Second Brain / Industry term
Source material
The records used as input or evidence for a derived artifact, analysis, decision, or model run.
Source material can be primary or secondary, raw or already processed, authoritative or informal. A transcript is derived from audio yet can serve as source material for a brief. Useful provenance identifies the version and transformation chain rather than assuming one object is an untouched original.
Builder example
Preserving sources supports correction and audit, but indefinite retention can violate privacy, consent, storage, or legal requirements. Keep the minimum source needed for the intended use, protect access, record deletions, and preserve exact spans or hashes when full retention is inappropriate.
Common confusion: Source material names an input's role in a particular derivation, not a universal trust level. A policy document can be source material and still be obsolete.