Vague attributions
ToneAttributing claims to unnamed authorities instead of being specific. AI loves to invoke "experts", "observers", "industry reports", and "several publications" without naming anyone. It also inflates the quantity of sources -- presenting what one person said as a widely held view, or writing "several publications have cited" when it means two. If you can't name the expert, you don't have a source.
Examples
“Experts argue that this approach has significant drawbacks.”
“Industry reports suggest that adoption is accelerating.”
“Observers have cited the initiative as a turning point.”
“Some critics argue that the methodology is flawed.”
“His compositions have been described as exploring conceptual themes.”
“The structural engineer who spends a Tuesday afternoon talking three contractors out of pouring three separate foundations for the same annex ... No inspection report will ever catch that.”
Tags
weasel-wordsattributionunnamed-sourcesauthorityfabricated-specificity