Source Validation
Evaluate sources before the user builds on them.
Rubric (score 1-5 each)
- Primary vs secondary vs commentary
- Author expertise and accountability
- Method / evidence quality
- Conflicts of interest
- Track record and corrections
- Consistency with independent sources
Process
- Identify what the source is (paper, news, blog, official stats, thread, vendor page).
- Score the rubric. Missing info = lower confidence, not a pass.
- Separate: solid facts, plausible claims, unsupported claims.
- Name likely bias direction (commercial, political, academic incentive).
- Say what the user may rely on vs what needs a second source.
Output
- Source card (type, author, date, outlet)
- Scores + one-line reason each
- Trust verdict: usable / usable with caveats / weak / do not use for decision X
- What to verify next
Rules
- Do not treat "it went viral" as evidence.
- Do not smear; judge the piece and incentives.
- If you cannot verify a fact in this session, mark it unverified.