source matrix / paper 4 · free workflow
See Which Source Actually Backs Each Claim — Free
List each claim with the kind of source behind it and the matrix shows where your evidence is thin, so an unsourced claim is a visible cell rather than a sentence you have stopped noticing.
What this replaces
A reference list proves you read things, not that each claim is carried. This puts every claim in a cell against the type of source behind it, so the argument's weak point is the empty cell rather than a feeling about the draft.
Tool note. This runs entirely in your browser — no account, no upload, no paid API key. Google NotebookLM is named as the free source-grounded reading path for the material you paste; its published free-tier terms were checked on 2026-09-13 and can change.
The four passes
Collect the smallest useful input
One claim per line, naming the source type that supports it.
Let the matrix place each one
Each claim lands in the column of the source behind it.
Fill the empty cells
A claim with no source is the row to fix before anything else.
Check the balance
A paper carried entirely by secondary sources has a visible shape.
Try it on the source matrix / paper 4
The board below runs in your browser. It opens with a worked sample so the result is visible before you paste anything; switch scenarios, edit the text, or reset to the sample.
running the sample…
first-load · sample values are illustrative, not verified facts
Everything you paste stays in this browser tab. Nothing is uploaded, there is no account, and no request leaves the page to generate the result; clearing site data removes anything saved locally.
What breaks, and what to do
Claims described in prose
Split them onto lines; the matrix is line by line.
One source supporting several claims
Each claim is placed separately; that is the point.
Source types outside the four columns
Rename the columns in a copy to match your discipline.
Go deeper — Source Matrix
The free board above is the whole loop. The paid tier keeps the arranged output so you do not rebuild it.
- Printable grid with the empty cells boxed for a supervisor meeting — estimate: 15 minutes saved per draft, basis: 4 claims re-tabbled at ~3.75 minutes each
- Saved local history across drafts — estimate: 10 minutes saved per draft, basis: re-entering 4 claims at ~2.5 minutes each
$4 one-time