Good research separates what a source actually says from what you infer. Choose a web research tool for discovering sources or a document assistant for a set of documents you already trust. Define the question before collecting material, then build a brief with a claim-to-source table and visible uncertainty. AI helps organize the evidence; you still verify the evidence.
Follow the workflow
- 1
Define the question and scope
Write one decision you need to make, the date range, and the kind of evidence required. Prefer original documentation, studies or official announcements over summaries.
- 2
Collect and synthesize
Open the original sources yourself. Add only permitted documents to your chosen tool, then use the research prompt to organize findings into supported claims and open questions.
- 3
Audit the brief
Open every cited source and verify that it supports the exact claim. Distinguish quotations from summaries, record publication dates, and label conflicting findings.
Check before you finish
Pick three central claims and trace each one to the relevant passage. If a link is inaccessible or a source is weak, mark the claim unresolved rather than treating the citation as proof.
Common pitfalls
A citation can be real and still fail to support the statement. Search summaries can omit context. For high-stakes decisions, use qualified advice and primary evidence.
