Confidence is not evidence
Fluent writing can make an answer feel settled even when its claims are uncertain. Treat the first output as work to inspect. Your review should be proportionate to the stakes: a brainstorm and a customer-facing policy explanation require different standards. Decide what needs checking before you ask for the work, so review is part of the task rather than an afterthought.
Check the source
Mark every factual claim that matters. Look for the original source and read enough context to understand what it actually supports. Verify dates, units, names, and definitions. Do not assume a working link validates the sentence beside it. If the assistant cannot support a claim, remove it, label it as an assumption, or research it independently.
Check the numbers
Recalculate important totals and percentages with a calculator or spreadsheet. Confirm whether a percentage is relative growth or a change in percentage points. Watch for comparisons that use different time periods or populations. If an input is incomplete, a precise-looking answer can still be misleading. Show the calculation and preserve the original data so another person can follow it.
Check what is missing
Compare the output with your original request. Did it address the audience, constraints, and exceptions? A meeting summary can be accurate about what it includes while omitting the one unresolved issue that matters. Ask what evidence would change the conclusion. This question helps expose assumptions, but the answer itself still requires your judgment.
Check the consequence
Ask who could be affected if this is wrong. For work involving sensitive data or consequential decisions, follow your organization’s approved process and involve the appropriate expert. Use fictional or anonymized examples when practicing. AI assistance does not move responsibility away from the person or organization acting on the output.
Make the check reusable
Create a short rubric: supported facts, correct numbers, complete coverage, appropriate tone, and a clear next action. Mark each item pass, revise, or unknown. Do not convert unknown into pass just to finish. Practice on the sample meeting notes in the workshop, where the difference between a confirmed decision and a suggested date is deliberately important.