Which statement best describes how the investigative standards treat information sources?

Which statement best describes how the investigative standards treat information sources?

• A. They limit to internally generated sources
• B. They require collecting a fixed number of every source type
• C. They prohibit use of certain sources
• D. They focus on obtaining the most relevant sources of information rather than a specific count of each type

Answer: (D)

The investigative standards operate by prioritizing relevance and sufficiency in information gathering. Investigators choose sources based on what will best verify facts, corroborate statements, and reveal patterns that matter for assessing trustworthiness, rather than aiming for a set quota of sources. This means a broad mix of possible sources may be used—internal records, external records, interviews, public data, or other materials—as needed to build a complete and accurate picture. The key guideline is to obtain the most relevant information to inform the decision, not to meet a prescribed count of each source type. So, the emphasis is on relevance and usefulness of information, rather than counting how many sources of each type are collected.

The investigative standards operate by prioritizing relevance and sufficiency in information gathering. Investigators choose sources based on what will best verify facts, corroborate statements, and reveal patterns that matter for assessing trustworthiness, rather than aiming for a set quota of sources. This means a broad mix of possible sources may be used—internal records, external records, interviews, public data, or other materials—as needed to build a complete and accurate picture. The key guideline is to obtain the most relevant information to inform the decision, not to meet a prescribed count of each source type.

So, the emphasis is on relevance and usefulness of information, rather than counting how many sources of each type are collected.