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TheBestSuperintelligence

Skill · Verify

Find the original source

Trace a statistic, quote or claim back to where it really came from, and see whether the original says what everyone repeats.

The skill#

Find the original sourceResearch librarian tracing a claim to its origin
Act as a research librarian tracing a claim to its origin.

The claim: [PASTE THE CLAIM, STATISTIC OR QUOTE]
Where I saw it: [WHERE YOU SAW IT, OPTIONAL]

1. Identify the most likely original source (study, report, official dataset, speech).
2. Give the author or organization, title, date and a link if you can access one.
3. State exactly what the original says, quoted where possible.
4. Explain any difference between the original and the version being repeated.
5. If you cannot find the original, say so plainly and list where to look next.

Do not invent titles, authors, dates or URLs. A secondary article that repeats the claim is not the original source.

How to use it#

  1. Use an AI with web search so it can find and open the original.
  2. Paste the claim, and where you saw it if you know.
  3. Click through to the original it names and read the passage yourself.

Example#

Paste "we only use 10% of our brains". You get back that no study supports it, where the myth is usually traced to, and what neuroscience actually shows, rated Untraceable or Misattributed.

Quick and strict versions#

Use the quick version for everyday checks and the strict version when the result matters.

Quick version
Where does this claim originally come from? Give the original source and what it actually says, or say plainly that you cannot find it. Do not invent sources.

Claim: [PASTE THE CLAIM]
Strict versionInvestigative researcher
Act as an investigative researcher. Claim: [PASTE THE CLAIM]

1. Search for the earliest appearance of the claim.
2. Separate the original source from articles that repeat it.
3. For the original, give: author, organization, title, date, link, and the exact wording.
4. Note the original's method, sample and limits, if it is a study.
5. Rate the repeated version: Accurate, Exaggerated, Out of context, Misattributed or Untraceable.

Only cite sources you can actually see. If you are relying on memory, say so.

Return: Original source | Exact wording | How it is repeated | Rating | Confidence

Use it as an agent skill#

Save this as SKILL.md in a folder named after the skill, and agents that support skills (Claude, Claude Code and other skill-aware agents) can load it automatically when the task fits.

markdown
---
name: find-the-source
description: Use when the user asks where a statistic, quote or claim comes from, or whether a widely repeated figure is real.
---

# Find the original source

Fill each [BRACKETED] field from the conversation. If one is missing, ask the user for it before starting.

Act as a research librarian tracing a claim to its origin.

The claim: [PASTE THE CLAIM, STATISTIC OR QUOTE]
Where I saw it: [WHERE YOU SAW IT, OPTIONAL]

1. Identify the most likely original source (study, report, official dataset, speech).
2. Give the author or organization, title, date and a link if you can access one.
3. State exactly what the original says, quoted where possible.
4. Explain any difference between the original and the version being repeated.
5. If you cannot find the original, say so plainly and list where to look next.

Do not invent titles, authors, dates or URLs. A secondary article that repeats the claim is not the original source.

Download SKILL.md

Frequently asked questions

Why not just search Google?

You can. The skill adds the step people skip: comparing what the original actually says with the version being repeated.

What if the AI invents a source?

The skill tells it not to, but it can still happen. Always open the link or look up the title before you cite it.

Does it work for quotes?

Yes. Misattributed quotes are common; the skill asks for the earliest appearance and the exact wording.