A focused research exercise
Search for a figure published by an organisation, open the citation and find the original table. Check units, period and media repetitions that might obscure the primary document.
AI assistant or interface
Perplexity
Conversational web research with synthetic answers, visible citations and source exploration.
Service publisher : Perplexity AI
What the documentation explains
The overview describes conversational search with citations and multiple possible models. References make checking easier, but their quality and relevance require separate assessment.
Perplexity · What is Perplexity?
Documentation consultation :
Readable reference
This consultation covers public documentation, not a service trial with an account. Features, modes and access conditions evolve; check those displayed when you conduct your research.
The decisive check
Read cited pages: a link does not ensure a faithful summary or a reliable source.
Observe and distinguish the results
- Define the object, period, country and need for a primary source. Record the model or bot, mode and files or connectors used.
- Identify searches actually performed, documents analysed and links associated with each claim. Open the pages rather than judging the answer by its wording.
- Retain discrepancies: inaccessible source, contradictory passage, missing date or unsupported detail. Check the fact with its original issuer.
What to retain
- Exact query or prompt; date, time and time zone.
- Service, mode, model or bot if indicated; language, region and settings.
- Final source URL; title, author, date and relevant passage.
- Claim checked; supporting evidence, contradiction or lack of evidence.
- Accessible scope and files; conditions needed to repeat the observation.
Method questions
Are two agreeing services two pieces of evidence?
Not when they trace back to the same document or reuse the same data. Count independent issuers and evidence, and retain the provenance chain.
Does a citation validate a fact?
The inspected passage must support the precise claim with the correct object, date and scope. A related page or topic mention is insufficient.
How can platforms be compared fairly?
Use the same question, recorded settings and several dated observations. Assess discovery, accuracy, provenance and usefulness separately; one example cannot rank a service.