be consistent with yourself

Ms. A, from Egypt, was denied asylum, in part, because she was inconsistent.
-in 2005, she told the police she did not know why the man hit her.
-in 2008, she told the Asylum Officer she did know: "the man hit me because of my ethnic group."

So, ask yourself this question: how many times have I told my story? Who did I tell my story to? What did I say, each time I told my story? Was I consistent, or inconsistent?
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What is a "contemporaneously-created" document?
-it is a document created at the same time as the event. For example, Mr. B was hit on the head in June 2008; he went to the doctor the same day; the doctor wrote a report dated June 2008. The doctor's report is "contemporaneous" with the event.
-if mother writes a letter in September 2010 about the June 2008, it is not contemporaneous. Mother's letter has value; however, not as much value as the document written in 2008.