Source Network Mapping

Sources do not exist in isolation. They cite each other, rely on the same underlying data, and share institutional relationships that compromise their independence. Source network mapping traces these relationships to identify when apparently independent sources are actually drawing from the same well. Three analyst reports that all cite the same Gartner study are not three independent confirmations — they are one data point amplified through three channels. Corroboration requires true independence. Source network mapping reveals when you have it and when you do not.

1. Citation Tracing When multiple sources agree on a finding, trace each source's citation chain. If they converge on a common upstream source, the finding has one independent origin, not multiple. The corroboration axis of your credibility score must reflect this.
2. Institutional Relationship Mapping Identify ownership, funding, and editorial relationships between sources. A publication owned by a company it covers is not independent of that company. An analyst firm funded by the vendors it evaluates is not independent of those vendors. These relationships reduce the independence axis score.
3. Echo Chamber Detection When a finding appears across many sources simultaneously, check whether it originated from a single source and propagated through the network. Industry "consensus" that traces back to one analyst report is not consensus — it is echo. The signal-to-noise ratio of the finding should reflect the true number of independent origins.