TeachSpark Glossary: Data Source Line, Trust Label and Key Terms

TeachSpark Glossary

Plain-language definitions of the terms TeachSpark uses on its activities and help pages.

Data source line

A line at the bottom of an activity that names the connected database, the record ID, and the retrieval date — for example, "Data source: RCSB Protein Data Bank, entry 1LYZ, retrieved Oct 9, 2026." A Data source line appears only when an activity uses one of TeachSpark's connected databases. If an activity has no Data source line, it did not use a database. For AI tools, that means the content was written by AI, so review it before you use it.

No Data source line

An activity with no Data source line did not use a connected database. This is not a defect — most activities do not use a connected database. For AI tools, it means the content was written by AI. For tools labeled "no AI," it means the content was built by code. Either way, the absence of a Data source line simply tells you the activity did not pull from an external database.

Trust label

A chip on a generated item or practice sheet that says how answers were checked: "Answers checked by code," "Checked, teacher review recommended," or "Needs review." Trust labels appear only on generated items and practice sheets — not every activity has one. A trust label says how answers were checked, not where content came from. That is a separate idea from the Data source line.

No AI tools

Tools and Free Printables that use no AI and are built entirely by code. These include Math Fact Fluency, Fractions, Place Value, Equations, Geometry, all Physics tools, Grammar Sorts, Word Ladders, and Revision Checklists. They never use a generation credit, they work with one click, and they do not use a Data source line because they do not pull from an external database.

Honest labels

The principle behind all of the above: TeachSpark labels what it checked and where data came from, so you can verify it yourself. Honest labels are not a badge or a chip — they are the practice of telling you what is checked, what is not, and where the data originated.

How the three ideas relate

• A math fact fluency sheet has a trust label ("Answers checked by code") but no Data source line (no external database).
• A protein activity from RCSB PDB has a Data source line (real data) and may also have a trust label (the surrounding text is AI-written and independently checked).
• A Freestyle activity built from a teacher's description has neither a Data source line nor a trust label — it is AI-written and not independently checked, so review it before use.