Which citation signal is used to indicate direct support from a cited authority?

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Direct support is shown with the signal see because it flags that the cited authority actually backs the proposition being made. It tells the reader to turn to the cited source to find the factual or legal support for the claim. See is used when the authority directly supports the point, rather than just being related to it. In contrast, see also adds other authorities that discuss the same topic and may reinforce the point but aren’t the primary source of support; cf. signals a comparison or contrast with another source; e.g., introduces examples rather than the exact assertion being proven.