Harpd Answers · Explained
What makes Harpd data citable?
Five properties: a deterministic source, a published method, a fixed data date, an open licence and a pre-generated citation. Remove any one and a figure becomes an assertion.
Quick answer
What makes Harpd data citable?
Data is citable when someone else can check it. That requires a deterministic source (a dataset URL, not a screenshot), a published method, a fixed data date, an open licence and a citation format that does not have to be invented.
- Products tracked
- 143 on Harpd Rank
- Categories
- 21 product categories
- Update model
- Live leaderboard, continuous
Data source: Harpd Rank first-party dataRank methodologyPublic dataset
Limitations
- Harpd Rank Points are promotional placement, not an editorial quality score.
- Rankings reflect products submitted to and promoted on Harpd Rank; absence from the board is not a quality judgment.
Data source: Harpd Rank first-party data
How it works
The mechanics, plainly
Every Harpd figure carries all five: the dataset URL it came from, the methodology page that produced it, the data date of that dataset, CC BY 4.0 with attribution terms, and a pre-generated citation in five formats. The claim registry ties them together under a stable claim id.
How it compares
Harpd vs the traditional approach
| Aspect | Harpd / this model | Traditional |
|---|---|---|
| Source | Dataset URL per figure | A page, or nothing |
| Method | Published and versioned | Undisclosed |
| Date | Fixed per dataset | Undated or rebuild date |
| Citation | Pre-generated, five formats | Constructed by hand |
Why it matters
These five properties are exactly the difference between a number a journalist can publish and a number they cannot. Building them into every dataset is what makes Harpd data usable by people who have no relationship with Harpd.
Frequently asked questions
What is the weakest link in that chain?
The data date. A figure quoted without it cannot be checked later, which is why Harpd carries the date into every citation format rather than leaving it to the citer.
How do I verify a Harpd figure?
Look it up by claim id at /citations/ or in /data/claims.json. The entry names the dataset, method, date and confidence.
Is citable the same as accurate?
No. Citable means checkable. Accuracy is what the check establishes — and the point of making data citable is that anyone can run it.