Make market research traceable

Define a public research question

Describe the customer group, problem, geography and product category. Use public information only. Do not paste confidential financial statements, personal information or unpublished strategy into public search queries.

Separate evidence from estimates

A reported market size, a company announcement and your own obtainable-market estimate are different kinds of claims. Record the source, publication date, geography, currency and methodology. When calculating SAM or SOM, show the assumptions rather than presenting the result as an observed fact.

Open the cited sources

Check that each source exists and supports the exact claim being made. Prefer original statistical releases, company filings and direct research publications where available. An AI-generated link alone does not prove verification. Polaris marks research as an unverified draft when the provider does not return independently traceable source metadata.

Keep the report current

Markets, regulations and funding announcements change. Note the research date, refresh time-sensitive facts and retain the source list. Review research with someone familiar with the sector before using it in an investor presentation or business decision.