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Evaluating sources refers to the use of sources in Misplaced Pages, based on the distinctions between primary, secondary, and tertiary sources, and how these are affected when used within the context of relevant content policies and specific topics.

Appropriate sourcing is a complicated issue, and these are general rules. The decision as to what type of sources are more suitable on any given situation is a matter of common sense, good editorial judgment, and context, and should be discussed on individual article talk pages to achieve consensus among the involved editors. In cases where a consensus is not forthcoming, it may be helpful to seek some assistance in reaching an agreement.

Definitions

Primary, secondary, and tertiary sources

Sources may be divided into three basic categories of how they relate to the subject being written about. For the purposes of Misplaced Pages content policies and guidelines, primary, secondary and tertiary sources are broadly defined as follows:

• Primary sources are original works, collected data, and evidence. This includes sources that are very close to the origin of a particular topic. Depending on the field, this can range from speeches, manuscripts, films, witness reports, and even artifacts. Primary sources also include data that is originally published in scholarly journals, such as laboratory studies.

• Secondary sources are reports that draw on research and other references to make interpretive, analytical, or synthesized claims, or create a general overview. This includes books and articles that examine primary sources, and technical encyclopedias and dictionaries that compile scholarly essays.

• Tertiary sources are books and articles that synthesize secondary sources. This includes publications such as general encyclopedias or other compendia; introductory textbooks may also be considered tertiary to the extent they sum up widely accepted results of large amounts of primary and secondary sources.

Examples

Examples of primary sources include archeological artifacts; photographs; historical documents such as diaries, census results, video or transcripts of surveillance, public hearings, trials, or interviews; tabulated results of surveys or questionnaires; written or recorded notes of laboratory and field research, experiments or observations, published experimental results by the person(s) actually involved in the research; original philosophical works, religious scripture, administrative documents, and artistic and fictional works such as poems, scripts, screenplays, novels, motion pictures, videos, and television programs.

Examples of secondary sources include ....

Examples of tertiary sources include

Implications

The following section provides guidance on the use of sources as it applies to specific content policies.

Neutral point of view

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Secondary sources are usually preferable because they generally provide analysis and a broader context for the subject, and usually offer a more independent view. However, they can be biased by the views of their author(s) and/or publisher, so caution is required to preserve the neutral point of view. Care should also be taken to avoid undue weight and ensure the information cited is used in context.

No original research

All sources should be used in a way that does not give rise to new analysis, syntheses or original conclusions that are not verifiable. Where interpretive claims, analysis, or synthetic claims are included in Misplaced Pages articles, use appropriate sources rather than original analysis by Misplaced Pages editors.

Primary sources that have been published by a reliable source may be used in Misplaced Pages, but only with care, because it is easy to misuse them. For that reason, anyone—without specialist knowledge—who reads the primary source should be able to verify that the Misplaced Pages passage agrees with the primary source.

Any interpretation of primary source material requires a reliable secondary source for that interpretation. To the extent that an article or particular part of an article relies on a primary source, that part of the article should:

• only make descriptive claims about the information found in the primary source, the accuracy and applicability of which is easily verifiable by any reasonable, educated person without specialist knowledge, and
• make no analytic, synthetic, interpretive, explanatory, or evaluative claims about the information found in the primary source.

Drawing conclusions not evident in the reference used, is original research regardless of the type of source. It is important that references are cited in context and on topic.

Tertiary sources can be useful in providing context and avoiding original research in topics where there exist very large amounts of primary and/or secondary sources.

Verifiability

Information in an article must be verifiable in the references cited. Article statements generally should not rely on unclear or inconsistent passages, nor on passing comments. Passages open to interpretation should be precisely cited or avoided. A summary of extensive discussion should reflect the conclusions of the source's author(s).

Biographies of living persons

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Material about living persons must be sourced very carefully. Without reliable secondary sources, it will violate the No original research and Verifiability policies. Material about living persons available solely in primary sources, in questionable sources, or sources of dubious value should be handled with caution, and, if derogatory, should not be used at all in biographies of living people, either as sources or via external links.

Notability

TBD

Applications of source typing

In literature, arts, and history

In mathematics

In political topics

In religion

References

1. Various professional fields treat the distinction between primary and secondary sources in differing fashions. Some fields and references also further distinguish between secondary and tertiary sources. Primary, secondary and tertiary sources are broadly defined here for the purposes of Misplaced Pages.
2. ^ Turabian, Kate L (2007). A Manual for Writers of Research Papers, Theses, and Dissertations. The University of Chicago Press. pp. 25–27. ISBN 0226823377. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
3. Borough of Manhattan Commmunity College, A. Philip Randolph Memorial Library, "Research Help:Primary vs. Secondary Sources" notes that a secondary source "analyzes and interprets primary sources", is a "second-hand account of an historical event" or "interprets creative work". It also states that a secondary source "analyzes and interprets research results" or "analyzes and interprets scientific discoveries".
4. The National History Day website states simply that: "Secondary sources are works of synthesis and interpretation based upon primary sources and the work of other authors."
5. Booth, Wayne C. (2003). The Craft of Research. The University of Chicago Press. p. 76. ISBN 0226065685. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
6. Definitions of primary sources:
   • The University of Nevada, Reno Libraries define primary sources as providing "an inside view of a particular event." They offer as examples: original documents, such as autobiographies, diaries, e-mail, interviews, letters, minutes, news film footage, official records, photographs, raw research data, and speeches; creative works, such as art, drama, films, music, novels, poetry; and relics or artifacts, such as buildings, clothing, DNA, furniture, jewelry, pottery.
   • The University of California, Berkeley library offers this definition: "Primary sources enable the researcher to get as close as possible to what actually happened during an historical event or time period. Primary sources were either created during the time period being studied, or were created at a later date by a participant in the events being studied (as in the case of memoirs) and they reflect the individual viewpoint of a participant or observer."