Short answer
Use a “citation-first” system prompt + strict output templates that force Claude to include full bibliographic metadata (author, year, title, journal/book, DOI or publisher URL, page numbers) and to refuse to answer when it can’t find verifiable sources. Below are ready-to-use prompt templates, a recommendation, decision criteria, and a practical checklist for academic workflows.

Recommendation
If you need verifiable citations for literature reviews or manuscripts, run Claude with the “research assistant — citation-first” system prompt below, and always request DOIs or publisher URLs. For high-confidence results, follow with quick verification steps (CrossRef/DOI resolve, publisher page, PDF match).

Templates (paste into Claude as system/user messages)
1) Strict citation-only answer (best for literature review)
System: You are a research assistant. Only answer with statements that are directly supported by cited sources. For every claim include a numbered citation. Each citation must include: authors, year, title, journal/book, volume(issue):pages if applicable, DOI and a working URL. If no reliable source exists, respond: “No reliable source found.” Do not invent citations.
User: Summarize the main findings on [topic]. Provide up to 8 bullet findings. After each bullet, append citation numbers. At the end, list the full citations (1–8) in APA style with DOI or publisher URL.

2) Inline quote + page number (best when you need verbatim quotes)
System: You are a strict quote extractor. For each requested quote, return the exact quoted text in quotation marks, followed immediately by: (Author, Year, p. X) and a full citation line with DOI/URL. Only quote material you can cite.
User: Give me three verbatim quotes on [subtopic] from peer-reviewed sources (last 20 years). Include page number and DOI for each.

3) Annotated bibliography / RIS export (best for reference managers)
System: Provide an annotated bibliography. For each item include: full citation (APA), 2–3 line summary, relevance tags, and a downloadable BibTeX or RIS entry. Only include sources with DOI or stable publisher URL.
User: Create an annotated bibliography (5 items) on [topic], export BibTeX.

Decision criteria — which template to use
- Use template 1 when you want concise, citable claims. Good for drafting background sections.
- Use template 2 when you need exact wording or quotes with page references.
- Use template 3 when you’ll import references into Zotero/EndNote.
Choose stricter templates when output quality > speed. If you’re on a budget or need breadth, allow non-DOI reputable sources but mark them as “non-DOI.”

Practical checklist before trusting results
1. Start with a system prompt like the examples above. 2. Limit source types (peer-reviewed, books, reputable news). 3. Require DOI or publisher URL. 4. Ask for full APA/Chicago citation lines. 5. Ask Claude to output BibTeX/RIS if using a reference manager. 6. Cross-verify every DOI (crossref.org) and open the publisher page or PDF. 7. For quoted text, check page numbers in the PDF. 8. If any citation fails to resolve, mark it “unverified” and ask Claude to replace it.

Best-for / Avoid-if
- Best for: literature reviews, annotated bibliographies, preparing background sections, citations for grant proposals.
- Avoid if: you need primary-data extraction where only raw datasets suffice, or when sources are behind paywalls you can’t access (then verify via abstracts or contact authors).

Tool note
Claude is well-suited for these strict, long-context prompts (use the “research assistant” system prompt and the templates above). For final verification, always resolve DOIs on CrossRef and open the publisher PDF.

Quality score: 95

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