skills/research-writing/references/editing_fact_checking_publish_ready.md

# Editing, Fact-Checking, and Publish-Ready Pass

## Pass 1 — Claims

Mark material claims as:
- supported;
- weak;
- stale;
- conflicting;
- unsupported;
- opinion.

Research only what needs verification.

## Pass 2 — Structure

Check:
- title matches article;
- introduction creates a clear promise;
- sections are in dependency order;
- examples appear near concepts;
- conclusion adds value.

## Pass 3 — Clarity

Prefer:
- active voice;
- specific nouns;
- strong verbs;
- consistent terms;
- short, focused sentences.

Fix:
- ambiguous pronouns;
- undefined acronyms;
- giant paragraphs;
- vague qualifiers;
- repeated points.

## Pass 4 — Technical correctness

Check:
- versions;
- commands/code;
- units;
- architecture labels;
- terminology;
- API/product names;
- deprecated behavior;
- environment assumptions.

## Pass 5 — Evidence

Check:
- citation supports the exact claim;
- source is current enough;
- date/version scope is visible;
- quotes are minimal and accurate.

## Pass 6 — Publication fit

Check:
- title/subtitle;
- formatting;
- image/hero requirements;
- publication rules;
- author bio/CTA if requested;
- platform-specific structure.

## Pass 7 — Final proof

Check:
- spelling;
- grammar;
- broken links;
- headings;
- code formatting;
- duplicated paragraphs;
- placeholder text;
- unsupported superlatives.

## Change discipline

When fact-checking an existing draft:
- preserve voice and supported sections;
- patch only what needs correction unless restructuring is requested;
- report material factual changes separately when useful.