Belegmaterial

Belegmaterial is a term used in German to denote material that serves as evidence or a basis for substantiating a claim or finding. The word combines Beleg (evidence, proof) with Material and is used across disciplines to refer to sources or objects that underpin statements. In academic writing, Belegmaterial may include primary sources, datasets, laboratory notebooks, experimental data, figures, tables, and appendices that readers can inspect or reproduce. In journalism, Belegmaterial encompasses documents, interview transcripts, emails, official records, and other materials that corroborate reported information. In law and archival work, it can denote records, contracts, and correspondence kept as proof in a case file. In archaeology and history, Belegmaterial includes artifacts, inscriptions, maps, photographs, and archival documents that substantiate interpretations.

The selection of Belegmaterial rests on criteria such as relevance to the claim, authenticity and provenance, completeness, accessibility, and the ability to verify or reproduce results. Proper documentation is essential, including clear references, metadata, licensing terms, and storage in an appropriate repository. While Belegmaterial is not a type of evidence itself, it is the material through which claims are tested and validated, making it fundamental to the credibility of scholarship, journalism, and practice.