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Revision as of 20:53, 25 June 2007 view sourceR. Baley (talk | contribs)3,924 edits Am I confused? wasn't there a big section on the talk page about the new wording?Undid revision 140568877 by SlimVirgin (talk)← Previous edit Revision as of 20:59, 25 June 2007 view source SlimVirgin (talk | contribs)172,064 edits we use scholarly and non-scholarly sourcesNext edit →
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==Aspects of reliability== ==Aspects of reliability==
===Scholarly sources=== ===Scholarly and non-scholarly sources===
Misplaced Pages welcomes material written by scientists, scholars, and researchers, particularly material published by peer-reviewed journals. Such sources are preferred in subject areas where scholarly work is commonly performed, such as the natural sciences, social sciences, and humanities, but may not be available in other subject areas (such as topics related to popular culture). Misplaced Pages articles should represent all majority and significant-minority treatments of a topic, so long as the sources are reliable. Misplaced Pages welcomes material written by scientists, scholars, and researchers, particularly material published by peer-reviewed journals. However, these may be outdated by more recent research, or may be controversial in the sense that there are alternative scholarly and non-scholarly treatments. Misplaced Pages articles should therefore ideally rely on all majority and significant-minority treatments of a topic, scholarly and non-scholarly, so long as the sources are reliable.


=== Exceptional claims require exceptional sources === === Exceptional claims require exceptional sources ===

Revision as of 20:59, 25 June 2007

Misplaced Pages:Attribution was created to serve as a combination of Misplaced Pages:Verifiability, Misplaced Pages:No original research and Misplaced Pages:Reliable sources. It was believed that consensus for such a merger was reached, but that has been called into question. The long-term resolution of this issue is presently under discussion.
Blue tickThis page documents an English Misplaced Pages content guideline.
Editors should generally follow it, though exceptions may apply. Substantive edits to this page should reflect consensus. When in doubt, discuss first on this guideline's talk page.		Shortcuts

Misplaced Pages articles should be based on reliable, published sources. This page is a guideline, not a policy, and is mandatory only insofar as it repeats material from policy pages. The relevant policies on sources are Misplaced Pages:Verifiability, Misplaced Pages:No original research, and Misplaced Pages:Neutral point-of-view.

Misplaced Pages:Verifiability says that any material that is challenged or likely to be challenged needs a source, as do quotations, and the responsibility for finding a source lies with the person who adds or restores the material. Unsourced or poorly sourced edits may be challenged and removed at any time. Sometimes it is better to have no information at all than to have information without a source. See that page for more information about Misplaced Pages's policy on sourcing.

What is a reliable source?

Reliable sources are credible published materials with a reliable publication process; their authors are generally regarded as trustworthy, or are authoritative in relation to the subject at hand.

The reliability of a source depends on context; what is reliable in one topic may not be in another. A publication by a world-renowned mathematician may not be a reliable source on topics of biology. In general, an article should use the most reliable sources available to its editors.

Why use reliable sources?

Sources are used:

  • To support an assertion made in an article. Sources used in this manner should be directly referenced for the point that is being supported.
  • To give credit to the source, to avoid the appearance of plagiarism or copyright violations. See Misplaced Pages:Copyrights.

Using reliable sources assures the reader that what is being presented meets the Misplaced Pages standards for verifiability and originality. Accurate citation allows the reader to go to those sources and gives appropriate credit to the author of the work.

If all the sources for a given statement or topic are of low reliability, the material may not be suitable for inclusion in Misplaced Pages.

Aspects of reliability

Scholarly and non-scholarly sources

Misplaced Pages welcomes material written by scientists, scholars, and researchers, particularly material published by peer-reviewed journals. However, these may be outdated by more recent research, or may be controversial in the sense that there are alternative scholarly and non-scholarly treatments. Misplaced Pages articles should therefore ideally rely on all majority and significant-minority treatments of a topic, scholarly and non-scholarly, so long as the sources are reliable.

Exceptional claims require exceptional sources

Shortcut See also: Misplaced Pages:Fringe theories

Certain red flags should prompt editors to examine the sources for a given claim.

  • Surprising or apparently important claims that are not widely known.
  • Surprising or apparently important reports of recent events not covered by reliable news media.
  • Reports of a statement by someone that seems out of character, embarrassing, controversial, or against an interest they had previously defended.
  • Claims not supported or claims that are contradicted by the prevailing view in the relevant academic community. Be particularly careful when proponents say there is a conspiracy to silence them.

Exceptional claims should be supported by multiple reliable sources, especially regarding scientific or medical topics, historical events, politically charged issues, and in biographies of living people.

Claims of consensus

Claims of consensus must be sourced. The claim that all or most scientists, scholars, or ministers hold a certain view requires a reliable source. Without it, opinions should be identified as those of particular, named sources.

Types of source material

See No original research: Primary, secondary, and tertiary sources

Biographies of living persons

See Misplaced Pages:Biographies of living persons

Self-published sources (online and paper)

See Verifiability: Self-published sources (online and paper)


Convenience links

See Misplaced Pages:Convenience links#Reliability

Examples of statistics, subjects, and online sources

See Misplaced Pages:Reliable sources/examples for examples of the use of statistical data, advice by subject area (including history, physical sciences, mathematics and medicine, law, Business and Commerce, popular culture and fiction), and the use of electronic or online sources.

Discuss specific examples

At Misplaced Pages:Reliable sources/Noticeboard.

See also

External links

Category: