Description
Label a historical witness's supplied firsthand/secondhand status.
Historical records separate source readings, remembered dates, documentary dates, place identifiers and editorial conventions. Supplied certainty or witness labels are annotations rather than authenticated evidence. Original spellings, calendar styles and accession-year conventions need their documentary context before chronological interpretation.
Label a historical witness's supplied firsthand/secondhand status.
When to use this tool
Use Historical Witness Firsthand Secondhand Code when you already have recordId, witnessStatus and need to label a historical witness's supplied firsthand/secondhand status.
How to use the tool and how it works
- Enter recordId, witnessStatus. Use the units and conventions below.
- Run the tool. Correct any format, range, or cross-field input error before interpreting the output.
- Read label. Use the output convention below.
Require recordId nonempty and witnessStatus firsthand, secondhand, mixed or unknown; format ID [status].1
| Input field | Meaning and units | Accepted input |
|---|---|---|
| recordId | Record Id | Required. Text; minimum UTF-16 length 1; maximum UTF-16 length 8192. |
| witnessStatus | Supplied source classification, not an evaluation of accuracy or credibility. | Required. Text; one of "firsthand", "secondhand", "mixed", "unknown"; maximum UTF-16 length 8192. |
| Output field | Interpretation | Returned shape |
|---|---|---|
| label | Label | Required. Text; maximum UTF-16 length 8192. |
{
"input": {
"recordId": "R17",
"witnessStatus": "secondhand"
},
"output": {
"label": "R17 [secondhand]"
}
}Limitations and assumptions
- No testimony, source dependence, event, authenticity or credibility is evaluated.
- Inputs must satisfy both the field types and the cross-field conditions above. Invalid input causes an error; a successful false flag or documented placeholder is a different result.
Alternative or Complementary methods
Consult the original source, edition and provenance for a historical claim. Apply an appropriate calendar or documentary analysis when actual conversion, identity or interpretation is needed; a transcription key or uncertainty marker does not establish those results.
References
Similar or alternative tools
- Historical Place Uncertain ID Display
Label a historical place identifier with an optional uncertainty marker.
- Historical Inscription Illegible Span Mark
Wrap a supplied illegible-span placeholder in optional square brackets.