Keep evidence, instructions, and inference separate
Prevent a summary from quietly becoming a source of facts.
3 min read
The short version
An AI summary mixes two things: what the documents say, and what it concluded from them. Both can be useful, but only the first can be checked by opening the document. Make the model label which is which, and treat the conclusions as proposals.
Keep what the source says separate from what you conclude. ‘Morgan says the notice arrived late’ reports an account. ‘The notice arrived late’ treats that account as a fact. The second claim needs more support.
What to check
A quote can be checked word for word. An inference can also be tested, but it needs a different check: identify its starting facts and ask whether they justify the conclusion. Other explanations may fit those facts.
Use separate fields for source words, a fair summary, and your proposed inference. Mark gaps and conflicts. A model's label is only a starting point; review the reasoning yourself.
Try it
A letter dated Monday says that a package was sent Friday. Does this prove it arrived Friday?
Check your understanding +
No. It reports sending, not receipt. The letter's date is also different from the date it describes. Look for a receipt record before drawing a conclusion about arrival.
Examples are teaching material. For legal rules, read the current primary text linked below. A revision date does not certify every claim.
Sources and further reading
Linked sources support the technical background identified below. The legal workflows, prompts, and fictional examples are original editorial exercises; they are not claims of endorsement by the linked authors.
