Week 3 of 6
Knowledge brief
Build an evidence base and produce a synthesis whose claims remain traceable.
You can build a source pack, interrogate it, and write a synthesis whose every claim traces back.
Watch and practise first
A written brief, plus the audio overview if your tool can generate one.
- NotebookLM for the source pack and audio — recommended
- Brief written in Google Docs or Notion
- Audio shared from NotebookLM, or uploaded to Drive
NotebookLM audio: download the overview, put the file in Google Drive, then Share → "Anyone with the link" → Viewer.
Everything the work must contain
- 01The question, and the reader you are writing for.
- 02A short answer grounded in the evidence.
- 03Three to five key findings, each with its source reference.
- 04The disagreement, uncertainty, or limitations that matter.
- 05Implications or next actions.
- 06The full source list — 6 to 10 sources.
- 07The five questions you asked your source pack, and a short citation audit.
Open every link in a private or incognito window before you submit. If it asks you to sign in or to request access, your reviewer will see exactly the same thing.
2 separate links
- Link to your written brief
Everything listed above, in one readable document.
- Link to your audio overview
Leave blank if your tool cannot generate audio. It is not held against you.
- Your citation audit
Name one case where the system had no evidence for an answer, or overstated one — and how you caught it.
What a reviewer checks
- 01The source pack is relevant, credible, and sufficient for the chosen question.
- 02Key claims can be traced back to specific sources without invented citations.
- 03The written and audio briefs synthesize evidence instead of merely summarizing documents.
How to build it
Week 3 - Build a Source-Grounded Knowledge Brief
Capability
Create a small evidence base, ask questions against it, and produce a synthesis whose claims remain traceable to sources. This is retrieval and reasoning practice, not a demonstration of one product feature.
Use the same domain thread and research question from Week 2. Improve the source pack before generating anything.
Build the Source Pack
- Select 6-10 useful sources with a mix of evidence, context, and credible disagreement.
- Remove duplicates, promotional filler, and sources you cannot defend.
- Add the sources to NotebookLM or another source-grounded workspace that provides citations.
- Ask at least five questions: factual, comparative, explanatory, limitation-focused, and decision-focused.
- Open the cited passages and verify that they support the answers.
- Record one case where the system lacked evidence or overstated a conclusion.
Produce the Brief
Create a public knowledge brief containing:
- the question and intended reader;
- a short evidence-based answer;
- 3-5 key findings with source references;
- important disagreement, uncertainty, or limitations;
- implications or next actions;
- the full source list;
- your five questions and a short citation audit.
Generate a 5-10 minute audio overview if your chosen tool supports it. Treat the audio as a communication format, not proof of accuracy. Listen to it and note at least one correction or limitation.
Reading is free and always will be. Applying gets you the review — a person who reads what you built against the rubric above.
Apply to the program