# RAG over docs with [doc-N] citations — Claude XML example

> Answer a question from retrieved passages and cite every claim by source ID.
>
> Source: https://claudexml.com/examples/rag-with-citations/ · Last updated 2026-05-25

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    RAG · intermediate

# RAG over docs with [doc-N] citations

    Answer a question from retrieved passages and cite every claim by source ID.

    Customer support copilot: answer using only your knowledge base, refuse cleanly when the answer isn't there, and cite sources the human can verify.


## The prompt

    Copy this verbatim. Replace the `{{ … }}` placeholders with your values.


```xml
<documents>
  <document>
    <source>doc-1: pricing.md</source>
    <document_content>{{ passage_1 }}</document_content>
  </document>
  <document>
    <source>doc-2: refund-policy.md</source>
    <document_content>{{ passage_2 }}</document_content>
  </document>
</documents>

<instructions>
Answer the user's question using only the documents above.
Cite every claim with [doc-N] inline.
If the answer is not in the documents, reply exactly:
"I don't have that information in the provided sources."
Do not draw on outside knowledge.
</instructions>

<question>{{ user_question }}</question>
```


## Sample input


```xml
Question: How much does the Pro plan cost and can I get a refund?
Passage 1: The Pro plan is $20/month and includes 100 GB of storage.
Passage 2: All paid plans include a 14-day money-back guarantee.
```


## Expected output


```xml
The Pro plan is $20 per month [doc-1]. You can request a refund within 14 days of purchase [doc-2].
```


## Notes & tuning tips


- Documents-first ordering matters once context gets long — Anthropic's guidance is reference material before instructions.
- The exact refusal string lets you regex for it and offer a human handoff button.
- Validate cited doc IDs against your retrieval set in code; the model occasionally cites adjacent docs.


## What this example uses

    Tags: <documents> <document> <source> <instructions>

    Patterns: rag context


## More like this


      rag
### Multi-document compare-and-contrast
Synthesize three vendor quotes into a table plus a one-paragraph recommendation.

      rag
### Hallucination guard: refuse when answer isn't in sources
Force a clean refusal when retrieval comes up empty instead of confabulating.




Cite this page

`RAG over docs with [doc-N] citations. claudexml.com. https://claudexml.com/examples/rag-with-citations/`