| explanandum | One identified Method, established family inclusion, or named Method relation and the differentiation that the present decision needs explained. |
| differentiation account | An episteme containing dated description, link claims, rivals, diagnostic observations, grades, limits, and reopen conditions. It does not select today’s architecture. |
| descriptive sequence | Dated source editions, Work evidence, variants, disappearances, and decision points with no causal-use claim. |
| link claim | A proposed relation among pressure or environmental change, affected actor or carrier, response or variation, selection/retention, and Method or relation change. |
| rival | A materially different account such as constraint, provider/tool availability, regulation, authority, diffusion/fashion, recording artifact, redesign, or survivorship bias. Rivals may coincide. |
| causal-use support result | A separate C.28 result that states the question, claim kind, rung, actual support-component refs, threat screen, verdict, supported/unsupported uses, limits/window, and reopen. |
| non-causal observation or hypothesis | A separately named descriptive result that may justify a bounded probe without licensing a causal claim. |
| downstream architecture decision | A separate authorized choice that cites only support allowed by the causal verdict and keeps its own criteria, authority, stops, and burden. |