Talk:Public Interest Research Group/Archives/2020/March

COI editor requests info box updates
Hello, this is the first of a series of updates I would like to suggest to the PIRG article. I am editing in a COI on behalf of PIRG and so will use this template. I would like to add the names of PIRG’s leaders to the info box. I have included separate news sources for them, as well as the 2017 990 form filed with the government by US PIRG. The two leaders are listed on page 37 of that document.

The reason for adding these two names to the info box is to help readers quickly learn who currently leads the organization. I understand neither currently has a Wikipedia entry, and that is often the standard for including such people. However, in this case, both Park and Phelps have been with the organization for many years and are the "face" of US PIRG. Perhaps they should be added with brackets so that the volunteer community can consider writing articles about them. This is not something PIRG has asked me to do.

They are |key_people    = Faye Park (President) and I truly appreciate any feedback on my use of the template and any other aspects of this request. My goal is to improve this article so that it meets Wikipedia's highest standards. DanDavidCook (talk) 19:28, 29 February 2020 (UTC)
 * key_people    = Doug Phelps (Chairman)

Reply 29-FEB-2020
Regards, Spintendo  19:42, 29 February 2020 (UTC)
 * None of the provided references originate from the subject organization. As they employ their leadership, they are the final authority on who does what there. To that end, please provide references from the subject organization.


 * Thank you User:Spintendo for your quick reply! Is this an instance where it is appropriate to use a reference to the organization's website? Here is a link to US PIRG's About Us page with Phelps and Park listed:


 * https://uspirg.org/sites/pirg/files/usp-staff/index.html


 * Additionally, the 990 Form that I included in my original note is a form that the organization files annually with the federal government. The two leaders are listed there. For future work, is it appropriate to include such forms to substantiate a fact about an organization? Thanks again! DanDavidCook (talk) 20:28, 29 February 2020 (UTC)

New citations for Info box request
Hello, I would like to request that the names of US PIRG’s two longtime leaders, Doug Phelps and Faye Park, be added to the info box. I am editing in a COI on behalf of PIRG and, as per Wikipedia paid editing rules, I am requesting assistance with this edit.

The reason for adding these two names to the info box is to help readers quickly learn who currently leads the organization. I understand neither currently has a Wikipedia entry, and that is often the standard for including such people. However, in this case, both Park and Phelps have been with the organization for many years and are the "face" of US PIRG.

I have included links to the US PIRG website to substantiate their names and titles, as well as the 2017 990 form filed with the government by US PIRG. The two leaders are listed on page 7 of that document.

They are |key_people    = Faye Park (President)  and
 * key_people    = Doug Phelps (Chairman)

The sources to be cited for these requests are:

For Doug Phelps: https://uspirg.org/staff/xxp/douglas-h-phelps

For Faye Park: https://uspirg.org/staff/usp/faye-park

For both Park and Phelps: https://uspirg.org/sites/pirg/files/usp-staff/index.html

https://990s.foundationcenter.org/990_pdf_archive/042/042790740/042790740_201806_990O.pdf (Please see P. 7) Thank you for considering this request. DanDavidCook (talk) 17:34, 2 March 2020 (UTC)

Reply 2-MAR-2020
Spintendo 19:00, 2 March 2020 (UTC)


 * THANKS!! DanDavidCook (talk) 19:03, 2 March 2020 (UTC)

COI request to improve History section
Hello volunteer reviewers! My name is Dan Cook. I am being paid by USPIRG to improve the PIRG article and I need your feedback on and assistance with the proposed revisions. I would like to suggest revisions to the history section in this request.

The first request is to add information to the History section, which will also have the effect of moving information about bottle bill lobbying down in that section.

The reason for doing this is twofold: 1) to give more detail about the PIRG structural concept as outlined in the Nader book; and 2) to include facts of historical significance about the group’s organizational evolution that are grouped together in the section. This new information would help to clarify PIRG’s organizational development; the bottle bill information would then follow as an example of significant initiatives taken by PIRGs. I suggest that this revision will better reflect encyclopedic standards.

The relevant sources for the new information are included inline. New text is italicized.

Here is the current text and replacement text:

Thanks for considering this. As per your question about the OCLC, I did not find it listed there. Here is what the search of the website produced: https://www.oclc.org/en/search-results.html#q=Encyclopedia%20of%20Interest%20Groups%20and%20Lobbyists%20in%20the%20United%20States. Is there an alternative to OCLC? DanDavidCook (talk) 16:42, 5 March 2020 (UTC)

Reply 19-MAR-2020
Regards, Spintendo  21:34, 19 March 2020 (UTC)
 * Please provide Wikilinks for the organizations (and the book) mentioned in the request. As the request's prose describes the book's main argument, a Wikilink for the book should accompany it. The suggested prose is also not grammatical (e.g., "...in which they encouraged.." [past participle] and "...and advocates..." [present participle])
 * Please provide the for the Encyclopedia of Interest Groups.

Updated COI editor request for assistance
Hello User:Spintendo, this is Dan Cook. I am being paid by USPIRG to improve the PIRG article and I am responding to your feedback on the proposed revisions. I would like to resubmit the revisions to the history section, incorporating your feedback.

This request is to add information to the History section, which will also have the effect of moving information about bottle bill lobbying down in that section. My initial request left out a couple of sentences that are there now about formation of early PIRGs. In this request they are retained.

The reason for requesting these edits is twofold: 1) to give more detail about the PIRG structural/organizational concept as outlined in the Nader book; and 2) to include facts of historical significance about the group’s organizational evolution that are grouped together in the section. This new information would help to clarify PIRG’s organizational development; the bottle bill information would then follow as an example of significant initiatives taken by PIRGs. I suggest that this revision will better reflect encyclopedic standards.

The relevant sources for the new information are included inline. New text is boldfaced.

Here is the current text and replacement text:

Thanks for considering this. As per your question about the OCLC, I did not find the Encyclopedia of Interest Groups listed there. Here is what the search of the website produced: https://www.oclc.org/en/search-results.html#q=Encyclopedia%20of%20Interest%20Groups%20and%20Lobbyists%20in%20the%20United%20States. Is there an alternative to OCLC? DanDavidCook (talk) 16:42, 5 March 2020 (UTC)