> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.cortex.aic.io/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.cortex.aic.io/sources-and-evidence/interpretation.md).

# Interpretation

**Open this area:** In the CORTEX menu, select **Sources & evidence → Evidence memory**.

Retain human interpretation separately from original evidence, preserve uncertainty and obtain independent review before citing both forms.

**Who uses this:** Analyst, Author, Reviewer\
**Open in CORTEX:** `/memory`\
**In-app guide:** `/help?topic=interpretation`

**Expected result:** A citation preserves exact original text alongside an explicitly selected reviewed interpretation, its method and qualifications.

## Before you start

* Use the correct workspace with current Memory access. Proposals and independent decisions also require processing-review permission.
* Inspect a Ready retained extraction and its source provenance. The current scan policy must permit new use.
* Human annotations do not call external providers. OCR, automatic translation and transcription are not enabled by an annotation or its review.

## What to do

{% stepper %}
{% step %}

## Select the original passage

From retained material, choose the exact extraction version and open **Interpretations and translations**. Inspect existing histories first.

Choose the segment, zero-based start and length of 1–2,000 UTF-16 positions; a Unicode character cannot be split.
{% endstep %}

{% step %}

## Record a qualified human interpretation

Choose interpretation or translation, record both languages, interpreter attribution, method, text and limitations.

Classify the evidence as an attributed observation, reported assertion, opinion, inference or unassessed and explain the basis.

Complete date/time, timezone, location precision and identity-match qualifications; explicitly state unknown or not applicable where appropriate.
{% endstep %}

{% step %}

## Retain the proposal with its handling

Keep every inherited restriction and add protection if needed.

Record the proposal reason, then **Retain interpretation proposal**. It creates a separate history; original text and extraction metadata remain unchanged.
{% endstep %}

{% step %}

## Independently review

A different authorised reviewer opens the history, compares the original with the interpretation and qualifications, then records approval or rejection with the evidence checked.

Review is appended to the history and cannot overwrite a proposal.
{% endstep %}

{% step %}

## Cite both forms explicitly

In an evidence picker, choose the exact original passage, select **Find reviewed interpretations** and choose a currently approved match.

Preview quotation shows the original and reviewed annotation separately.

Add the citation to the supported Analysis, Product, indicator or RFI workflow; saving rechecks access and the exact current approval.
{% endstep %}

{% step %}

## Correct without rewriting history

Open the retained interpretation and propose corrected text and a reason.

A newer proposal prevents fresh use of the earlier approval until the current proposal is reviewed. Earlier citations and products preserve their exact snapshots.

Inspect the current history from the citation before reassessing a conclusion.
{% endstep %}

{% step %}

## Inspect the export

Product PDF, DOCX and JSON include a separate **Original text** and **reviewed interpretation** section for direct citations and annotated evidence in the exact linked analysis.

It retains original passage, interpretation, interpreter, method, reviewer, revision/hash and all qualifications.

Export preparation does not authorise distribution.
{% endstep %}
{% endstepper %}

## Check the result

* Is this the exact passage rather than a similar quotation?
* Are attribution, language and method clear?
* Are approximate dates, places and identities still qualified?
* Did a different person review the proposal?
* Does the product retain both the original and reviewed interpretation?

## If you get stuck

<details>

<summary>Why is the earlier interpretation unavailable for a new citation?</summary>

Its history may contain a newer proposal or decision. Inspect and independently review the current version, then explicitly choose the correct approval. Historical citations still retain their original snapshot under current access.

</details>

<details>

<summary>Why can I not see an interpretation?</summary>

Current Memory, workspace and annotation handling are checked. A revoked material or more restrictive history is unavailable without revealing its protected contents or counts.

</details>

<details>

<summary>What happens after a conflict?</summary>

Your entered values stay on the screen. Copy or review them, explicitly reset or clear the draft, then refresh and reconcile with the current history. A failed save does not report success. After an interrupted first creation, inspect the histories before creating another.

</details>

<details>

<summary>Why can a PDF or Word export fail?</summary>

The shared renderer checks supported Unicode, fonts and bounded content. Keep the retained interpretation intact, inspect the actionable error and ask the operator about supported rendering. JSON retains supported structured text; exporting alone grants no disclosure authority.

</details>

<details>

<summary>Does this enable a translation service?</summary>

No. The human workflow has no external engine. A future provider needs accepted languages/formats, quality and mandatory human review as well as separately reviewed UK processing, handling and egress authority.

Record the accountable owner, exact provider/model/configuration, evidence references, applicable scope, effective/review dates and outstanding conditions in the reviewed system-assurance evidence.

No owner, contract, licence or approval is inferred. The existing Foundry disclosure policy stays deny by default.

</details>

## Responsibility and limits

* Approval records a human review, not automatic promotion of a source report to verified fact.
* Annotations inherit full original handling. Increasing protection restricts the whole history; earlier restrictions cannot be removed.
* History is bounded to 64 events and 1 MiB, reserving room for independent review. Limits never delete earlier evidence. A separately identified replacement needs explicit rationale.
* Released records and historical exports are not silently regenerated when an annotation changes.

**Reference and scope:** Supports processing and interpretation in the reviewed JDP 2-00 requirements. Translation is not original evidence; review does not automatically establish a reported claim as fact.

## Related workflows

* [Assess evidence quality and retain defect actions](broken://pages/d45ef592dbc8b31eb3995d834ca0be65a9ea2042)
* [Review downstream evidence corrections](broken://pages/a69ec304ca35f7495f48197737292540f33837da)
* [Find evidence and select exact retained passages](broken://pages/e6eab51e146c4db1e002b720557a5faea932e41c)
* [Preserve an original and review processing](file:///7397340/collection/ingest.md)
* [Develop and independently review an assessment](broken://pages/79db57a6c6245feef3fb58e4fe6d4a507b2a74a0)
* [Author an intelligence Product and inspect its exports](file:///7397340/product/products.md)
* [Review reporting origins, independence and corrections](broken://pages/519a6dd9104e5b592aab17a02265642b8ecd221a)