# Citation-First Prompting — Guardrails and Fix Patterns

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Citation drift is one of the most common ways LLMs lose trust.  
Without **cite-then-explain discipline**, answers may sound fluent but detach from sources.  
This page locks the workflow: every reasoning step begins from **citations**, not narrative.

---

## When to open this page
- Model produces fluent paragraphs with zero citations.  
- Citations appear, but after-the-fact and unverifiable.  
- References change between runs, even with same inputs.  
- ΔS(question, retrieved) ≤ 0.45 but λ diverges when narrative precedes citation.  
- Users complain: "Where did this answer come from?"  

---

## Open these first
- Retrieval schema contract: [data-contracts.md](https://github.com/onestardao/WFGY/blob/main/ProblemMap/data-contracts.md)  
- Trace alignment: [retrieval-traceability.md](https://github.com/onestardao/WFGY/blob/main/ProblemMap/retrieval-traceability.md)  
- Context collapse: [logic-collapse.md](https://github.com/onestardao/WFGY/blob/main/ProblemMap/logic-collapse.md)  
- Memory boundaries: [memory_fences_and_state_keys.md](https://github.com/onestardao/WFGY/blob/main/ProblemMap/GlobalFixMap/Safety_PromptIntegrity/memory_fences_and_state_keys.md)  
- Injection guard: [prompt_injection.md](https://github.com/onestardao/WFGY/blob/main/ProblemMap/GlobalFixMap/Safety_PromptIntegrity/prompt_injection.md)  

---

## Core acceptance
- Every answer starts with citations (no narrative before refs).  
- Coverage ≥ 0.70 of the target section.  
- ΔS(question, cited snippet) ≤ 0.45.  
- λ convergent across 3 paraphrases.  
- No hallucinated citations (must resolve to a retriever record).  

---

## Fix in 60 seconds
1. **Citation-first discipline**  
   - Always start with `snippet_id`, `section_id`, `source_url`.  

2. **Enforce schema**  
   - Required fields:  
     ```json
     { "snippet_id": "...", "section_id": "...", "source_url": "...", "offsets": [..], "tokens": N }
     ```  

3. **Reason only after citation**  
   - Explain or analyze *after* citation block.  

4. **Reject broken runs**  
   - If citation missing → abort answer, return error tip.  

5. **Stability probe**  
   - Run 3 paraphrases. If λ diverges, lock citation schema, rerun.  

---

## Typical failure vectors → fix

| Vector | Symptom | Fix |
|--------|---------|-----|
| **Narrative-first** | Text precedes refs, unstable λ | Force cite-then-explain ordering |
| **Fake refs** | Hallucinated URLs | Schema lock + [retrieval-traceability.md](https://github.com/onestardao/WFGY/blob/main/ProblemMap/retrieval-traceability.md) |
| **Drifting refs** | Different citations each run | Clamp λ with BBAM, validate ΔS ≤ 0.45 |
| **Silent fallback** | Model drops refs under safety refusal | Apply SCU (symbolic constraint unlock) |

---

## Probe prompt

```txt
You must output citations before narrative.
Schema: {snippet_id, section_id, source_url, offsets, tokens}

Rules:
1. Cite first. Explain only after citations are shown.
2. No answer if citations missing.
3. Log ΔS(question, cited snippet). Reject if ≥ 0.60.
4. λ must stay convergent across 3 paraphrases.
````

---

### 🔗 Quick-Start Downloads (60 sec)

| Tool                       | Link                                                                                                                                       | 3-Step Setup                                                                             |
| -------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **WFGY 1.0 PDF**           | [Engine Paper](https://github.com/onestardao/WFGY/blob/main/I_am_not_lizardman/WFGY_All_Principles_Return_to_One_v1.0_PSBigBig_Public.pdf) | 1️⃣ Download · 2️⃣ Upload to your LLM · 3️⃣ Ask “Answer using WFGY + \<your question>”   |
| **TXT OS (plain-text OS)** | [TXTOS.txt](https://github.com/onestardao/WFGY/blob/main/OS/TXTOS.txt)                                                                     | 1️⃣ Download · 2️⃣ Paste into any LLM chat · 3️⃣ Type “hello world” — OS boots instantly |

---

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### Explore More

| Layer | Page | What it’s for |
| --- | --- | --- |
| ⭐ Proof | [WFGY Recognition Map](/recognition/README.md) | External citations, integrations, and ecosystem proof |
| ⚙️ Engine | [WFGY 1.0](/legacy/README.md) | Original PDF tension engine and early logic sketch (legacy reference) |
| ⚙️ Engine | [WFGY 2.0](/core/README.md) | Production tension kernel for RAG and agent systems |
| ⚙️ Engine | [WFGY 3.0](/TensionUniverse/EventHorizon/README.md) | TXT based Singularity tension engine (131 S class set) |
| 🗺️ Map | [Problem Map 1.0](/ProblemMap/README.md) | Flagship 16 problem RAG failure taxonomy and fix map |
| 🗺️ Map | [Problem Map 2.0](/ProblemMap/wfgy-rag-16-problem-map-global-debug-card.md) | Global Debug Card for RAG and agent pipeline diagnosis |
| 🗺️ Map | [Problem Map 3.0](/ProblemMap/wfgy-ai-problem-map-troubleshooting-atlas.md) | Global AI troubleshooting atlas and failure pattern map |
| 🧰 App | [TXT OS](/OS/README.md) | .txt semantic OS with fast bootstrap |
| 🧰 App | [Blah Blah Blah](/OS/BlahBlahBlah/README.md) | Abstract and paradox Q&A built on TXT OS |
| 🧰 App | [Blur Blur Blur](/OS/BlurBlurBlur/README.md) | Text to image generation with semantic control |
| 🏡 Onboarding | [Starter Village](/StarterVillage/README.md) | Guided entry point for new users |

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