An answer that appears in an opinion, a decision or a statement of defence must include three elements: the source, the scope and the nature of the match. This page explains how to phrase a question so that the answer contains all three of these elements.
Name the administrative level
"What has been decided regarding wind turbines?" is a question that cannot be answered. A local council, the Tweede Kamer and a minister all make decisions, and the sources behind them differ. Specify the level, or name the organisation.
Enquiry regarding the location
Ask the assistant to state the reference for each document mentioned: the document reference at the source organisation, the parliamentary document number, the publication reference or the ECLI. Without that reference, it is not possible to trace the document back to the register; see Bronvermelding.
Ask for clarification if the answer is negative
If the assistant reports that nothing was found, the next question is: which sources were searched, was the total number exact, and were there any results outside the search window? This information is included in the tool’s response; see Zoekprecisie.
The difference in wording is legally decisive:
| Unusable | Useful |
|---|---|
| No decision has been taken on this matter. | In the documents from these 331 sources that were searched, this topic does not appear in the period from 2020 to 2026. |
| The court did not rule on this matter. | No information on this matter was found in the published rulings; three-quarters of the registered rulings have not been published. |
Distinguishing between ‘find’ and ‘confirm’
A result on OpenTK or Open Archivaris is a location and not proof. Ask the assistant to verify the finding with the official register, Tweede Kamer or Officiële Bekendmakingen, before including it in a document.
Check for yourself
The assistant summarises, and a summary may differ from the original text. Open the document referred to before copying a passage. That is why each result is identified by a tag and not just a title.