A grant writer asks Claude, with no files uploaded and no search enabled, for a paragraph on the impact of after-school programs. The draft cites a named report from a specific foundation with a publication year and a precise percentage. What is the most appropriate action?

Answer: C — Search for the report and confirm the figure in it; remove or replace the claim if it can't be found

A specific, plausible citation produced with no source supplied is the typical pattern of a hallucination. It must be confirmed in the real source, or replaced or removed (c). Specificity is what makes fabrications convincing, not proof that they're real (a). Regenerating without grounding may just produce a different made-up figure (b). Vaguer wording still presents an unverified number as evidence (d).