Explicitly stating one’s interpretive choices defines honest historiography

Evidence

Finally the historian must be fair and honest in the way he presents his story. That is not to say that he must confine himself to a bare recital of definitely established facts. At many stages in his work the historian must formulate hypotheses and make judgments. The important thing is that he should do so consciously and explicitly, reviewing the evidence for and against his conclusions, examining the various possible interpretations, and stating explicitly what his decision is, and how and why he reached it. — Edward W. Said, Orientalism, 813

Categorization

• DEFINE: Sets out the ideal of explicit, self-aware judgment that the surrounding critique shows Lewis violating.
• SHARE: For someone who writes history or long-form nonfiction — this three-part standard of explicit reasoning is a crisp checklist worth passing along.
• corroborated: 2 independent passages support this claim — Edward W. Said, Orientalism, 813