Tuvastatavus

Tuvastatavus is an Estonian term describing the property of verifiability, i.e., the capacity for a claim, data item, or fact to be confirmed by evidence, measurements, or independent sources. The word is formed from tuvastama (to establish or verify) with the abstract noun suffix -vus, and it is used in academic, journalism, and data-management contexts to express how well something can be checked.

In practice, tuvastatavus refers to the availability of source material, documentation of methods, and the presence of observable or measurable criteria that allow others to verify a statement. High tuvastatavus means that a claim can be traced back to verifiable data or procedures, while low tuvastatavus indicates that verification is difficult or impossible due to missing sources, opaque methods, or insufficient evidence.

The concept is related to, but distinct from, replicability or reproducibility. Verifiability emphasizes the ability to confirm a claim using existing information and sources, whereas replication involves independently repeating a study or experiment to achieve consistent results. Tuvastatavus also intersects with provenance and traceability, particularly in data governance and archival work, where documenting origins and changes is central to verification.

Limitations include the dependence on access to reliable sources and the potential for verifiability to be influenced by bias in available information. Some truths may be inherently unverifiable or context-dependent, yet still hold significance. See also verifiability, evidence, provenance, source criticism, and reproducibility.