Sources & Standards

How claims are supported, how uncertainty is labeled, and what kinds of sources are preferred.

Methodology Page Sources & Standards

Ocean Liner Curator uses an evidence-first approach. This page explains how claims are supported, how uncertainty is labeled, and what kinds of sources are preferred—followed by a curated bibliography of institutional holdings and scholarly works used across the site.

For a broader overview beyond artifacts, see Ocean Liner Research: Sources, Methods, and Evidence.

Standards (How Evidence Is Weighed)

Not all sources are equal. Ocean Liner Curator prioritizes primary documentation and professional custodianship (archives, museums, official registers). Secondary works are used when they transparently cite primary material or show consistent technical reliability. Market descriptions and collector lore are treated as context—not proof.

Evidence tiers used on this site

Primary Plans, shipyard records, official registers, contemporary documents, period photographs, company papers, inquiry reports.
Secondary Scholarly books, museum publications, technical histories, peer-reviewed or professionally edited work that cites sources.
Tertiary Collector references, auction catalogs, databases, enthusiast compilations—useful, but cross-checked and never treated as sole proof.

Claim Scaling (How Strong Conclusions Are Allowed to Be)

Conclusions are stated in proportion to the supporting record. When documentation is thin, the site prefers bounded language (e.g., “consistent with,” “probable,” “cannot be confirmed”) and makes “unknown” a valid, responsible endpoint.

How uncertainty is labeled

Documented Supported by primary/official sources.
Well-supported Multiple strong secondary sources agree, citing primary material.
Probable Evidence points one way, but a confirming document is missing.
Possible Plausible, but competing explanations exist.
Unknown Evidence is insufficient to choose responsibly.

Citation Standards (What Gets Cited)

Factual assertions (dates, dimensions, ownership, design features, route chronology) should be traceable to primary or reputable secondary sources. Interpretive commentary is separated from documentary claims. When a source is popular but weakly sourced, it may still be referenced—but only with cross-checking and restraint.

General encyclopedic resources (including collaboratively edited platforms) are not treated as primary or secondary authorities. Where such resources are consulted for orientation, underlying references are traced and evaluated directly.

Use of AI-assisted tools

This project makes limited use of AI-assisted tools to support research organization, drafting, and cross-referencing. These tools function as assistants, not authorities. All content is reviewed by a human editor, and factual claims are evaluated against primary or reputable secondary sources. AI-assisted outputs do not replace archival research or curatorial judgment, and uncertainty is stated explicitly where evidence is incomplete.

The links on this page are intentionally institution- and scholarship-oriented. If you're looking for hobby and general-interest resources, see External References.

Museums & Archives institutional

Custodians of primary material (plans, photographs, company papers, artifacts) and professional interpretation.

Shipbuilders & Corporate Records primary

When available, shipyard and line records provide foundational evidence for specifications and design intent.

Registers & Official Documentation reference

Used for verification and cross-checking (ownership, tonnage, dimensions, chronology, and official inquiries).

Ship-History Databases & Technical Reference Sites secondary / tertiary

These resources are used as high-utility research tools—especially for builder data, chronology scaffolding, and cross-checking names, yard numbers, and careers. They are treated as reference layers, not final authority, and are best used alongside registers, archival holdings, and published technical works.

Note: When sources disagree, priority goes to primary documentation (registers, plans, inquiry reports, archival records), then to professionally edited technical histories that clearly cite their underlying evidence.

Period Newspapers & Digitized Primary Print primary-adjacent

Used for contemporaneous reporting (launch coverage, arrivals, refits, groundings, collisions, wrecks), public notices, and period language. Best practice is to cite the specific issue/date and cross-check technical claims against registers and plans.

Naval Architecture & Technical Journals technical

Used for machinery, structural changes, and “why this design” questions. These sources can resolve conflicting specifications by anchoring claims in engineering-era documentation.

Peer-Reviewed Maritime History Journals peer-reviewed

Used when a ship guide needs industrial, economic, labor, or policy context—especially where popular narratives oversimplify. These help keep interpretation disciplined and well-sourced.

Classification Societies verification

Used for cross-checking specifications, surveys, and late-career technical continuity—especially postwar ships and refitted vessels where secondary summaries often diverge.

Passenger Lists & Immigration Records service chronology

Used to verify sailings and route patterns when secondary sources disagree. These are strongest when treated as documentation of a specific voyage rather than a complete career summary.

Photographic & Film Archives visual documentation

Used for configuration and refit verification (deck furniture, boat arrangement, bridge shape, funnels, ventilators), and for anchoring “what it looked like when” with dated holdings.

Access note: Some databases and journal archives require subscriptions or institutional access. Where paywalled, citations should still specify the publication, issue/date, and any stable identifier available.

Scholarly & Curatorial Works selected

The following authors are relied upon for documented research, technical accuracy, and transparent engagement with primary sources. Inclusion reflects sustained reference value rather than narrative popularity.

Artifact & Material Culture objects

Used for provenance context and object-based interpretation. Market descriptions alone are not treated as historical proof.

Home About