Evidence Graph
The Evidence Graph is a structured knowledge representation layer inside GEO.or.id that models evidence as interconnected nodes rather than isolated documents. Each node represents a validated evidence object, and edges represent semantic, temporal, or causal relationships.
It sits above Evidence Retrieval Binding and is a foundational input for Evidence Weighting Engine and Entity Memory Framework.
1. Core Function
The primary function is to transform fragmented retrieval outputs into a structured, relational evidence network that supports reasoning, contradiction detection, and traceability.
- Unify evidence into a connected graph structure
- Represent relationships between evidence nodes
- Support multi-hop reasoning and inference paths
- Enable systemic contradiction detection
Connected systems: Semantic Matching Layer, Entity Relationships Ontology
2. Graph Structure Model
The Evidence Graph is a directed multi-relational graph where nodes are evidence objects and edges encode relationships between them.
2.1 Nodes
Each node represents a single evidence unit with attributes such as provenance, confidence, timestamp, and entity associations.
See: Evidence Provenance Model
2.2 Edges
Edges define relationships between evidence nodes. These relationships are not uniform and can represent different semantic types.
- supports
- contradicts
- refines
- derives_from
- co_occurs_with
2.3 Edge Weighting
Each edge carries a confidence weight that determines the strength of the relationship between two evidence nodes.
Connected: Evidence Weighting Engine
3. Graph Construction Pipeline
The Evidence Graph is constructed through a staged pipeline that ensures structural integrity and semantic consistency.
3.1 Ingestion
Evidence objects are ingested from the retrieval binding layer.
3.2 Normalization
Entities and attributes are standardized to ensure cross-source consistency.
3.3 Relationship Mapping
Semantic and structural relationships are identified and encoded as graph edges.
3.4 Validation
Graph integrity is validated for cycles, contradictions, and orphan nodes.
Validation systems: Semantic Grounding Protocol, Entity Disambiguation Protocol
4. Graph Operations
The Evidence Graph supports multiple system-level operations for reasoning and retrieval optimization.
- Multi-hop evidence traversal
- Contradiction path detection
- Cluster-based evidence grouping
- Influence propagation across nodes
Related: Re-ranking System, Entity Prioritization
5. Conflict Representation
Conflicts are explicitly represented in the graph rather than removed. Contradictory nodes are connected through negative-weight edges, enabling downstream resolution systems to evaluate conflict density.
See: Evidence Conflict Detection
6. Role in GEO Architecture
The Evidence Graph functions as the structural backbone of the entire evidence system. It transforms linear retrieval into a relational intelligence layer that enables reasoning, traceability, and system-wide consistency control.
It directly feeds: AI Ground Truth Framework, Knowledge Persistence Framework
7. System Risks
- Graph explosion in high-density retrieval environments
- Hidden dependency chains in deep multi-hop structures
- Edge misclassification leading to incorrect inference paths
Mitigation is handled via: Retrieval Latency Observation, Answer Stability Protocol