Why do citations matter in a RAG answer?

Example Answer

Citations let a user inspect the evidence behind an answer and help engineers find where a wrong claim came from. They should point to the exact passage and version that supports the claim, rather than just a plausible document name.

For example, a return-policy answer should cite the section that states the deadline and any relevant exception. A link to the general handbook does not prove that the stated deadline is correct. I would check whether the cited passage actually supports the material claim and whether the user may open it.

I would carry source IDs and version references through retrieval and generation, then validate the rendered citation targets. A citation can itself be fabricated or mismatched, so attaching one does not guarantee truth. More precise provenance costs storage and UI work, but makes both user verification and incident diagnosis much easier.

Why this works

It distinguishes checkability from correctness and makes citation access part of the evidence path.

Follow-up to prepare for

What should happen if a claim has no supporting passage? Narrow or remove it, or explain that the available documents do not establish it.