User talk:Bookguy Odessa

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Happy editing! WikiDan61 ChatMe!ReadMe!! 19:17, 13 March 2023 (UTC)

Sources??
This is a huge change; you'll need to provide some reliable sources to back up that much new information. WikiDan61 ChatMe!ReadMe!! 19:17, 13 March 2023 (UTC)
 * Please explain what you mean by "reliable sources." That is, what constitutes a "reliable source"? Most of the details about scholarly work in the revised page are based on Rhina Toruño Haensly's professional vita. Much of the personal details are from a book published in El Salvador about prominent Salvadorans that includes an extended interview with her. Thanks in advance! Bookguy Odessa (talk) 19:35, 13 March 2023 (UTC)
 * I have linked you to Wikipedia's guidelines on reliable sources already (but for good measure: Reliable sources). By "Toruño Haensly's professional vita", I presume you mean her c.v.? A) You have not provided a link to that. B) Her own c.v. would not be considered a reliable source. As for the book published in El Salvador, it would be quite useful to provide information about that book (author, title, publisher, publication date, ISBN) so other can look it up to verify the content. Since the book is based mostly on a personal interview with her, it may not be considered a reliable source. We rely more on what others have said about a subject than on what the subject has said about themself. WikiDan61 ChatMe!ReadMe!! 20:03, 13 March 2023 (UTC)
 * Woah: in academics, a scholar/faculty member's curriculum vita is considered a "reliable source" for several reasons. (1) The factual information in it can be tracked down, e.g., citations to publications. (2) Claims about career accomplishments also can be easily checked, e.g., degrees awarded. (3) At a university, the vita is "fact checked" at several stages in the faculty member's career. In particular, when a faculty member goes up for promotion, colleagues on the tenure & review committee check claims and generally are familiar enough with that person's work that they can spot discrepancies. In annual reviews, claims for new accomplishments listed in a vita are scrutinized by administrators. (3) False claims in a faculty c.v. can lead to negative professional outcomes, e.g., a faculty member caught lying on his/her c.v. risks fewer (or no) pay increases and promotions.
 * I will add a link to the c.v. at the University's web site this week. But based on your comments, that won't really satisfy you.
 * In addition, your standard about relying on "what others have said about a subject" simply moves the fact checking one step farther out. A question to consider: how did the biographer get and verify the information? How do we know the sources are providing accurate information or, for that matter, telling the truth?
 * I will add the publication details about the collection of biographies of Salvadorans. Again, though, it appears that it will be difficult to satisfy your criteria for reliability. Bookguy Odessa (talk) 20:54, 13 March 2023 (UTC)
 * I didn't write the Wikipedia guidelines on reliable sources. If you disagree with them, you can try to convince other editors at Wikipedia talk:Reliable sources and see if you can get the guideline changed. WikiDan61 ChatMe!ReadMe!! 21:32, 13 March 2023 (UTC)
 * Thank you for the points that you brought to my attention. I will read the "Reliable sources" page carefully. I am collecting material and drawing up a list of people to interview for a book length biography that I plan to write about Rhina Toruño-Haensly. As I collect material, I will do my best to address the concerns that you raised and provide better documentation in this Wikipedia page. Bookguy Odessa (talk) 00:06, 14 March 2023 (UTC)