A source link should support the claim beside it. A recognizable publication name or company homepage is not enough when the claim is more specific than the evidence.
Good sourcing makes the answer easier to verify and helps the writer notice where confidence exceeds what is known.
Classify the claim
Separate product facts, reported results, general explanations, personal experience, and editorial recommendations. Each requires a different kind of support.
A product capability should point to current product information. A benchmark needs a method and sample. Personal experience must actually be the author’s experience. A recommendation should explain its reasoning and conditions rather than masquerade as a measured fact.
Preserve the scope
If a study covers one market, time period, or customer type, keep that limitation attached to the result. Do not convert a small sample into an industry-wide statement.
For a hypothetical experiment involving twenty enquiries, the observed outcome may be worth discussing. It does not establish what every startup should expect from the channel.
Place evidence where it is useful
Link near the supported statement and use descriptive anchor text. Readers should understand why the destination matters. A long list of sources at the bottom does not automatically establish which claim each one supports.
If the source is another summary, follow the trail to the original evidence when possible. Preserve quotes accurately and use them sparingly.
Label assumptions
Worked examples are valuable when the inputs are explicit. Mark them as hypothetical or illustrative and explain which costs or conditions are excluded. A calculation can be mathematically correct while still representing only part of the business decision.
Check personal attribution
Writing in a founder’s voice does not authorize inventing their memories, tests, or customer outcomes. Use supplied facts and documented examples. Separate an editorial view from a claimed recollection.
Review before publishing
Ask whether a skeptical reader could verify the important factual statements and understand the basis of the recommendation. Remove unsupported precision and repair weak citations.
The comparison-writing guide applies this discipline to product decisions. Clear sourcing is part of useful writing, not an extra layer added after the argument is finished.
Co-founder and CEO of Stackmatix, startup advisor, and former Head of Sales at MightyHive. Connect with Matt on LinkedIn ↗ · More about Matt →