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Agreement is stronger when sources are independent
Corroboration compares evidence from more than one source.
The idea
Two accounts repeating one earlier report are not two independent witnesses. Differences can be informative as well as agreement.
An example
Compare a diary, a dated photograph and an official record rather than three copies of one article.
Put it into practice
Trace where each account obtained its information.
Further reading: Library of Congress · Historical Thinking ↗
Test yourself: Which evidence offers stronger independent corroboration?
Separate records made by different observers
Independent origins matter more than the number of repetitions.
Explanation and illustrative examples by One Card Wiser. Source linked for further reading.
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