Summary
Quote-then-answer grounding is a two-stage retrieval-augmented generation pattern. In the first stage, the model extracts verbatim quotes from the provided documents that are relevant to the query. In the second stage, it answers the query using only those quotes as evidence.
How it works
- Query understanding -- parse the user question to identify key entities and intents.
- Quote extraction -- search the provided documents and extract verbatim passages that address the query.
- Evidence assembly -- collect the extracted quotes into a structured evidence block.
- Grounded answer -- generate the final answer using only the assembled evidence.
When to use
- Document Q&A: When answers must be traceable to specific source passages.
- Policy compliance: When every claim needs to cite a governing policy document.
- Research tools: When users need to verify claims against source material.
Abstention
When no relevant quotes are found in the provided documents, the model should explicitly state that it cannot find supporting evidence rather than hallucinating an answer. This preserves trust and prevents misinformation.