Talk:John S. Beckett

Untitled
According to a note at the end of the article, the content "is based on a transcription of an interview between Charles Gannon and John Beckett". There is no mention of this interview having been published. If it has, the source should be cited. If it has not, how can anyone verify that the information in the article is accurate?

The 'Assessment and character' section reads more like an appreciation than an encyclopedia article.

Jim Bruce (talk) 13:30, 20 November :2007 (UTC)


 * I will ask Charles to put the interview on the web, if he wants to make it public. I think he is writing something bigger about John. Andrew K Robinson (talk) 00:03, 21 November 2007 (UTC)


 * There is no doubt that the subject of the article is noteworthy. However, the relevant Wikipedia policy would need to be followed. "This policy does not prohibit editors with specialist knowledge from adding their knowledge to Wikipedia, but it does prohibit them from drawing on their personal knowledge without citing their sources. If an editor has published the results of his or her research in a reliable publication, the editor may cite that source while writing in the third person and complying with our NPOV policy." For instance, The Irish Times published a number of articles at the time of Beckett's death and these could be used as citations where they support any of the statements in the article. It is not that there is anything defamatory in the article, it is just that it is of limited use to researchers if they cannot verify the sources. Over the next week or so I will read through the articles in The Times and add citations where applicable. Jim Bruce (talk) 11:31, 21 November 2007 (UTC)

I have read the Wiki guidelines and see their point entirely. Accordingly I have removed two paragraphs from this part of the article that I had contributed from my own experience. Perhaps when Charles publishes his book we can put them back; or they can just remain out.Andrew K Robinson (talk) 13:33, 21 November 2007 (UTC)

I have added a list of published sources, most of which will verify what I have written; however there are some as yet unpublished sources (transcriptions of interviews) that I have been using as material for the writing of a biography of John Beckett. I intend to put these on the Internet as soon as I can. I have deleted the section that read like an appreciation. Charlesgannon (talk) 12:11, 26 November 2007 (UTC)

I have now added extra sources for the John Beckett article and have provided a link to a special page on my website listing additional sources that have not been published until now. Charlesgannon 10:13, 2 December 2007 (UTC)