Mark Claims, Assumptions, and Citations

Work through the explanation, apply it to the example, and complete the quick check before continuing.

Not every sentence needs the same check

Begin by marking the parts that can change a decision or mislead a reader.

Use four labels:

• S - Supported: the supplied evidence directly supports the claim.
• V - Verify: the claim is material but support has not yet been confirmed.
• A - Assumption: the output filled a gap or interpreted beyond the evidence.
• O - Opinion or option: a suggestion or judgement that should be labelled as such.

These labels are a review aid, not universal academic notation.

What counts as a claim?

Claims include more than numbers.

• The programme starts on 3 May.
• This option is cheaper.
• Customers prefer email.
• The delay was caused by poor planning.
• The policy requires manager approval.
• This method is safe.

Each statement says something that could be true, false, incomplete, or limited to a context.

Hidden assumptions

An assumption may appear as a missing step.

Example:

Attendance fell after the timetable changed, so the new timetable caused the fall.

The timing is evidence of sequence, not proof of cause. Other changes may have happened.

Another example:

The source mentions an online option, so every learner can access it.

Availability of an online option does not prove accessible design, internet access, device access, or suitability for every learner.

Check citations in three stages

For a cited source, ask:

1. Existence: Does the source actually exist at the stated location?
2. Match: Does it contain the claimed information?
3. Fit: Is it authoritative, current enough, and applicable to this audience, date, location, and decision?

A real source can still be used badly. It may discuss another country, an older version, a different population, or a narrower claim.

Quotations need exact checking

Check that quoted words appear in the source, are not changed in meaning, and have enough surrounding context.

Do not trust quotation marks as evidence. A model can generate a plausible quotation that no source contains.

Annotated example

Output:

The centre’s report shows that attendance rose by 20 percent [V]. This proves the new reminder system caused the improvement [A]. The system should therefore be used for every programme [O/A].

Review questions:

• Does the report contain the 20 percent figure, and was it calculated correctly?
• Does the report establish causation or only a change over time?
• Do other programmes have the same audience, process, and risks?
• Who has authority to decide wider use?

Remember

• Mark material claims before checking them.
• Look for assumptions about causes, people, scope, and missing values.
• Verify citation existence, claim match, and contextual fit.
• Quotation marks do not prove a quotation is real.

Next, we will carry out independent verification.