Proof Stacking & E-E-A-T is layer 7 of the Entity Architecture and Governance Framework (EP-9). It requires case studies, real-world data, author credentials and transparent disclosures on the entity page. It is high priority.
What layer 7 covers
Layer 7 covers the evidence that turns an entity from a statement into something a reader can trust. EP-9 requires case studies, real-world data, author credentials and transparent disclosures, placed on the entity page where the claims are made. An entity without proof is only a description of itself.
Google's guidance on helpful content describes quality in terms of experience, expertise, authoritativeness and trustworthiness, and names trust as the most important of the four. Each item in a proof stack supports one or more of them.
What counts as proof
What counts as proof is evidence that someone other than the author could check: a case study with its numbers, a methodology that can be repeated, a credential with an issuing body, a published record with an identifier. Block 5 of the entity page template holds this evidence, including ORCID and DOI citations.
Claims that cannot be checked do not belong in the proof stack, however persuasive they sound. A smaller stack of verifiable items is stronger than a long list of assertions.
What can a new entity show before it has case data?
A new entity can show methodology proof: the published method, its identifier and a procedure someone else could repeat. Checkpoint CHK-EP-10 names methodology proof alongside case data and credentials. Each item can be checked, which is what the layer asks of proof, and case results are added as they accumulate.
Checkpoints for layer 7
The checkpoints for layer 7 audit the entity page for embedded proof and the author profile for a verified Person schema linked to an ORCID record. They are taken from the 15-point EP-9 technical audit checklist and keep their original identifiers, so an audit report can cite each one directly.
| Checklist ID | Audit layer | Mandatory verification requirement | Tool and method |
|---|---|---|---|
| CHK-EP-10 | L7 Proof Stack | Embed case data, methodology proof, and verifiable credentials. | On-Page Audit |
| CHK-EP-11 | L7 Author Bio | Author profile linked to verified Person schema and ORCID record. | E-E-A-T Audit |
Check each proof item for a source a reader could follow. If an item has no source, move it out of the proof stack or add the source.