User talk:GardenSun

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Hello, GardenSun, and welcome to Wikipedia! Thank you for your contributions. I hope you like the place and decide to stay. Unfortunately, one or more of your edits have not conformed to Wikipedia's verifiability policy, and may be removed if they have not yet been. Wikipedia articles should refer only to facts and interpretations that have been stated in print or on reputable websites or other forms of media. Always remember to provide a reliable source for quotations and for any material that is likely to be challenged, or it may be removed. Wikipedia also has a related policy against including original research in articles. As well, all new biographies of living people must contain at least one reliable source.

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Edits to Joséphine de Beauharnais
Line by line comments:
 * Napoleon and Josephine, are one of the most famous couples, of all time. Their romance and love letters, ignited the Romantic movement, lasting from 1800-1850.  "My happiness consists in being near you.  Constantly does my memory renew your kisses, your tears, your aimable jealousy, and the charms of the incomparable Josephine kindle inscessntly a burning flame within my heart and throughout my senses." "You who alone can reign in my heart, you who know too well, undoubtably, the absolute empire you have over me." -Napoleon to Josephine

Nice passage, but where are the citations- "Napoleon and Jospehine, are one of the most famous couples, of all time" "ignited the Romantic movement"? You cited a letter, a source of the letter is needed. Furthermore, what does the passage from the letter actually to the topic of the paragraph or the overriding narrative of the article?


 * Many of his letters are still intact today, while very few of hers have been found; it is not known whether most were lost or that few existed to begin with.

A statement of fact with no references. Additionally this is really trivial relative to the entirety of the article.


 * Never entertain a doubt of the whole truth of my affection for you. It will continue as long as I exist." -Napoleon, 1810.

A reference for the source of this quotes is neded. Furthermore it interrupts the narrative of the paragraph and without context seems to contradicted paragraph subject (Josphine's affair).


 * As empress, Joséphine was popular, known for kindness and generosity to foundlings. "In repairing whatever these ruffians of Revolution labored to annihilate, I shall diffuse comfort around me, and the benedictions of the poor will afford me infinitely more pleasure than the feigned adulation of courtiers." -Josephine

Similar comments: where is the reference for the statement about her popularity and being known for kindness and generosity? How about a specific source for her quotation? Tacking on a quote on the end of the paragraph without context interrupts the article and does not really add anything.

I could go on with the rest of your edits if you want me to, but the comments would tend to be repetitive.

I should also note that uses of first party sources, such as letters an autobiographies are not the preferred source for encyclopedic material as these sources can be biased or can even violate thevWikipedia precept of no original research. They should be used only with caution.

Bottom line, is you facts and statements need to be supported by properly referenced, third party published material, sources of quotes need to be referenced, and the use of first part quotes should be kept to a minimum and only be carefully used as a last resort.

I recommend you peruse some of the Wikipedia articles on referencing, original research, and "what Wikipedia is not". Furthermore, might I suggest studying recent "Artices of the Day" for examples of good encyclopedic entries

Thanks for reading and I hope you will consider these points when further editing.Wkharrisjr (talk) 02:35, 30 July 2013 (UTC)