Sources & Methodology

USDTWD.ai publishes source-labelled graphics, not orphaned pictures. The purpose of this page is to explain how a visual should earn trust: by carrying a source trail, clear units, useful caveats, and enough methodology for a reader to understand what is being compared.

The site is designed for fast reading, but the operating standard is slower and more careful: each production graphic should be traceable, reusable and correctable.

Source hierarchy

We prefer primary and official sources whenever practical. For Taiwan and USD/TWD graphics, that usually means Taiwan statistical agencies, the central bank, exchange operators, regulators, ministries, official budget or population publications, company filings, and original dataset providers.

International reference sources, specialist data publishers, research institutions and reputable market datasets may be used when they are the clearest public reference for a particular value, comparison or historical series.

What a production graphic should carry

• Source name: the institution, dataset provider, publication, table or release behind the figure.
• Source link: a working URL where practical, preferably to the dataset or publication rather than a generic homepage.
• Units: for example current US dollars, NT dollars, percentage, index, ratio, count, rank, monthly wage or annual income.
• Period: the year, quarter, month, date range or latest available estimate used by the graphic.
• Geography: whether the figure refers to Taiwan, Taipei, a county/city, a global comparison, a trading pair or another defined scope.
• Methodology: a plain-language explanation when a percentage change, ratio, index, rank or derived comparison is shown.
• Caveat: notes for estimates, revisions, rounded values, changed definitions, mixed sources or incomplete coverage.

Verification labels

Verified means the value has been checked against the cited source or a reliable source record. Source-labelled means the graphic names the source and gives enough context for normal editorial reuse, while still expecting high-stakes users to check the original dataset. Needs review, draft, demo and unverified material is not intended as a final production reference.

Derived values

Many useful graphics are not raw source tables. They may calculate percentage changes, ratios, rates, indexes or before-and-after comparisons. When that happens, the page should state the calculation. A standard percentage change is calculated as the later value minus the earlier value, divided by the earlier value, multiplied by 100.

Rounding

Graphics often round values to make the visual readable. Rounding can make a recalculation differ slightly from a source-table calculation using full precision. When precision matters, use the source dataset directly.

Estimates, revisions and moving targets

Macro, market, population, health, public-finance and technology data can change. A latest-year value may be an estimate. A source may revise a historical series. If a source materially changes a value, USDTWD.ai may update the page, replace the graphic, add a correction note, or keep the old visual with a clearer caveat.

Mixed-source graphics

Some graphics combine more than one dataset. A house-price graphic, for example, may pair housing affordability figures with wage data. A stock-market graphic may use exchange data and central-bank household-wealth data. Mixed-source graphics should make that visible rather than hiding multiple sources inside one vague label.

Broken links and unavailable sources

Source pages move. Databases are redesigned. Government portals retire old URLs. A broken source link does not automatically mean a value is wrong, but it does weaken the audit trail. Please report broken or generic source links through the Contact page.

Correction policy

If you find a wrong value, weak source, broken link, unclear caveat, bad category or misleading title, send the graphic URL and the better source through the Contact page. Corrections may result in a page update, a new graphic, a note, a redirect, or removal from public listings until the issue is resolved.

Editorial boundaries

USDTWD.ai graphics are informational summaries. They are not financial, investment, trading, legal, tax, medical or policy advice. Use them as visual references, then check the original source and qualified professional advice for high-stakes decisions.