User talk:RomeshD

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Insertion of references to Senani Ponnamperuma's book and to the Trishan Oz website
Hello. I note that most of your edits on Wikipedia have involved reference to, or addition of links to, the Ponnamperuma book about Sigiriya, and the website Trishan's Oz. These edits have raised a few issues. While we all try to assume good faith, it seems possible that you are effectively operating what is called a single purpose account, where someone comes on to WP with one intention, often involving the promotion of a product or publication. I am sure you believe these publications to be good, and they may well be - the website did win an award, for example, and presents very well. However, you may also have a conflict of interest - you may be involved with, or related to, the authors of that material.

Whether or not any of those things are the case, the basic problem is that I don't think the website meets our criteria for being a reliable source, and so should be removed. There is no proof of the origin of the content, no evidence that the creator of the site is a recognised content expert, and no evidence of peer review of the site's content. Having won an award for its presentation of information doesn't really overcome this, particularly not since that award is now fifteen years old.

The book is a self-published book. There are cases where a self-published book can meet the criteria for being reliable, but usually not. There is no evidence that its author is independently an expert on Sri Lankan history for example, which would get the source 'over the line'. As such, I think it too cannot be used.

I have raised this issue on the talk page at Sri Lanka and will do so at Great Barrier Reef. If you wish to cotnribute to discussion there, please do so. If you can present information to demonstrate how these works are of sufficiently high quality that they can be relied upon, please do. Regards, hamiltonstone (talk) 11:42, 26 March 2014 (UTC)