docs/3-USER-GUIDE/citations.md
Citations connect AI responses to your source materials. This guide covers how to use and verify them.
Every AI-generated response in Open Notebook includes citations to your sources. This lets you:
AI Response:
"The study found a 95% accuracy rate [1] using the proposed method."
[1] = Click to see source
What happens when you click:
→ Opens the source document
→ Highlights the relevant section
→ You can verify the claim
If a response lacks citations, ask:
"Please cite the specific page or section for that claim."
"Where in the document does it say that?"
"Can you quote the exact text?"
When AI references your sources, citations are generated automatically:
1. AI analyzes your question
2. Retrieves relevant source chunks
3. Generates response with inline citations
4. Links citations to original source locations
Inline format:
"The researchers concluded X [1] and Y [2]."
Reference list:
[1] Paper Title - Section 3.2
[2] Report Name - Page 15
Clickable: Each [number] links to the source
Step 1: Read AI response
"The model achieved 95% accuracy [1]"
Step 2: Click citation [1]
→ Opens source document
→ Shows relevant passage
Step 3: Verify the claim
Does source actually say 95%?
Is context correct?
Any nuance missed?
Step 4: Trust or correct
✓ Accurate → Use the insight
✗ Wrong → Ask AI to correct
| Check | Why |
|---|---|
| Exact numbers | AI sometimes rounds or misremembers |
| Context | Quote might mean something different in context |
| Attribution | Is this the source's claim or someone they cited? |
| Completeness | Did AI miss important caveats? |
Context: Sources you selected
Citations: Reference chunks used in response
Verification: Click to see original text
Save: Citations preserved when saving as note
Context: Auto-searched across all sources
Citations: Multiple sources synthesized
Verification: Each source linked separately
Quality: Often more comprehensive than Chat
Context: Single source being transformed
Citations: Points back to original document
Verification: Compare output to source
Use: When you need structured extraction
When you save an AI response as a note, citations are preserved:
Original response:
"According to the paper [1], the method works by..."
Saved note includes:
- The text
- The citation link
- Reference to source document
Citations work in exports:
| Format | Citation Behavior |
|---|---|
| Markdown | Links preserved as [text](link) |
| Copy/Paste | Plain text with reference numbers |
| Clickable references (if supported) |
Be specific in questions:
Poor: "What does it say about X?"
Good: "What does page 15 say about X? Please quote directly."
Request citation format:
"Include page numbers for each claim."
"Cite specific sections, not just document names."
Use Full Content context:
Summary Only → Less precise citations
Full Content → Exact quotes possible
| Situation | Cause | Solution |
|---|---|---|
| No citations | AI used general knowledge | Ask: "Base your answer only on my sources" |
| Vague citations | Source not in Full Content | Change context level |
| Wrong citations | AI confused sources | Ask to verify with quotes |
Problem: AI says X, but source says Y
What happened:
- AI paraphrased incorrectly
- AI combined multiple sources confusingly
- Source was taken out of context
Solution:
1. Click citation to see original
2. Note the discrepancy
3. Ask AI: "The source says Y, not X. Please correct."
Problem: Citation link doesn't show relevant text
What happened:
- Source was chunked differently than expected
- Information spread across multiple sections
- Processing missed some content
Solution:
1. Search within source for key terms
2. Ask AI for more specific location
3. Re-process source if needed
Problem: AI response has no source references
What happened:
- Sources not in context
- Question asked for opinion/general knowledge
- Model didn't find relevant content
Solution:
1. Check context settings
2. Rephrase: "Based on my sources, what..."
3. Add more relevant sources
Citations = Your verification system
How to use:
1. Read AI response
2. Note citation markers [1], [2], etc.
3. Click to see original source
4. Verify claim matches source
5. Trust verified insights
When citations fail:
- Ask for specific quotes
- Change to Full Content
- Request page numbers
- Verify manually
Why it matters:
- AI can hallucinate
- Context can change meaning
- Trust requires verification
- Good research needs sources
Citations aren't just references — they're your quality control. Use them to build research you can trust.