# Online Course Claim-Check Worksheet

Use with [Choosing an Online Course: The Claims Worth Verifying Before You Pay](/articles/choose-online-course-claims-to-verify).

## Course being considered: __________

## Claim 1: Accreditation

- Accrediting body named on the course page: __________
- Checked directly on that body's own public registry? (Y/N): __________
- Result: __________

## Claim 2: Refund policy

- Actual refund window (from the terms page, not the headline): __________
- Conditions or exclusions: __________
- Date I checked this policy: __________

## Claim 3: Instructor credentials

- Instructor name and claimed background: __________
- Independent source checked (LinkedIn / employer page / faculty directory): __________
- Matches the course page's description? (Y/N, notes): __________

## Claim 4: Outcome statistics

- Stated statistic: __________
- Methodology disclosed? (Y/N): __________
- Provider's response when asked directly about methodology: __________

## Red flags to weigh before paying

- [ ] Accreditation claimed from a body that does not list this specific program
- [ ] Refund policy materially narrower than the marketing headline implied
- [ ] Instructor credentials could not be independently confirmed
- [ ] Outcome statistic has no disclosed methodology and the provider would not explain it when asked

## Reminder

Do not trust an AI tool's unverified opinion on whether a specific course is legitimate. Use AI only to
extract and organize the claims — verify each one against its own primary source.