Every rule, and how hard it binds

32 rules match. Showing 1–25. Clear filters

1. 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
2. STR-004 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. Context default
3. STR-015 Choose table only for cross-comparison IF readers must compare repeated fields across three or more items, THEN use a table; IF order or action matters, use a list ELSE use prose. Heuristic
4. STR-017 End with the intended next state IF the document expects a decision or action, THEN end with the next action, owner, timing, and success condition ELSE close by reinforcing the controlling meaning. Context default
5. CLR-014 Retain necessary qualifiers IF removing a qualifier changes claim truth, scope, uncertainty, population, or time, THEN retain or strengthen it ELSE it may be compressed. Hard constraint
6. CLR-016 Match specificity to decision need IF the reader must choose or act, THEN include the distinctions that can change that choice and omit distinctions that cannot ELSE select detail for understanding or experience. Context default
7. CLR-020 Separate fact, inference, and opinion IF a paragraph contains facts, inferences, or opinions, THEN mark each proposition’s epistemic status when confusion would affect trust or decisions ELSE retain. Hard constraint
8. VOI-002 Tone responds to reader state IF reader emotion changes, THEN adjust directness, warmth, pace, and reassurance without changing facts ELSE maintain baseline tone. Context default
9. VOI-011 Calibrate confidence to evidence IF wording expresses certainty, THEN match modal strength to evidence and uncertainty ELSE retain. Hard constraint
10. ARG-001 Define the rhetorical situation IF author, audience, purpose, text, or setting is unknown, THEN define the missing element before drafting strategy ELSE proceed. Hard constraint
11. ARG-002 One controlling thesis IF a document makes multiple unrelated controlling claims, THEN narrow, subordinate, or split them ELSE retain. Context default
12. ARG-003 Classify claim before selecting evidence IF a claim is present, THEN classify it as factual, causal, evaluative, definitional, predictive, or policy before choosing support ELSE do not infer support requirements. Hard constraint
13. ARG-004 Evidence matches claim type IF evidence type does not support the claim type, THEN replace, supplement, narrow, or remove the claim ELSE retain. Hard constraint
14. ARG-005 Make the warrant available IF evidence does not obviously entail the claim for the intended audience, THEN state the connecting warrant ELSE retain. Context default
15. ARG-006 Qualify to the evidence boundary IF claim scope exceeds evidence population, conditions, time, or uncertainty, THEN narrow or qualify the claim ELSE retain. Hard constraint
16. ARG-007 Address strongest relevant counterargument IF a reasonable reader has a strong relevant objection, THEN represent it fairly and respond with evidence or concession ELSE omit peripheral objections. Context default
17. ARG-008 Distinguish correlation from causation IF evidence is correlational AND the claim is causal, THEN add causal evidence, state a mechanism with tests, or change the claim to association ELSE retain. Hard constraint
18. ARG-009 Name uncertainty and limitations IF evidence has material uncertainty, missing data, selection limits, or alternative explanations, THEN disclose them near the conclusion ELSE retain. Hard constraint
19. ARG-010 Cite at the point of use IF a factual claim depends on an external source, THEN cite near the claim and make the supported scope clear ELSE retain common knowledge according to policy. Context default
20. ARG-011 Source quality matches stakes IF a claim is high-stakes, technical, medical, legal, financial, or scientific, THEN prefer primary authoritative evidence and independent corroboration ELSE use proportionate sourcing. Hard constraint
21. ARG-012 Separate premise from conclusion IF the conclusion is presented as a premise OR circularly restates it, THEN add independent support or acknowledge assumption ELSE retain. Hard constraint
22. ARG-013 Avoid false binary IF a claim presents two options as exhaustive AND other viable options exist, THEN add them or explain the constraint ELSE retain. Hard constraint
23. ARG-014 Compare like with like IF compared items differ on an uncontrolled dimension that drives the result, THEN normalize, qualify, or reject the comparison ELSE retain. Hard constraint
24. ARG-015 Recommendation includes decision rule IF analysis recommends an option, THEN state criteria, tradeoffs, rejected alternatives, and the condition that would change the recommendation ELSE retain. Context default
25. ARG-016 Conclusion does not outrun premises IF the conclusion adds a stronger, broader, or different claim than the argument established, THEN narrow it or add the missing support ELSE retain. Hard constraint