STR-004
Context default
layer: paragraph
Keep evidence beside the claim
IF evidence is separated from the claim it supports by unrelated material, THEN move it closer or label the relation ELSE retain.
Why the rule exists
Proximity reduces the risk that readers attach evidence to the wrong proposition.
Condition
The rule fires when this evaluates true. Paths marked below must be present in the fact base; the engine reports the rest rather than guessing them.
- ALL
- evidence.supported_claim_id exists
- evidence.distance_from_claim gt 1
Facts this rule reads
| Path | Source |
|---|---|
evidence.supported_claim_id |
You supply it |
evidence.distance_from_claim |
You supply it |
Then
- move — target
evidence - insert — target
evidence.relationship_label
Else
- retain — target
current_text, No triggering condition is present.
LAKA
- Smallest sufficient intervention
- Yes
- Primary axes
Sources
-
Handbook of Technical Writing — Gerald J. Alred; Charles T. Brusaw; Walter E. Oliu
Grammar, mechanics, formats, and workplace documents. -
Technical Communication — Mike Markel; Stuart A. Selber
Audience, design, ethics, research, and technical genres.
The raw rule record
Verbatim from 10-paragraph-document-rules.json. Also available at /v1/rules/STR-004.
{
"id": "STR-004",
"name": "Keep evidence beside the claim",
"domain": "structure",
"layer": "paragraph",
"strength": "context_default",
"human_logic": "IF evidence is separated from the claim it supports by unrelated material, THEN move it closer or label the relation ELSE retain.",
"when": {
"all": [
{
"path": "evidence.supported_claim_id",
"operator": "exists"
},
{
"path": "evidence.distance_from_claim",
"operator": "gt",
"value": 1
}
]
},
"then": [
{
"action": "move",
"target": "evidence",
"destination": "adjacent_to_supported_claim"
},
{
"action": "insert",
"target": "evidence.relationship_label"
}
],
"else": [
{
"action": "retain",
"target": "current_text",
"reason": "No triggering condition is present."
}
],
"unless": [],
"because": "Proximity reduces the risk that readers attach evidence to the wrong proposition.",
"diagnostics": [],
"examples": {},
"source_ids": [
"BK-025",
"BK-026"
],
"laka": {
"smallest_sufficient_intervention": true,
"primary_axes": [
"scope",
"depth",
"magnitude",
"reversibility"
]
}
}
Other structure rules
- STR-001 One controlling move per paragraph IF a paragraph performs more than one unrelated rhetorical move, THEN split it at the move boundary ELSE retain. Context default
- STR-002 Expose the paragraph point IF the paragraph’s controlling point is absent or recoverable only after rereading, THEN state or move it to a strategic position ELSE retain an intentional delayed reveal. Heuristic
- STR-003 Support consequential claims IF a paragraph makes a consequential factual claim, THEN provide evidence, cite it, qualify it, or remove the claim ELSE retain. Hard constraint
- STR-005 Use transitions that name the relation IF adjacent paragraphs have a meaningful but unstated relation, THEN add a transition that expresses that relation ELSE retain. Context default
- STR-006 Delete orphan paragraphs IF a paragraph neither advances the purpose nor supports another necessary move, THEN delete or relocate it ELSE retain. Heuristic
- STR-007 Section answers one reader question IF a section answers multiple unrelated reader questions, THEN split and label them ELSE retain. Context default
- STR-008 Heading predicts content IF a heading does not accurately predict its section, THEN rename the heading or repair the section ELSE retain. Hard constraint
- STR-009 Maintain heading hierarchy IF heading levels skip or reflect visual size rather than logical nesting, THEN repair the hierarchy ELSE retain. Hard constraint