etterprøbare

Etterprøbare is a Norwegian adjective used to describe claims, results, data, or methods that can be verified or tested after the fact. The word is formed from the preposition etter (after, subsequently) and prøve (to test), with the suffix -bar meaning capable of. Thus something etterprøvbart is capable of being verified through further testing, inspection, or independent examination.

In scientific and academic contexts, etterprøbare results are valued because they can be independently checked by others. The concept is closely linked to verifiability, reproducibility, and auditability. A study or claim that is etterprøvbart typically provides enough detail about methods, data, and analysis to allow others to reproduce or verify the findings, at least in principle.

Usage of the term extends beyond science to journalism, policy, and data governance, where transparency and the possibility of verification are important criteria for credibility. For example, researchers may publish open data to enhance etterprøvbarhet, while journalists emphasize etterprøbarhet in sourcing and fact-checking processes.

Relation to related terms includes etterprøvbarhet (the quality of being verifiable), reproduserbarhet or replikerbarhet (reproducibility), verifikasjon (verification), and validering (validation). Limitations exist: not all legitimate work can be fully etterprøvbart due to privacy, proprietary constraints, or practical constraints, though the aim is to maximize transparency and the ability to verify results.

See also: verifiability, reproducibility, data transparency, auditability.