What does deep background mean in sourcing?

• A. Information can be used with attribution to a named source.
• B. Information can be used with full attribution to a named source.
• C. Information can be used with minimal attribution or none.
• D. Information cannot be used at all.

Answer: (C)

In deep background, you can use the information to inform the story, but you cannot identify the source. The material is incorporated to help readers understand the issue, yet the source remains unnamed or described only in the broadest, non-identifying terms. This level protects the source while still conveying important context, which is why it’s described as information that can be used with minimal attribution or none at all. It’s not about fully naming who said it, and it’s not about forbidding use of the information; it’s about keeping attribution at a minimum to safeguard the source.