised excellent environmental performance (4a); environmental claims about a whole product or business that concern only one aspect (4b); and claims, based on offsetting greenhouse gas emissions, that a product has a neutral, reduced or positive climate impact (4c). Claims about future environmental performance require clear, verifiable commitments in a detailed implementation plan, regularly verified by an independent expert (new Article 6(2)(d)). Member States had to adopt national measures by 27 March 2026 and apply them from 27 September 2026 (Article 4).
  Methodology
  Primary legal text (EUR-Lex, English version).
  Methodological limitations
  States legal requirements only; says nothing about compliance or effects on corporate behaviour. Recital 12: companies may still advertise investments in environmental initiatives, including carbon credit projects, if the information is not misleading.
  Last checked: 2026-10-31
Where it appears: Environmental Movements and Corporate Partnerships (Only laws bind the laggards)
1. OtherVerification: Full text checkededf-mcdonalds-partnership
  McDonald's saves billions cutting waste (EDF partnership case study)
  Environmental Defense Fund · date not recorded
  Key finding
  After public pressure in the late 1980s, EDF worked with McDonald's on its U.S. packaging and waste; polystyrene clamshells were replaced with paper, and the team found nearly 80% of waste came from behind the counter. Over the following decade the partners report more than 300 million pounds of packaging eliminated, 1 million tons of corrugated boxes recycled, restaurant waste cut by 30% and estimated savings of $6 million a year.
  Methodology
  Partnership case study published by the NGO involved.
  Methodological limitations
  Self-reported by a partner; no independent evaluation or counterfactual (what McDonald's would have done anyway).
  Last checked: 2026-10-31
Where it appears: Environmental Movements and Corporate Partnerships (Partnerships deliver concrete changes now; Political reform is slow and reversible) · Math × Debate: Game Theory
1. News reportingVerification: Full text checkedcarbonbrief-2023-verra-offsets
  Revealed: more than 90% of rainforest carbon offsets by biggest provider are worthless, analysis shows (Carbon Brief daily briefing)
  Carbon Brief, summarising The Guardian / Die Zeit / SourceMaterial (18 January 2023) · 2023-01-19
  Key finding
  A nine-month investigation, based on new analysis of scientific studies of Verra's rainforest schemes, concluded that more than 90% of its rainforest offset credits, among the most commonly used by companies such as Disney, Shell and Gucci, are likely “phantom credits” that do not represent genuine carbon reductions. Verra strongly disputed the conclusions. The voluntary offset market was valued at about $2 billion.
  Methodology
  Journalistic investigation drawing on academic studies of deforestation baselines, interviews and field reporting.
  Methodological limitations
  Secondary summary of a media investigation; methods were disputed by the certifier.
  Last checked: 2026-10-31
Where it appears: Environmental Movements and Corporate Partnerships (Voluntary corporate action is vulnerable to greenwashing)
1. OtherVerification: Secondary report checkedeu-2024-825-green-claims
  The EU Directive on Empowering Consumers for the Green Transition, two years on (commentary on Directive (EU) 2024/825)
  Mayer Brown · 2026-10-27
  Key finding
  Commentary on implementation: nine EU markets lacked national transposing rules on the 27 September 2026 application date. (What the directive itself requires is cited from the official text, eu-directive-2024-825.)
  Methodology
  Law firm analysis of the directive and member-state transposition.
  Methodological limitations
  Secondary legal commentary by a law firm; used only for the state of national transposition, not for the content of the law.
  Last checked: 2026-10-31
Where it appears: Environmental Movements and Corporate Partnerships (Only laws bind the laggards)