# Documenting With Sources

> Common conventions for writing Markdown documents that cite external sources (survey reports, paper explainers, and any deliverable that surfaces facts from outside). Defines mandatory citation, in-text reference format, quotation-versus-prose separation, the ban on fabricated associations, and the source-list format. Referenced by survey, paper-details, and any skill that produces sourced output.

- **Type:** Skill
- **Install:** `agentstack add skill-mathbullet-skills-documenting-with-sources`
- **Verified:** Yes — security-reviewed for prompt injection and unsafe behavior
- **Seller:** [mathbullet](https://agentstack.voostack.com/s/mathbullet)
- **Installs:** 0
- **Category:** [Content & Media](https://agentstack.voostack.com/c/content-and-media)
- **Latest version:** 0.1.0
- **License:** MIT
- **Upstream author:** [mathbullet](https://github.com/mathbullet)
- **Source:** https://github.com/mathbullet/skills/tree/main/plugins/documenting-with-sources/skills/documenting-with-sources

## Install

```sh
agentstack add skill-mathbullet-skills-documenting-with-sources
```

Requires the [AgentStack CLI](https://agentstack.voostack.com/docs/cli). Works with Claude Code, Cursor, and any MCP-compatible agent.

## About

# Documenting with Sources

Common conventions for writing Markdown documents that pull from outside sources. Apply to any deliverable that surfaces facts taken from elsewhere — survey reports, paper explainers, and similar.

## Cite every factual claim

Every factual claim in the deliverable must carry a citation. A claim with no citation cannot be verified, and is worthless as a documented finding. If a claim cannot be tied to a source, mark it explicitly (e.g. "citation not confirmed"). Do not slip uncited claims in silently.

## Reference format

- In-text references take the shape `[label (YYYY/MM), location]`. How to fill the `label` slot (publication name, author short-form, position-only for the paper under review, etc.) is decided by the calling skill.
- Do not use bare numeric references such as `[1]` or `[2]`. Numbers alone force the reader to bounce between text and source list; readability drops.
- For the formatting of quotation blocks themselves (code-block fencing, original-and-translation pairing, where to place the source reference, anti-patterns), follow the `writing-quotation` skill. Read `writing-quotation` before drafting.

## Quotation vs prose

- Keep quotations and prose (the writer's own summary or interpretation) visually and structurally separate. Even when not quoting, write in a way that prevents the source's claim and the writer's interpretation from blending.
- When quoting a source written in a language other than the writer's working language, place the translation alongside the original inside the same code block (see `writing-quotation`).

## No fabricated associations or interpretations

Do not write interpretations, speculation, or associations that the source itself does not contain.

- Do not invent connections such as "this relates to X", "this could be applied to Y", or "this suggests Z" when the source does not say so.
- Do not import context from the surrounding conversation or the calling project into the body of the document. Descriptions of a source must stay within the source's own content.
- Good: "Main criticism: even with flipped labels, accuracy does not always drop, and the text-gradient is mathematically distinct from classical gradient descent" (states what the source actually says).
- Bad: "Relation to AI writing improvement: feedback-based improvement is mathematically different from gradient descent..." (the source does not say this; the connection is fabricated from conversation context).

## Source-list format

The source list at the end of the document uses this format:

`[label, YYYY/MM] Author. "Title." Publication. URL`

Do not use the `- [n]` list format.

## Source & license

This open-source skill is cataloged on AgentStack and links to its original source — we do not rehost the code.

- **Author:** [mathbullet](https://github.com/mathbullet)
- **Source:** [mathbullet/skills](https://github.com/mathbullet/skills)
- **License:** MIT

Install and usage instructions live in the source repository linked above.

## Pricing

- **Free** — Free

## Security capabilities

Automated source analysis of v0.1.0 — what this tool can access:

- **Network access:** no
- **Filesystem access:** no
- **Shell / process execution:** no
- **Environment & secrets:** no
- **Dynamic code execution:** no

*"Yes" means the capability is present in the source — more access means more to trust, not that it is unsafe.*


## Versions

- **0.1.0** — security scan: passed — Imported from the upstream source.

## Links

- Listing page: https://agentstack.voostack.com/l/skill-mathbullet-skills-documenting-with-sources
- Seller: https://agentstack.voostack.com/s/mathbullet
- Browse the marketplace: https://agentstack.voostack.com/browse

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