01
One-sentence definition
Show readers and systems what a statement is based on.
02
What problem it addresses
Sources improve reviewability and help teams separate facts, opinions and speculation.
03
Fit and non-fit
Good fit
- Content containing facts, data, policy or expert judgment
- Publishing that requires multi-person review, long-term updates or external accountability
Not a fit
- Decorative link lists that do not state what each source supports
- Sources that are inaccessible, untraceable or obsolete
04
Prerequisites
Claims that need support are explicit
A clear source-priority strategy
Publication date, access date and scope
05
Inputs and outputs
| Inputs | Outputs |
|---|---|
| Content claim and fact list | Claim-level citations and source notes |
| Original, official and supplementary sources | Evidence grades and conflict records |
| What each source supports and its limits | Broken-link and review tasks |
06
Standard steps
Source registries
Article footnotes and further reading
Editorial review logs
07
Decision criteria
Prefer original and official sources
Record publication and access dates
State which conclusion each source supports
08
Common failure modes
More links automatically mean greater authority
A secondary repost is equivalent to an original document
09
Metrics
Key-claim coverage
Share of key claims requiring evidence that have source support.
Primary-source ratio
Share of citations from original research, laws or official material.
Source validity
Share of sources still accessible and supporting the current wording.
10
Case anatomy
From end links to claim-level citation
Context
An article listed many references, but reviewers could not tell which source supported each conclusion.
Approach
Key claims were separated, each with a source, grade, support scope and limitation.
Key lesson
Citation creates traceability; it is not about increasing link count.
11
Tools and templates
12
Revision history
Version 2.0
2026-07-15
Upgraded to a deep knowledge unit with fit boundaries, inputs and outputs, metrics, a case and claim-level evidence.
Related terms
Evidence and sources
Princeton University and research collaborators
2023-11-16
Generative Engine Optimization
This source supports: The research framing, experimental methods and visibility discussion behind GEO.
Google Search Central
2026-07-15
Google Search Essentials
This source supports: Crawling, content quality, spam policies and foundational SEO boundaries.