Submit Evidence

Submission types

Brightfield Research accepts three types of submissions through the evidence pathway: corrections to published research, source evidence that supplements or challenges existing outputs, and category suggestions for new research coverage. Each type is reviewed under different criteria and follows a different process. Read the relevant section before submitting to ensure your submission is complete.

Corrections

A correction submission challenges a specific factual claim in a published Brightfield research output on the basis that the claim is incorrect, outdated, or unsupported by the evidence cited. Corrections are the most actionable submission type — a well-supported correction that meets the applicable evidence standard results in a documented change to the published output and a changelog entry.

What to include in a correction submission

• The specific claim being challenged. Quote the exact text from the published output that you believe is incorrect. Include the URL of the page and, if available, the section heading.
• The evidence that contradicts it. Provide the source of the contradicting evidence, including the source URL, publication date, and the specific passage or data point that supports the correction. The evidence must be publicly accessible or submitted as an attachment.
• The evidence class. Identify which of Brightfield's seven evidence classes the contradicting evidence falls into. Class 1 (direct documentation from the organization) and Class 2 (independent review signals) carry the most weight for most claim types.
• The corrected claim. State what you believe the correct claim is, supported by the evidence you are providing.
• Your disclosed relationship to the subject. See the Disclosure requirement section below.

What happens after a correction is submitted

The editorial desk reviews correction submissions against the published proof standard for the type of claim being challenged. If the submitted evidence meets the applicable standard, the correction is accepted and applied. The relevant published output is updated, a disclosure of the correction is added to the output page, and a changelog entry is recorded. If the submitted evidence does not meet the applicable standard, the submission is acknowledged but not incorporated. In either case, the editorial desk responds to the submitter with the outcome.

Source evidence

A source evidence submission provides documentation, references, or data that supplements existing Brightfield research without necessarily correcting a specific factual error. Source evidence may address evidence gaps identified in a published output, provide additional Class 1 documentation from a covered organization, or supply Class 4 community evidence that adds context to an existing assessment.

What to include in a source evidence submission

• The output or topic the evidence relates to. Identify the published report or the evidence gap the submission addresses.
• The evidence itself. Provide the source URL, publication date, and the specific passage or data relevant to the coverage area.
• The evidence class. Identify which of Brightfield's seven evidence classes the submitted material falls into.
• The relevance to the published output. Explain which section, claim, or evidence gap the submitted material addresses and how it affects the assessment.
• Your disclosed relationship to the subject. See the Disclosure requirement section below.

Source evidence that is accepted by the editorial desk may be incorporated into the next scheduled review of the relevant output. Accepted evidence does not guarantee a change to the published output's conclusions, only that the evidence will be considered in the review cycle.

Category suggestions

A category suggestion proposes a new market segment for Brightfield Research coverage. Category suggestions are reviewed against the four coverage initiation criteria: demonstrable market demand, available public evidence, meaningful evaluation complexity, and a defensible research question. A suggestion that makes a clear case against all four criteria is more likely to be advanced to coverage evaluation.

What to include in a category suggestion

• The category name and definition. What market segment are you proposing? Define it clearly, including what is in scope and what is excluded.
• The evaluation question. What specific, answerable question do you believe Brightfield research should address for this category? Descriptive requests ("cover this category") are less useful than evaluative questions ("which approaches in this category best serve mid-market organizations facing X challenge?").
• Evidence of market demand. What signals indicate that professional decision-makers are actively seeking evaluation guidance in this category? Search volume estimates, community discussion references, procurement frequency data, or analyst coverage are all relevant.
• Evidence of public evidence availability. What public sources of evidence exist that would support structured research? Include examples of the types of documentation, review data, and community discussion available.
• Your disclosed relationship to the suggested category. See the Disclosure requirement section below.

Disclosure requirement

All submissions must include a disclosure of the submitter's relationship to the covered organization or proposed category. This requirement is non-negotiable and applies regardless of whether the submission is a correction, source evidence, or category suggestion.

The disclosure should identify:

• Whether you are employed by, contracted to, or otherwise affiliated with the covered organization or an organization that has a commercial interest in the category.
• Whether you have a financial interest (equity, advisory compensation, referral arrangement) in any organization that would benefit from the submission's acceptance.
• Whether you are submitting on behalf of a public relations, communications, or marketing firm representing a covered organization.
• Whether you have no material relationship to the covered organization or category.

A submission that does not include a relationship disclosure will be returned for completion before review begins. The disclosure requirement exists because relationship context affects how submitted evidence is weighted. Class 6 evidence (submitted evidence from interested parties) is assessed differently from Class 1 through Class 5 evidence, and the weight given depends on the submitter's relationship to the subject.

Disclosed relationships do not automatically disqualify a submission. Evidence from an organization about its own documented capabilities is Class 1 evidence and is treated as such — authoritative for claims about what the organization asserts about itself. The requirement is disclosure, not independence.

Review process and timelines

Acknowledgment: All submissions received at [email protected] are acknowledged within five business days. The acknowledgment confirms receipt and identifies whether the submission is complete or requires additional information.

Initial review: Complete correction submissions are reviewed within fifteen business days of acknowledgment. The initial review assesses whether the submitted evidence meets the applicable proof standard for the challenged claim. Complex submissions that require additional research may take longer; the editorial desk will communicate an expected timeline if the review will exceed fifteen business days.

Source evidence and category suggestions: Source evidence submissions are reviewed in the next applicable review cycle for the relevant output. Category suggestions are reviewed quarterly against the coverage initiation criteria. Timelines for these submission types are longer and less predictable than correction submissions.

Outcome communication: The editorial desk communicates the outcome of all reviewed submissions to the submitter. For accepted corrections, the outcome communication identifies what changed, why, and where the correction is documented. For declined submissions, the outcome communication identifies the basis for the decision.

What submitting does not guarantee

How to submit

All submissions are sent by email to:

Use a clear subject line that identifies the submission type: "Correction submission — [output title]", "Source evidence — [topic]", or "Category suggestion — [category name]". Include all required elements identified in the relevant section above. Attach supporting documents where the source is not publicly accessible online.

Brightfield Research does not maintain a web form for evidence submissions. Email is the designated channel to ensure that submissions are received by the editorial desk and processed through the documented review workflow.