Source
Sources are the raw material of Security Force Monitor’s research. They are publicly-available, mostly digital, documents and other media that contain information that makes claims about security forces. Specific parts of a source, like page or paragraph numbers, are cited as as a required part of every claim type.
This document provides an overview of what information we store in source records. We discuss the difference how we find sources, and the differences between sources and citations in Overview: Sources and citations. You can find more about how sources and citations relate to claims and the other entities in our data model in What is a claim?
Source: Summary of attributes
The table below summarises the following dimensions of source records:
Attribute label: a human readable label for the attribute
Attribute name: a unique machine-readable name for the attribute, used during data capture
Status: whether the attribute is optional or required in a records
Data type: the sort of data that can be entered into the attributes
Conformed name: a standardized name that simplifies attribute use in SFM databases
Attribute label |
Attribute name |
Status |
Data type |
Conformed name |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
required |
uuid |
None |
|
|
optional |
list |
None |
|
|
optional |
string |
None |
|
|
optional |
string |
None |
|
|
optional |
timestamp |
None |
|
|
optional |
timestamp |
None |
|
|
optional |
string |
None |
|
|
optional |
timestamp |
None |
|
|
optional |
timestamp |
None |
|
|
optional |
uuid |
None |
|
|
optional |
list |
None |
|
|
optional |
string |
None |
|
|
optional |
timestamp |
None |
|
|
optional |
string |
None |
|
|
optional |
string |
None |
Source: Details of attributes
This section contains further information about each attribute, including descriptions, examples of use, and guidance on use.
Source: Unique Identifier
Attribute name
::source/id
Description
A unique 32 character code assigned to each sources in the dataset.
Attribute type
String in UUID format
Status
This attribute is required.
Example of use
1c03ec21-0fae-4243-9de6-686568afc2b8
Guidance on use
This value is a Universally Unique Indentifier (UUID) generated using a computer program.
Source: Type
Attribute name
::source/type
Description
Description of the media type of the source, such as «document», «video» or «image».
Attribute type
Single string value selected from contolled list
Status
This attribute is optional
Example of use
document, video, message, tweet, post
Guidance on use
Use this field to capture data about the source’s basic media type. The choice of values for this attribute is defined in a controlled vocabulary.
Source: Title
Attribute name
::source/title
Description
The name of the source, as stated on the source.
Attribute type
String
Status
This attribute is optional.
Example of use
Stars on their shoulders. Blood on their hands. War crimes committed by the Nigerian military
Guidance on use
Copy the exact title of the source as stated on the source itself. Where the title has multiple parts, such as a subtitle, also include that, using a hyphen to signal where there was a linebreak in the original text.
Source: Creation Timestamp
Attribute name
::source/created-at
Description
Date and time that the source was first created.
Attribute type
ISO 8601 timestamp, full or partial, UTC timezone (YYYY-MM-DDThh:mm:ssZ)
tatus
This attribute is optional.
Example of use
2019-11-29T10:25:45Z, 2019, 2010-11-29
Guidance on use
Where available, record the date and time that the source was first created, which is a common and precise attribute on social media content. The field accepts full or partial values: at its simplest this is to the year, at its most comprehensive it can be to the second.
A creation timestamp may not be available for a source - if this is the case, leave this field blank and look for a publication or upload timestamp.
Where the timezone is indicated, convert the timestamp to UTC before entering it in this attribute.
Source: Upload Timestamp
Attribute name
::source/uploaded-at
Description
Date and time that the source was uploaded to the online platform or service on which it is hosted.
Attribute type
ISO 8601 timestamp, full or partial, UTC timezone (YYYY-MM-DDThh:mm:ssZ)
Status
This field is optional.
Example of use
2019-11-29T10:25:45Z, 2019, 2010-11-29
Guidance on use
Where available, record the date and time that the source was uploaded to the online platform or service on which it is hosted. This may different from the date of creation or publication. Upload timestamp information may not be available for source - if this is the case, leave the field blank.
The field accepts full or partial values: at its simplest this is to the year, at its most comprehensive it can be to the second.
Where the timezone is indicated, convert the timestamp to UTC.
Source: URL
Attribute name
::source/url
Description
The first and original public online location of the source.
Attribute type
String in URL format
Status
This field is optional.
Example of use
https://www.amnesty.org/en/documents/afr44/1657/2015/en/
Guidance on use
The URL included here must be for the first and original public online location of the source.
Where possible, if a source is republished through a content sharing or syndication system, attempt to find the original online location.
If you are accessing the source through a restricted or subscription-only gateway (such as LexisNexis or ProQuest), find the original public URL for a source rather than the URL generated by the gateway service.
Source: Publication Timestamp
Attribute name
::source/published-at
Description
Date and time that the source was published on the online platform or service on which it is hosted.
Attribute type
ISO 8601 timestamp, full or partial, UTC timezone (YYYY-MM-DDThh:mm:ssZ)
Status
This attribute is optional.
Example of use
2019-11-29T10:25:45Z, 2019, 2010-11-29
Guidance on use
Where available, record the date and time that the source was published to the online platform or service on which it is hosted. This may different from the date of creation or upload.
Although a timestamp for creation and upload dates and times may not be available, it is very likely that at least a publication date will be available for a source. Where a publication date is not available for a source, the timestamp of the earliest complete snapshot of the source found in the Internet Archive should be recorded here.
The field accepts full or partial values: at its simplest this is to the year, at its most comprehensive it can be to the second.
Where the timezone is indicated, convert the timestamp to UTC.
Source: Accessed Timestamp
Attribute name
::source/accessed-at
Description
Full date on which the Staff Reseacher looked at the source.
Attribute type
Date (YYYY-MM-DD)
Status
This attribute is optional.
Example of use
2019-02-20
Guidance on use
When a Staff Researcher accesses a source, they should record the full, exact date in this attribute. This data is a useful part of quality assurance processes, enabling us to re-visit sources at set points in time to assess whether they have been updated.
Source: Publication Unique Identifier
Attribute name
::source/publication-id
Description
The unique 32 character code assigned of the publication that issued the source.
Attribute type
String in UUID format
Status
This attribute is optional.
Example of use
a848de4e-ebeb-49d6-9099-7e68ca3b57fc
Guidance on use
This value is a Universally Unique Indentifier (UUID) generated using a computer program. Entries in this attribute correspond to the existing identifiers stored the Publication records.
Source: Acquisition Search Engine
Advertencia
To do!
Attribute name
::source/acquired-engine
Description
Attribute type
Status
Example of use
Guidance on use
Source: Acquisition Search Term
Advertencia
To do!
Attribute name
::source/acquired-term
Description
Attribute type
Status
Example of use
Guidance on use
Source: Acquisition Search Timestamp
Advertencia
To do!
Attribute name
::source/acquired-timestamp
Description
Attribute type
Status
Example of use
Guidance on use
Source: Research Comments
Attribute name
::source/comments
Description
Observations specific to the process of reviewing data in this sources, including fixes, refinements and other suggestions.
Attribute type
String
Status
This attribute is optional.
Example of use
Source need archiving, How to extract full publication timestamp from post?, Source should not be published because permission has not been given by the resource owner
Guidance on use
Staff Researchers use this attribute to pass on feedback about the data about the source. This may include the progress made in extracting information from the source, references to sources that the researcher might look at, and other observations that can improve the quality of the data. Data in this attribute are not intended for publication.
Source: Restricted
Advertencia
This attribute will be replaced by a more comprehensive approach to access control and data access.
Attribute name
::source/restricted
Description
Field indicating that the source should not be published on WhoWasInCommand, or distributed in any public product.
Attribute type
String
Status
This attribute is optional.
Example of use
1
Guidance on use
If a source should not be published on WhoWasInCommand, or distributed in any public form, the Staff Analyst can indicate this by placing a 1 in the Source: Restricted field. The reasons for restricted publication of a source should be recorded in Source: Research Comments.