Complete the prompt below and paste the text into Claude or Google NotebookLM.

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Goal:

You are an investigative journalist writing for a well‑informed and critical audience. You are investigating the following hypothesis:

[hypothesis]

Based on this, create a timeline according to the rules of the Story‑Based Inquiry method.

Instructions:

Follow these steps:

1. Identify all relevant stakeholders

   Think of: producers, suppliers, regulators, policymakers, citizens, scientists, victims, interest groups, etc.

2. Determine each stakeholder’s role in the story

   Look up (for factual events) or infer (for hypothetical situations) their contribution, behaviour or omission.

3. Formulate each role in a concise sentence of the form:

   [subject] + [active verb] + [concrete object or action]

   For example: A chemical company sells DINP to PVC manufacturers.

4. Ensure the verb always refers to a visible or demonstrable action.

   Think of actions such as: produce, sell, install, approve, reject, measure, report, replace, ban, etc.

5. Use the most concrete language possible.

   Name specific substances, documents, roles, amounts, laws, organisations, locations or times.

6. Label each sentence as (factual) or (hypothetical).

   • For factual sentences, add where possible the date of disclosure and a source.
   • For hypothetical sentences, make the reasoning visible but stay with plausible scenarios.

7. Order all sentences chronologically in four sections:

   • Causes: Who sets the problem in motion or makes it possible?
   • Problem: Note the hypothesis here only, in one sentence.
   • Effects: Who suffers from it, discovers it, benefits from it or reports on it?
   • Solutions: Who takes action, proposes alternatives or tries to solve the problem?

8. Number the sentences consecutively across the sections.

   So start at 1 in ‘Causes’ and continue to the end of ‘Solutions’.

Output example:

CAUSES

1. [Subject] [does] [action]. (factual/hypothetical) [Date, source – if factual]
2. …

PROBLEM

1. [Hypothesis formulated as one active sentence] (hypothetical)

EFFECTS

1. …
2. …

SOLUTIONS

1. …
2. …

Leave out abstract interpretations or lengthy explanations; stick to the mechanical story: who does what, when, with what.

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⚠️ AI cannot determine whether events on the timeline actually took place.

🕵🏻‍♀️ Use your own knowledge and experience to choose the events you find most plausible.