How do I add a statement?

To add a statement, first make sure that it meets the Dignitas criteria.

You will need a Dignitas account. Log in, then navigate to your dashboard or to the main page. There you will see the link to the page add a statement. Alternatively, you can use our browser extension to submit a statement to Dignitas straight from a news page.

On the statement page you can fill in the following information:

• Author: The author is generally a person, but can also be:
  • A party or alliance, when the statement is made by a spokesperson. We want statements to belong to their moral author, not necessarily to the person uttering the sentences.
  • A website, when the site itself is a source of information (undisclosed sources, fake news, etc.).
• Statement date: To the best of your knowledge, enter the date when the statement was made (not the date when the newspapers reported it or the date when you are adding it to Dignitas).
• Type: Statements have one of three types:
  • claim: a piece of information that the author presents as correct;
  • flip-flop: an opinion that contradicts a previous opinion of the same author;
  • promise: a commitment the fulfillment of which can be verified now or in the future.
• Summary: The statement reproduced verbatim. If the statement is part of a broader context, include only the essence here (without taking the statement completely out of context!). In the next field, Context, you will be able to detail the broader context.
• Context: Additional data to put the statement in context. These can be a broader citation of the author that includes the summary (don't forget to use quotation marks or the quote button of the text editor) or data and facts that explain the context in which the author made the statement.
• Goal: What we would like from an analysis of this statement. This field is necessary because even the simplest statements can contain multiple elements, statements of secondary importance, filler phrases, etc. Example:
  • If the statement has some numbers, then the goal may be "To check whether the statistics for X really have the valueY".
  • If the statement refers to facts, for example "X did Y", then the goal may be "To check whether X did Y*".
• Sources: One or more URLs attesting to the existence of this statement. A claim not substantiated by at least one source will most likely be flagged and closed as unverifiable.
• Mentions: Optionally, one or more authors to whom the statement refers. Do not include the statement's author here.
• Region: Optionally, a county or town for which the statement is of interest.
• Tags: Optionally, you can add one or more tags to categorize the statement and make it easier to find. In particular, field labels (justice, finance, energy, environment, etc.) are useful.

Then save the page. The added statement is now active and you and other Dignitas users can start adding answers.