An Evidence Source Model for Clinical and Forensic Practice

From calls for evidence-based practice to the standards in the Federal Rules of Evidence (2018), systems clamor for professional decisions to be supported by evidence. What is evidence? Does it differ from data? Importantly, what is available to a practitioner to determine the sources of evidence s/he could consider in an analysis? Not only are operational definitions explored in this article, but also the Yin (2008, 2011, 2013, 2017) Evidence Source Model (ESM) as classified into two domains by Barros-Bailey (2011) is introduced as a valuable instrument in any assessment. Each source in the model is detailed with examples, and an application tool is provided to illustrate how the model can be used to summarize evidence in an individualized assessment.