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A rationale is required. A source citation is optional. Use a manual citation when a document in the cohort’s Content Library supports the answer or rationale.

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Add a source

  1. Create or edit a question in a module.
  2. Go to the Rationale section.
  3. Under Source (optional), select Add source.
  4. Choose a processed document from the cohort’s Content Library.
  5. Preview the original page or switch to Extracted text.
  6. Select the pages that directly support the rationale.
  7. Select Use pages.
  8. Save the question.
The source document must be available to the destination cohort and must have completed document processing through indexing or mapping.

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Select pages

  • Click a page thumbnail to preview it.
  • Click the page circle or Cite page to select it.
  • Enter a range such as 1–12, 24, 38–45, then select Add pages.
  • Use Selected only to audit the final page set.
  • Select Clear to start the page selection again.
Choose the smallest page set that supports the correct answer and rationale.

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Change or remove a citation

  • Edit pages changes the selected pages in the current document.
  • Change document replaces the document and page selection.
  • The remove button beside a page removes that page.
  • Remove source removes the manual citation from the question.
Save the question after changing its source.

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What students see

After revealing the rationale, students see the source title and a chip for each cited page. Selecting a page chip opens the original PDF in a new tab at that page. If the browser blocks the new tab, the student must allow pop-ups for LearnTerms and try again.

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Why citations are optional

  • A missing Content Library document should not block manual question entry.
  • Some rationales synthesize contributor knowledge across sources or have no uploaded source.
  • Older questions can remain valid while contributors add sources over time.
The required rationale still has to explain the answer. A citation does not replace the rationale.

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Why citing is a good habit

  • Students can verify the explanation against the course material.
  • Contributors can review the exact supporting pages before publishing.
  • Future editors can recheck a question when the source or curriculum changes.
  • Page-level evidence makes disagreements easier to resolve.
  • Manual citations preserve useful provenance when a question was not created in Question Studio.
Adding a citation takes more time because you must find, preview, and verify the correct pages. Verify the support before attaching page numbers. Before saving, confirm:
  • the cited page states or clearly supports the rationale
  • the page belongs to the correct document and cohort
  • the citation does not rely on an answer key without explanation
  • every selected page adds useful support
AI-generated questions can already include Question Studio citations. Add a manual citation when you create a question yourself or when the final edited question needs a curated page reference.