{"id":617,"slug":"spj-code-identify-sources-clearly-2014","title":"SPJ Code of Ethics (2014): \"Identify sources clearly. The public is entitled to as much information as possible to judge reliability and motivations\"","kind":"reference","scope":"business","status":"current","audiences":["claude-code","candid-team"],"topics":["editorial-discipline","citation-practices"],"reference_body":"**Quote (SPJ Code of Ethics, 2014 revision):**\n\n> \"Identify sources clearly. The public is entitled to as much information as possible to judge the reliability and motivations of sources.\"\n\n**Source:** <https://spj.org/spj-code-of-ethics>\n\n**Confidence:** Verified.\n\n**Companion: the Washington Post / two-source norm (Dec 2017):** *\"There must be two sources with the same firsthand knowledge\"* before publication of contested claims. Industry-consensus in working newsrooms.\n\n**The \"reliability and motivations\" framing** matters more than the citation mechanic. Readers need to evaluate not just *what* was said but *who said it and why they might say it*. A named source with credentials, affiliation, and date does all three. An anonymous source does none.\n\n**Pairs with [[bbc-editorial-3-2-2-sound-evidence]] and [[reuters-handbook-anonymous-sources-weakest]]** — three converging professional-journalism standards on the same point.","rationale_body":null,"metadata":null,"links":{"outgoing":[{"slug":"bbc-editorial-3-2-2-sound-evidence","title":"BBC Editorial Guidelines §3.2.2: \"All BBC output...must be well sourced, based on sound evidence, thoroughly tested\"","kind":"reference","scope":"business","link_type":"relates-to"}],"incoming":[{"slug":"rule-every-objective-claim-sourced-with-confidence-label","title":"RULE: Every objective claim in Candid content carries a named source + date + verbatim quote ≤25 words + confidence label","kind":"rule","scope":"business","link_type":"depends-on"},{"slug":"research-brief-confidence-sources-dated-claims","title":"Research brief: Confidence Levels, Sources, and Dated Claims — why every statement on a credible site should be verifiable (piece 15 of 15)","kind":"reference","scope":"business","link_type":"relates-to"}]},"created_at":"2026-05-22T20:51:26.968Z","updated_at":"2026-05-22T20:51:26.968Z"}