Reasoning / Research term
Reflection / self-critique
A generation procedure that asks a model to critique an earlier result and optionally revise it.
Reflection or self-critique adds one or more feedback-and-revision passes after an initial answer. A critique can target support, omissions, contradictions, style, or task-specific criteria. Studies report gains on some tasks and regressions on others, especially when the model receives no new evidence and cannot reliably identify its original error.
Builder example
Self-critique is useful when a second pass measurably catches the target failure or when it can inspect new evidence such as source passages, compiler output, or test failures. It is not independent evidence when the same model repeats the same assumptions in a new voice.
Common confusion: A rewritten answer is not necessarily a corrected answer. The critique may defend a mistake, introduce a new one, or improve presentation without improving factual or logical quality.