substantiation

Substantiation is the act or process of providing adequate evidence to support a claim, assertion, or allegation. In general, to substantiate something is to verify its truthfulness or legitimacy through reliable data, documents, or testimony. The term is used across domains, with slightly different connotations.

In law and litigation, substantiation relates to the burden of proof and the demonstration that statements have factual support. Courts assess whether assertions are substantiated by admissible evidence such as documents, witness testimony, or expert opinion. In defamation and media ethics, substantiation refers to verifying contentious statements before publication to avoid false or defamatory claims; failure to substantiate can raise liability or reputational risk.

In government and policy, substantiation often governs the validity of reports, claims about program outcomes, or allegations of wrongdoing. Some agencies maintain formal substantiation procedures for complaints or tips, determining whether abuse, neglect, fraud, or other issues have occurred; a substantiated finding can trigger investigations, interventions, or sanctions, while an unsubstantiated finding may limit further action.

In research and science, substantiation means that a claim is supported by empirical evidence and logical reasoning, with methods, data, and analysis provided to allow replication or verification.

Substantiation relies on evidence quality, source credibility, and transparent methodology. Critics stress the importance of clearly stated standards for what counts as sufficient substantiation and the potential for bias in the collection or interpretation of evidence.