Source traceability

The practical distinction

Traceability lets a reviewer connect each material claim to its evidence and observation date. Traceability is a chain from a material claim to the exact passage, document version, authority, and observation date. A bibliography or plausible link does not establish that chain.

Worked example

A policy answer cites section 4.2 of the version effective 1 July, quotes the supporting passage in the review view, and records when it was retrieved. A link to the policy homepage is insufficient.

Apply it

Reject citations that merely look relevant but do not support the claim.

1. Assign stable source and passage identifiers during retrieval or context assembly.
2. Attach each material output claim to the supporting identifier and relevant date.
3. Have the reviewer open the passage and assess authority, relevance, currency, and entailment.

Evidence to collect

• Detect citations that are real but irrelevant to the attributed claim.
• Reject missing passages, superseded versions, and sources outside the required freshness window.
• Measure claim coverage separately from citation formatting accuracy.

Common mistake

Treating a list of sources at the end of an answer as proof that every material statement is supported.

Scope limit

This guidance on source traceability helps define a task and its review evidence. It does not certify a model, source, reviewer, environment, legal position, or residual-risk level.