Definition · foundations
source provenance
source provenance is a record of where information came from and how it was collected or changed. You can spot source provenance in practice when the record shows what the system observes, what choice it makes, and what changes next, without asking the reader to guess or trust a slogan.
157 definitions656 sourced recordsNamed source: ACL Anthology
Why does source provenance matter?
Provenance shows where a fact came from and how it moved. That trail helps a reader judge trust and age. For source provenance, start with three checks: What can the system observe? What choice can it make? What changes after it acts? The answers should point to visible evidence, not a promise.
What does source provenance look like?
A report records the page URL, author, fetch date, and quoted clause for each claim. This example makes source provenance visible by naming the actor, the action, and the result in practice. It is an illustration for readers, not a claim that every product behaves this way.
What is source provenance easy to confuse with?
Source provenance tracks origin and handling. Claim grounding links one claim to its evidence. The closest entries here are skill registry, supervisor agent, environmental interaction. Compare their definitions with source provenance before using the names as if they mean the same thing. That comparison keeps source provenance separate from nearby ideas without pretending the boundary is always perfect.
How certain is this definition?
This definition is provisional. ACL Anthology supports the version you see today, but a better or more direct source may change it. Open the cited page and check its date before you use this entry to choose a product, write a policy, set a safety control, or design a system.
Who introduced the term source provenance?
We have not verified who first introduced source provenance. The source supports a useful definition, but it may not be the earliest use. Until a dated primary record settles the question, we leave the origin open. A popular article or product page is not enough to name the person who coined a term.
What should you understand before source provenance?
Read artificial intelligence (AI) first when source provenance depends on a more basic idea or mechanism. The link gives you a useful route through the glossary. It does not mean every author teaches the subject in this order, so follow the source when the sequence matters.
What should this term help you answer?
Use source provenance to ask what an agent can observe, decide, change, remember, or hand off. The questions below turn the definition into a practical check. They are prompts for your own work, not claims made by the source, so change them to fit the system you are examining.
- What can the system observe?
- What choice can it make?
- What changes after it acts?
Which source supports this definition of source provenance?
ACL Anthology supports this working definition of source provenance. We checked the link on 2026-07-12. Open the original record for its context, methods, limits, and publication details. The short explanation here is a guide to source provenance; the linked source remains the evidence to inspect when the wording or boundary matters.
source foundsource provenanceChecked 2026-07-12→