# Citation Styles ## Basic Page Citation Always cite sources using Notion page mentions: ```markdown Page Title ``` The URL must be provided. The title is optional but improves readability: ```markdown ``` ## Inline Citations Cite immediately after referenced information: ```markdown The Q4 revenue increased by 23% quarter-over-quarter (Q4 Financial Report). ``` ## Multiple Sources When information comes from multiple sources: ```markdown Customer satisfaction has improved across all metrics (Q3 Survey Results, Support Analysis). ``` ## Section-Level Citations For longer sections derived from one source: ```markdown ### Engineering Priorities According to the Engineering Roadmap 2025: - Focus on API scalability - Improve developer experience - Migrate to microservices architecture ``` ## Sources Section Always include a "Sources" section at document end: ```markdown ## Sources - Strategic Plan 2025 - Market Analysis Report - Competitor Research: Q3 - Customer Interview Notes ``` Group by category for long lists: ```markdown ## Sources ### Primary Sources - Official Roadmap - Strategy Document ### Supporting Research - Market Trends - Customer Feedback ### Background Context - Historical Analysis ``` ## Quoting Content When quoting directly from source: ```markdown The product team noted: "We need to prioritize mobile experience improvements" (Product Meeting Notes). ``` For block quotes: ```markdown > We need to prioritize mobile experience improvements to meet our Q4 goals. This includes performance optimization and UI refresh. > > — Product Meeting Notes - Oct 2025 ``` ## Data Citations When presenting data, cite the source: ```markdown | Metric | Q3 | Q4 | Change | |--------|----|----|--------| | Revenue | $2.3M | $2.8M | +21.7% | | Users | 12.4K | 15.1K | +21.8% | Source: Financial Dashboard ``` ## Database Citations When referencing database content: ```markdown Based on analysis of the Projects Database, 67% of projects are on track. ``` ## User Citations When attributing information to specific people: ```markdown Sarah Chen noted in Architecture Review that the microservices migration is ahead of schedule. ``` ## Citation Frequency **Over-citing** (every sentence): ```markdown The revenue increased (Report). Costs decreased (Report). Margin improved (Report). ``` **Under-citing** (no attribution): ```markdown The revenue increased, costs decreased, and margin improved. ``` **Right balance** (grouped citation): ```markdown The revenue increased, costs decreased, and margin improved (Q4 Financial Report). ``` ## Outdated Information Note when source information might be outdated: ```markdown The original API design (API Spec v1, last updated January 2024) has been superseded by the new architecture in API Spec v2. ``` ## Cross-References Link to related research documents: ```markdown ## Related Research This research builds on previous findings: - Market Analysis - Q2 2025 - Competitor Landscape Review For implementation details, see: - Technical Implementation Guide ``` ## Citation Validation Before finalizing research: ✓ Every key claim has a source citation ✓ All page mentions have valid URLs ✓ Sources section includes all cited pages ✓ Outdated sources are noted as such ✓ Direct quotes are clearly marked ✓ Data sources are attributed ## Citation Style Consistency Choose one citation style and use throughout: **Inline style** (lightweight): ```markdown Revenue grew 23% (Financial Report). Customer count increased 18% (Metrics Dashboard). ``` **Formal style** (full mentions): ```markdown Revenue grew 23% (Q4 Financial Report). Customer count increased 18% (Metrics Dashboard). ``` **Recommend formal style** for most research documentation as it provides clickable navigation.