Research and sources
Make uncertainty visible in a research summary
A summary reads as certain unless you mark otherwise. For each claim, record what supports it, what cuts against it and what is still unknown, then state the confidence in plain words. A reader can then see which statements to rely on and which to treat as open.
A text to start with
My research question is [question]. Here are my main claims with their sources: [claims and sources]. For each claim, help me label it supported, disputed or unknown. Note the type of evidence, any counterevidence I found or should look for, what remains uncertain and one next check. Explain the reasoning behind each label.
Example request. Change the details to fit your situation.Claim confidence table
Claim: [ ] Source and location: [ ] Type of evidence (measurement, opinion, summary, unsourced): [ ] Independent origins behind it: [ ] Counterevidence found: [ ] Counterevidence still to search for: [ ] What is unknown: [ ] Label (supported / disputed / unknown): [ ] Reason for label: [ ] Next check and date: [ ] Plain-language wording for the summary: [ ]
Confidence that comes from repetition
Check whether apparently separate sources trace back to the same origin. Describe the evidence behind each claim, including direct observations, interpretations and missing support. Record whether you looked for contradictory evidence and where; an empty field does not show that check happened. Give each supported claim a source location and preserve important qualifications. Distinguish an unresolved claim from one you have not yet investigated, and mark claims known only from summaries for a source check.
Ask another agent to check the result
Challenge any confidence label that rests only on how many websites repeat a claim. Check whether those pages share one origin, whether counterevidence was searched for, and whether each supported claim names a source and location. List labels I should downgrade.
Turn the table into plain statements
Rewrite each claim in your summary using its label, for example "supported by two independent studies" or "disputed between these sources." Run the listed next check for the claims that matter most to your decision. Update the labels after each check and note the date. Share the table with the summary so readers can see the basis.