Cognitive Provenance: Methodology and Research Protocol

Abstract This methodological report presents Cognitive Provenance, a framework for documenting the development of human reasoning, intellectual contribution, and decision-making during collaboration with artificial intelligence. The framework introduces the Cognitive Provenance Record (CPR), a structured account of the learner’s original questions, evolving understanding, independent contributions, AI-generated suggestions, verification and revision, and retained intellectual responsibility. A practical Cognitive Provenance Prompt enables students and researchers to generate a preliminary record from available human–AI conversation histories. The methodology explicitly distinguishes documented evidence from inference and does not treat conversational records as proof of learning or independent competence. Developed within the broader research direction of The Ethical Age and Human Development in AI-Mediated Environments (HD-AIME), Cognitive Provenance complements the Human Capability Test (HCT), which investigates independently demonstrated capability following AI-assisted activity. The framework is proposed as an instrument for educational transparency, research reproducibility, and the study of human cognitive development in AI-mediated environments. Its reliability, validity, and educational effectiveness remain subjects for empirical investigation. Keywords: Cognitive Provenance; Human–AI Collaboration; Human Capability; AI in Education; Cognitive Autonomy; Academic Integrity; Human Development; HD-AIME; Human Capability Test; Learning Assessment.