Open the Wikidata item and read the career claim as three layers: the value (the occupation or role), the qualifiers that say when, in what capacity or for how long it applied, and the reference that the value came from. Then note the statement rank. A preferred rank is a way of choosing among multiple values, not evidence of employment, and an expired role should be reported with its end date rather than in the present tense. If any layer is missing, private, mismatched or ambiguous, write down exactly what is missing and stop there.
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Treat one career claim as three separate layers
A Wikidata statement is not just a value attached to a property. Qualifiers add context to that value, such as the role, time period, method or scope in which it applied, and they are kept separate from the references that point to the source of the claim. When you copy a career line into a report, carry the qualifiers with it so that a reader can see the claim in its actual context rather than as a bare job title. [Wikidata: statement qualifiers]
- Record the property and value exactly as shown.
- Copy the time and role qualifiers beside the value, not into a footnote far away.
Read the rank as a selection cue, not evidence
Rank is a separate mechanism that helps readers choose among multiple values for the same property. Normal is the default neutral rank, and a preferred rank can mark a value as more current or more widely agreed than the others. That selection does not replace references and does not independently guarantee that the claim is true. A preferred occupation still needs its qualifiers and evidence read before you rely on it. [Wikidata: statement ranks]
Keep the cited source attached to the claim
The reference layer is where you check whether the value and its qualifiers are supported by a public source you can describe. If the reference is present and public, summarise what it supports, quoting only briefly if needed. If the reference is missing, private, mismatched to the person or ambiguous about the period, that specific limit goes into the report instead of a confident career statement. [Wikidata: statement qualifiers]
Do not carry an expired role into the present tense
A qualifier with an end date tells you the role applied within a bounded period. Write it that way: name the role, give the dates that appear in the qualifiers, and avoid sentences that imply the person holds it now. The same discipline applies to a role with only a start date, which supports a claim about when it began but not a claim that it continues.
| observation | limit | next step |
|---|---|---|
| Role value with start and end qualifiers | Supports a bounded statement only | Report the role with its dates and avoid present tense |
| Preferred rank with no readable reference | Selection, not evidence | Write that the reference is missing and leave the claim unconfirmed |
| Role value with a reference to a public page that does not mention the role | Mismatch between claim and source | Record the mismatch and do not upgrade the claim |
| No role qualifier at all | Capacity or scope is unknown | Say the qualifier is absent rather than filling it in |
Write an attribution note a reader can audit
A short audit note makes the three layers visible without pretending to verify identity. It can name the public item, the property and value, the qualifiers as shown, the rank, and the nature of the reference. This is editorial advice for a worksheet; it is not a description of a platform control, and a reader should check the options shown in their own app version if they want to capture the same fields.
- Property and value as displayed.
- Qualifiers: time, role or scope.
- Rank: normal or preferred.
- Reference: public and matching, or the exact limit.
Stop where the evidence stops
If the reference cannot be inspected without private access, if it describes a different person or period, or if the qualifiers conflict, record the precise limit and end the inference there. Never treat a preferred rank, a matching name or a public profile as proof of identity, current employment or intent. A hypothetical example: a role with a start date in 2015 and an end date in 2019, carrying only a preferred rank and no readable reference, would be reported as a bounded claim of uncertain provenance, not as a current job. [Wikidata: statement ranks]
A couple more questions
Does a preferred rank mean the employment claim has been verified?
No. Rank is a selection cue among multiple values. It does not replace references or guarantee truth, so read the qualifiers and the cited source alongside it.
What should I do if the qualifier has an end date that has passed?
Report the role as bounded by those dates. Do not describe the person as currently holding it, and do not extend the period beyond what the qualifiers show.
What if the reference is missing or points to something I cannot read?
Record that precise limit, keep the claim as unconfirmed, and avoid any inference about current employment or identity. Do not seek private access to fill the gap.
Sources & editorial notes
Official references checked on October 24, 2026. Checklists, comparison tables and example wording are DateClues editorial tools, not official tests or validated risk scores.
General information. No guide or tool can certify a person’s identity, intentions or safety. Read our editorial standards.