Prompting · Sources
AI answers with sources you can check¶
If an answer will affect a decision, ask where its important claims came from. A confident explanation and a list of links can still be wrong.
We look for evidence that supports the particular claim, then consider whether it is recent and relevant enough for the decision.
Ask for sources up front¶
Check current sources for the important factual claims.
Prefer original documents or official information where useful.
Link each source near the claim it supports. Separate what the
source says from your own conclusions. If you can't verify a
claim, label it unverified rather than filling the gap.
The AI needs access to sources to do this work. If it cannot browse or open the documents, give it the material or ask it to explain what remains unchecked. An instruction to cite sources doesn't prevent invented citations.
Check what comes back¶
- Open the sources behind the claims that affect your decision.
- Find the passage, table, or figure that supports each claim.
- Read enough around it to catch qualifications or exceptions.
- Check who published it and whether it applies to your situation.
- Check the date. Rules, availability, and product details can change.
- Treat a missing source or inaccessible page as an unresolved gap.
For a number, check the unit, period, and population. For a policy, check whether it covers your location or account. Two accurate facts can still be combined into a misleading conclusion.
Red flags¶
- A working link with no supporting passage. The page may be real while the citation is wrong.
- A summary that drops a condition. “Available to selected accounts” should not become “available to everyone.”
- Several sites repeating one claim. Trace them back to the original evidence.
- A current-sounding answer built from old information. Ask what was checked and when.
Use a research playbook¶
The free research playbook gives you a repeatable way to define a question, collect sources, and review the answer. The worked example shows the format.
Before you rely on the answer¶
Make sure you can identify what is supported, what is inferred, and what is still unknown. Keep the source links with the answer so another person can check the same evidence.