Ask a grounded question

Use this guide to ask Atlas a question that returns an answer with citations linking back to exact passages in your project sources.

What this page covers

Construct a useful question, select context, recognize a grounded answer, and use suggested questions.

Before you start

• The relevant source or note must be in the current project.
• Source processing must have finished.
• Your question must be answerable from the available material.

If a source is missing or still processing, resolve that first.

Steps

1. Open chat in the correct project.
2. Write a specific question that names the source, claim, method, or comparison you want to explore.
3. Send the question.
4. Read the answer and check whether important claims include citation badges.
5. Select a citation badge to open the source at the exact passage.

What makes a good question

Be specific. Name the source, topic, or claim you are asking about.

Good examples:

• What evidence does this paper give for its main claim?
• What limitations do the authors mention?
• Compare the methods used in these two sources.
• Which source supports the claim that retrieval reduces hallucination?

Vague questions like "What do my sources say?" often return summaries without useful citations. Narrow questions return evidence you can verify.

Useful follow-up questions

After an initial answer, ask:

• Cite the evidence for that claim.
• Answer using only the paper I mentioned.
• Which source disagrees with this?
• What caveat does the source include for this finding?
• Show the passage that supports this.

Result

A well-formed grounded question returns an answer with numbered citation badges. Each badge links to the source passage Atlas used. You can verify, follow up, or save the finding as a note.

Troubleshooting

Use suggested questions

Question suggestions help users move from passive reading to active inquiry. They give a starting point when a source or project is open but the user is not yet sure what to ask.

Why suggestions exist

A blank chat box is deceptively hard. Research questions need the right level of specificity: broad enough to be useful, narrow enough for evidence retrieval.

Suggestions demonstrate the kinds of questions Atlas is suited for:

• What is the source claiming?
• What evidence supports the claim?
• What are the limitations?
• How does this source compare with another?
• What should I read next?

What makes a useful suggestion

A useful suggestion points toward evidence. It should ask about claims, definitions, methods, findings, limitations, contradictions, or comparisons.

Weak suggestions are generic. Strong suggestions mention the source, topic, method, population, finding, or debate that matters.

How to use suggestions

Treat suggestions as editable drafts. Before submitting one, make it more specific:

• add the source name
• mention the section or page
• ask for citations
• specify whether web search is allowed
• name the output format you need.

The first answer should often lead to a second, sharper question.

Limits

Suggestions are only as good as the available context. A new or thin project will produce broader suggestions. A project with processed sources, notes, and clear titles can support more specific suggestions.

Do not assume a suggested question is the best question. It is a starting point for exploration.

Good follow-up pattern

1. Use a suggestion to get oriented.
2. Open the citations.
3. Identify the strongest or weakest claim.
4. Ask a narrower follow-up.
5. Save the verified takeaway in a note.