Wikipedia talk:Reliable sources/Archive 58

Phone conversations as reliable sources
I ran across the Frank Stanford in which numerous phone conversations are cited as sources for a great deal of information in the article. I started to remove the cites for phone conversations (I haven't removed the actual info that was relying on those "sources", yet), but it turns out there's a lot of them, and I came here to see if this issue has been raised before. My gut feeling is that it should probably all go, as none of it is verifiable, but I wanted to ask for other opinions first. Rockypedia (talk) 15:14, 8 December 2017 (UTC)
 * Your instinct is correct. Sources have to be published and fixed so that others can go verify the content from them. A phone conversation is none of those things. Jytdog (talk) 15:16, 8 December 2017 (UTC)
 * Though I would say that reliable sources that themselves use phone or email conversations should be fine. The source's reliable vouches for the content they publish. We as WP editors cannot use these ourselves. --M asem (t) 15:20, 8 December 2017 (UTC)
 * Let me suggest a further nuance. When an interview is published in a reliable source, we can use it here. The reliability of the source verifies that the interview was real and that the published interview is an accurate representation of what was actually said. The reliability of the source does not, however, verify the truth and accuracy of what was said by the person interviewed but only that he or she said it. Thus what is said in the interview must be regarded as a PRIMARY source, and thus subject to the strict restrictions under PRIMARY about avoiding analysis, evaluation, interpretation, or synthesis of what was said, made even stronger by the "extreme caution" and other restrictions under WP:BLPPRIMARY if BLP is applicable. Within these restraints, a phone call is no different than an interview. Best regards, TransporterMan  ( TALK ) 16:22, 8 December 2017 (UTC)
 * IF the phone call was recorded (or transcripted), AND that recording (or transcript) is made available to the public by a reliable source, THEN we can say it is similar to a published interview, and deem it a reliable primary source (with all the restrictions that apply). But a phone conversation between the subject and a Wikipedian... no. Blueboar (talk) 16:35, 8 December 2017 (UTC)
 * Wholly agreed; the call or interview has to be reliably published. My comments were building on Jytdog's and Masem's. Best regards, TransporterMan  ( TALK ) 18:58, 8 December 2017 (UTC)


 * The phone call ref was like this and simply recounts the phone call. Absolutely not OK. Ref.
 * I am more curious about whether these two refs are OK: Refs.  Hm... these also seem to be recounting phone calls but the records are apparently there to be verified.

-- Jytdog (talk) 16:47, 8 December 2017 (UTC)
 * Hmm... I would be inclined to accept this... while the editor may have communicated by phone, there is an independent researcher behind the information. In each case, the actual “source” seems to be attendance records that were pulled from a file by an employee of the institution (someone in the school’s registrar’s office). Presumably, any one wishing to verify the information could go to the registrar’s office and see for themselves that the records contain what we say they contain. This seems more like a “rare document” situation than an “interview” situation.  Perhaps the citation needs rewording? Blueboar (talk) 18:33, 8 December 2017 (UTC)
 * Yeah i left it for now. my feeling is the same. Jytdog (talk) 19:01, 8 December 2017 (UTC)


 * i looked at this more closely. edit notes like this Many more changes made. Talked to Willett by phone and Linda by phone (twice), confirmed details with the Northwest Film Center as well as U. of A. Special Collections, etc. virgil.trevor@gmail.com and this Many more changes made. Confirmed U. of A. student details extensively, talked to Stokesbury (and many uncited contemporaries), corresponded with Ginny, etc. virgil.trevor@gmail.com


 * Two poems are included in the article as it stands now and there have been as many as three (e.g here). The footnote on one currently says "reprinted here with permission from C. D. Wright, rights holder" and on the other, "reprinted here with permission from Ginny Stanford, rights holder.".


 * The minnow poem was added in this diff. The claim of a right to publish it in WP is in this edit note, and the claim of permission was added to the footnote here


 * another poem was added here and the right to publish it in WP was claimed in this edit note. that claim of permission was added to the footnote here


 * So that kind of stuff has gone on. That was all done away back in 2008. Jytdog (talk) 20:40, 8 December 2017 (UTC)

Understanding of WP:USERG at a film article
We need opinions from editors at Talk:Star Wars: The Last Jedi since there are different interpretations of WP:USERG being argued there. A permalink for the discussion is [https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Talk:Star_Wars:_The_Last_Jedi&oldid=816343103#Should_we_include_an_Audience_response_section? here]. Flyer22 Reborn (talk) 19:24, 20 December 2017 (UTC)
 * I've seen this issue pop up before at a few other pages. In each case, it's ended up not being included (though I personally disagree with that). ᛗᛁᛟᛚᚾᛁᚱPants   Tell me all about it.  16:31, 21 December 2017 (UTC)

Should content from predatory OA journals be removed on sight as always unreliable?
This question has been raised at Talk:Superstition in Turkey. WP:RS mentions POAJ twice but is not clear whether all of this content should be removed on sight as 100% unreliable or we should just be cautious with it and deal with it on case by case basis. RS also cautions about blogs or random external links, but our practice has always been to deal with them on case by case basis - see who's the author, whether there are controversial claims (for which higher sourcing standards are required, etc). How should we treat stuff from POAJ? Frankly, I don't think they should be removed on sight because while they don't have proper peer review and hence are essentially self-published, but as our policy notes "Self-published material may sometimes be acceptable when its author is an established expert whose work in the relevant field has been published by reliable third-party publications. Such material, although written by an established author, likely lacks the fact checking that publishers provide. Avoid using them to source extraordinary claims." Given that a lot of articles on POAJ are published by academics (not particularly good ones, but academics nonetheless, hence 'experts'), I think they should not be removed on sight unless they are used to source said extraordinary claims. If someone wants to remove them and the content sourced to them, they should make a case on talk pointing out errors or other problems with the source, and just saying 'content has been removed because it was sourced to a POAJ', particularly where such content does not appear controversial or extraordinary, is insufficient. Thoughts? --Piotr Konieczny aka Prokonsul Piotrus&#124; reply here 10:11, 21 December 2017 (UTC)


 * Nearly always, yes. The only reason I would accept a predatory journal is if an expert got swindled into publishing into one and the expert is normally reliable. And would only accept it for basic facts not new claims. Or accept as a primary source to back up the claims made by the journal in disputes about the journal, or in a discussion of junk/predatory science. Headbomb {t · c · p · b} 12:54, 21 December 2017 (UTC)
 * I think Headbomb put it well. The material that the POAJ cite supports also should be removed, unless it is wholly noncontroversial. Shock Brigade Harvester Boris (talk) 15:54, 21 December 2017 (UTC)
 * There's also the fact that if it's a basic fact, it shouldn't be too hard to find better sources either. Headbomb {t · c · p · b} 15:56, 21 December 2017 (UTC)
 * I agree with Headbomb here. There is also the question of our rewarding unethical publishing practices: If we use a POAJ as a reference, we are granting them some measure of legitimacy and, essentially, advertising for them.  We feed into their business model.  This isn't a concern when we cite, e.g., a scientist's blog as a source for "expert opinion". XOR&#39;easter (talk) 17:03, 21 December 2017 (UTC)


 * nearly always yes. predatory publishers, by definition, have poor editorial peer review and editorial practices, so things they publish are unreliable. So yes we remove them because a) we aim for high quality, always, and b) we are especially vulnerable to these unreliable refs being used, since (i) we have a preference for OA refs and these are of course are OA, and (ii) way too many lazy editors, especially student editors, don't evaluate sources and grab this-thing-that-is-online and use it and "hey all the better if it looks like a valid journal".  We have to be vigilant not to assist these scammers by becoming an engine for referrals, which we could very easily become. I am very grateful to Guy for his labor in searching for these and removing them - we all should be. Jytdog (talk) 17:45, 21 December 2017 (UTC)


 * I agree with Jytdog, XOR'easter, and Headbomb. Content based solely on what is published in a predatory journal shouldn't be acceptable Wikipedia content.  Asking someone to establish the case that there are errors in the content before removing it, as Piotrus has suggested above, is completely the wrong way of going about it and is at odds with WP:V.  -- Ed (Edgar181) 19:42, 21 December 2017 (UTC)


 * Case study with the case which prompted the discussion. The POAJ article in question is an extremely naive work by a nobody student. It does have the basic facts straight, because the author cites them from reliable sources rather than from her own research. Which actually confirms the point expressed above: if something is worth citing from a POAJ, then it should be available from good sources. Staszek Lem (talk) 22:26, 21 December 2017 (UTC)
 * This does seem like a reasonable suggestion that could be added to our article: avoid citing from POAJ, but check their sources, and consider looking them up and using them instead. --Piotr Konieczny aka Prokonsul Piotrus&#124; reply here 13:07, 24 December 2017 (UTC)

YouTube as references/sources for official music videos
For a musical artist's videography article, can we use official music videos YouTube links as the references? I saw Taylor Swift videography article does that (which is a featured article), so just want to double check to be sure. Do YT official links constitute a primary source? Does Wikipedia have a preference for a secondary sources or are YT links fine (for music videos)? Thank you!!!--TerryAlex (talk) 20:17, 1 January 2018 (UTC)

Ray Thomas cause of death
Can this post on Facebook, by his wife Lee, be used as a source in his article? Thanks. Martinevans123 (talk) 21:31, 13 January 2018 (UTC)
 * Any proof it is actually wife behind the account? But either way sorry for her loss. --Emir of Wikipedia (talk) 21:41, 13 January 2018 (UTC)
 * I have no idea how proves that a particular named user is "behind" the name on any Facebook account. And, even if I did, I suspect that would be WP:OR. Martinevans123 (talk) 22:33, 13 January 2018 (UTC)
 * Then it fails criteria 4 of WP:SOCIALMEDIA. --Emir of Wikipedia (talk) 23:07, 13 January 2018 (UTC)


 * Use this, instead. In general, when low-quality sources can have their accuracy confirmed by reference to high-quality sources, it's best to just use the high quality source. ᛗᛁᛟᛚᚾᛁᚱPants   Tell me all about it.  18:37, 15 January 2018 (UTC)
 * Sorry, I should have been clearer. His wife has posted on her Facebook page that Ray died of "a massive heart attack". Officially no cause of death has been stated. That link from The New York Times very clearly illustrates the problem that multiple media reports have caused. Thanks. Martinevans123 (talk) 18:55, 15 January 2018 (UTC)
 * Okay, well normally if the account is associated with him or his wife, I would take it as an acceptable assumption that his wife or a close family member was behind the posting. But that's still a primary source, and (though I'm not suggesting this is the case here), causes of death can be touchy subjects that primary sources close to the deceased might have cause to lie about. So I wouldn't use such a primary source for anything except very uncontroversial statements that can't be sourced elsewhere. ᛗᛁᛟᛚᚾᛁᚱPants   Tell me all about it.  18:59, 15 January 2018 (UTC)
 * Yes. So it looks unlikely that we'd be able to use it here, I think. Martinevans123 (talk) 19:10, 15 January 2018 (UTC)
 * Unusable per above: given no one else has even re-reported the wife's claim, keep it to what the NYTimes says: No reason given though known to have been suffering from cancer. --M asem  (t) 19:16, 15 January 2018 (UTC)
 * Yes, he spoke out very publicly about his prostate cancer. So that is covered quite prominently in the article. But obviously we can't put anything in the way of infobox "cause of death" or Categories. I think the media reports were part of the reason why his wife Lee felt so upset - his message was that the disease could be fought, as he himself had shown for over four years. Martinevans123 (talk) 19:24, 15 January 2018 (UTC)

News organizations
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Identifying_reliable_sources#News_organizations

I notice that "editorial oversight" or "editorial control" is mentioned elsewhere, but here, in this section, where, it would seem, it would be most relevant.

I would also like to see more guidance about how to evaluate non mainstream news sources. Benjamin (talk) 15:04, 11 December 2017 (UTC)

Don't archive this yet. Benjamin (talk) 04:39, 22 January 2018 (UTC)

YouTube
If a notable figure says something, why is it considered more reliable if a newspaper quotes him than he appears in a YouTube video saying it? A newspaper might misquote him, or quote him out of context, but a video is extremely hard to alter, especially if it's livestreamed, for example, or from the figure's own account? (I think this has been brought up before?) Benjamin (talk) 05:00, 22 January 2018 (UTC)
 * You have to keep in mind copyright violations when using YouTube videos. Emir of Wikipedia (talk) 10:21, 22 January 2018 (UTC)
 * Besides that? Benjamin (talk) 10:38, 22 January 2018 (UTC)
 * Depends on the publisher. If it's a news network or any other source with a reputation for fact-checking and accuracy, it's fine. A publication's reputation is established through other published works about that publication. Generally there is no problem citing YouTube videos unless original research or fringe views or isolated studies are involved. Bright☀ 12:10, 22 January 2018 (UTC)


 * As someone who has worked in video and photographic forensics, let me assure you that a video is not necessarily hard to alter to change someone's words or actions. It sometimes takes a certain level of skill, but said skill is rather easily acquired through practice, and the actual work of making such edits ranges from difficult-but-doable-for-a-professional to a-child-could-do-it. Producing a video that says the exact opposite of what the filmed subject actually said and which could fool the average person completely can and has been done by literal children with little to no experience.
 * That being said, video altered in that way is actually extremely uncommon, because a decent professional can usually spot the signs of editing and expose it as a fake. So it's actually perfectly acceptable to cite a YouTube video of person X making claim Y to support the statement that person X said Y in a youtube video. The problem is that such videos are primary sources. So we can make the edit I just described, but we can't use that source to say Y in wikivoice, except in very rare cases.
 * But to directly answer your question: Because of the reporter/interviewer and editor. Both of them can add tremendously to it; they can fact check Y, add contextual information that X may not have mentioned, correct misstatements that X might have made in saying Y that imply something which X absolutely did not intend, add information (such as caveats or pertinent details) given after the fact by X, etc, etc, etc.
 * Basically, it's the difference between a published newspaper article and a person telling you about the accident they saw. ᛗᛁᛟᛚᚾᛁᚱPants   Tell me all about it.  14:08, 22 January 2018 (UTC)

Producers blog and associated document on The Thing (1982 film)
Bizarrely there aren't a lot of sources for detailed info on this film but I've come across the below blog and associated document that go into amazing levels of detail on the behind the scenes goings on. Can anyone weigh in on your opinion as I really love the info there but I don't want to put it into the article if it's just gonna get knocked back at a GA or FA nomination. Thanks. Darkwarriorblake / SEXY ACTION TALK PAGE! 21:34, 28 January 2018 (UTC)
 * http://theoriginalfan.blogspot.co.uk/
 * https://www.dropbox.com/s/8vq99ed4gwmdb7a/The%20Making%20of%20The%20Thing.pdf?dl=0
 * "This page is for discussions about the Identifying reliable sources guideline. For questions about the reliability of specific sources, see Wikipedia:Reliable sources/Noticeboard." --Emir of Wikipedia (talk) 21:38, 28 January 2018 (UTC)

Vanessa Otero's chart
Since people who are interested in the subject of reliable sources tend to flock here, I'm just placing this here for your enjoyment.

This popular chart, created by patent attorney Vanessa Otero, is very carefully researched. Yes, it's not a RS here....yet, but it's the best I know of.


 * "How does your favorite news source rate on the 'truthiness' scale? Consult this chart" is a short article about the chart.

Since then she has created an even better version. Her article about it is located here:


 * The Chart, Version 3.0: What, Exactly, Are We Reading?

Although it's possible for a source to be fairly partisan and still factually accurate, there comes a point at which partisanship and spin begins to twist and distort facts. The chart shows the intricate relationship between opinions and facts, and how partisanship affects them.

The more one allows opinions to dominate facts, the further away from the purely-factual center and the raw-news-reporting top one moves. That's why Fox News rates both low and extreme. Even sources like CNN, where analysis isn't as high as some others, still remains fairly close to center. Note the colored boxes. Have fun exploring this. -- BullRangifer (talk) PingMe 06:08, 20 February 2018 (UTC)

Validity of Internet Forums
This plea was submitted to the help desk, however I think it is also relevant here as it is a relevant case for questioning the validity of internet forums as a source of information: Hello all,

The article Geoff Green was denied today as it lacked reliable sources. At this point of time, I would simply ask Wikipedia to reconsider their position that references relating to the source, phogue.net as being unreliable. Phogue.net is a very critical source and important in creating the article's notability beyond being a simple eSports gamer. Firstly, I would like to say that phogue.net is a primary source that is directly relevant to Green's achievements. This source can be verified by cross-referencing to the other sources provided in the original article.

My case in defending this source's validity is based on the accountability that is provided on the website. This isn't a simple opinionated blog, it was a hub for everything concerning the official Procon product. I would like to point out that over 1087 pages of users who have registered with the website. This is a demonstration of the interest surrounding Green's business. I would like to point out that all the sources I provided from this website were directly relevant and were the source of official news for this product. Green's announcements only ever specifically focused on providing updates to his consumer base regarding his product's releases or updates on the development of the product. Considering for his niche market within the community of the Frostbite engine he was extremely notable. Based on his success of Procon, he was the subject of an interview within the Battlefield Communities (sourced). I also have demonstrated his product being recommended externally on Cybergamer, Australia's leading eSports organisation since 2007.

When concerning the article that is being created, he was a notable public figure to both software developers and consumers within the Frostbite community. His success was determined by what is a marketing piece, not an opinion piece for his product. It is also important to note, that users have the ability to discuss directly with the developers as either commenting on the news articles or posting on the forums.

This leads me to my next point. Currently, Wikipedia doesn't seem to want to recognise an internet forum as a legitimate source of credible material. However, I disagree with this assertion. Both eSports and eCommerce are a growing field which are rapidly integrating various technological elements. This is no doubt evident by phogue.net to whom is difficult to classify as it has integrated various referential material into a single source. I am a supporter of the idea that an internet forum has the same sort of legitimacy as either a video or an audio recording, however it being only in virtual reality. The only difficulty in its validity is it can be difficult to establish the true identity of whom the users involved in the discussion.

However if sufficient evidence is demonstrated between a link with a forum user and a real life individual (to which I think I have a very strong case between the link of Geoff Green and the pseudonym, Phogue) then I cannot see any reason why internet forums should not be considered a valid source. Especially since it was the hub for which a business owner could have a public and direct conversation with their consumer base. In fact, if it is possible to establish a link between a pseudonym and a real life individual, then I am of the opinion that internet forums should be classified as an incredibly reliable source of information.

Thankyou for reading and I eagerly await your response.

EyesoftheFlash (talk) 13:10, 19 March 2018 (UTC)


 * Video and audio recordings are often not a terribly reliable source, in that they depend on the interpretation of individual editors to describe what is being seen or heard, and we would normally defer to secondary sources who themselves summarize what is happening in the primary source of the recording.
 * Internet forums are not a reliable source because no one exercises editorial control over the content, in a way which ensures a sustained history of fact checking and accuracy. Anyone can post anything there, and then claim their own post as the source for the content. As with video or audio, if the content of an internet forum is itself examined, and then published about by a reliable secondary source, then we may use the content of that publication as a source for information about the forum or related topics, because it has been vetted and fact checked by the secondary source, and found to meet their standards for accuracy and relevancy.  G M G  talk   13:20, 19 March 2018 (UTC)


 * EyesoftheFlash makes the point that an internet forum can be reliable if the link between the user name in the forum and the real person can be firmly established. However, read WP:RSPRIMARY, WP:SELFPUB and Notability (people). Forum posts would usually be primary sources and self-published sources, so the situations in which they could be cited in Wikipedia are limited. Also, secondary sources are required to establish that a person is notable enough for Wikipedia to have an article about the person. Jc3s5h (talk) 13:56, 19 March 2018 (UTC)

Thankyou for the responses. Firstly I would like to say that most forums do have regulation as they usually overseen by an administrator or a moderator whom ensure the conversation doesn't breach the rules or guidelines of the forum. Secondly, forums are usually sectioned off into discussion boards to ensure that the threads that are created remain relevant to a specific topic or train of thought. I can see the point about primary sources, my article had an over-reliance on a single primary source which is probably why it was rejected. However I still think that the internet Forums can help redeem the article and the source.

I'll make mention of the concept of integration which is rapidly increasing in most modern technologies. An internet forum would be both a primary and secondary source. The primary source would of course be the individual of whom the topic is being directly referred. However, every other post that is not posted by the primary source would be a secondary source. Now I completely understand that interpretation could really harm certain threads validity. Particularly if a user posts opinions that are vague or are too opinionated (blogging). What truely regulates a thread topic is how relevant the posts are to reacting what is in the original topic.

For sure, some threads wouldn't be relevant. Blogging threads like, for example a thread that's titled 'Who's better, Obama or Trump?'. However for example in my case, I am attempting to publish an article about a software developer. If this developer posts a thread that is asking about something that is directly relevant to his notability such as a thread titled 'New Release. Post here for known bugs' is more valid. The secondary sources will thereafter directly respond to what the primary source has posted. Thereafter if the secondary sources all are reliably consistent in their responses ( such as known bugs ) which are then cross-referenced by the primary source, this in my opinion enhances validity. Of course, it will be very difficult or nearly impossible to validate the real life personas in most cases for the secondary sources, however it is my opinion that in this case it is more important about what is said rather than who said it.

Certainly when using an internet forum, its information and how it is used on Wikipedia should be very closely scrutinized. However, I certainly think that given the context and how the forum source has been utilised, then under certain situations a forum thread can be classified as a credible source.

Regards,

EyesoftheFlash (talk) 15:06, 19 March 2018 (UTC)


 * That's... not what "secondary source" means. Citing a discussion on an internet forum is no different for our purposes than citing mail correspondence your grandmother wrote, that you found in a box in the attic. One is in your attic, and the other is online, but they're both essentially just personal correspondence, and they're both primary sources regardless of how many people are involved in the exchange. Neither contributes to notability regardless of how much personal correspondence you can unearth.  G M G  talk   15:11, 19 March 2018 (UTC)

Its contextual and adaptable. If I was making an article about the product, then the whole thread 'New Release. Post here for known bugs' would be a primary source. However, if I was looking for a reference specifically for an individual then they are the author and creator of their own user profile. They therefore have direct control over their own profile and are the primary source. So for example, you could make an official announcement or declaration of the topic to which that user controls, however what that user does not control is the reaction or the authorship of the other individuals who comment in the topic. Forums are an active source of influence.

For example, a secondary source could start a forum thread discussing a particular user's (primary source) skill in-game (eSports reference here). A number of secondary sources could be discussing the skill of the individual who is considered the primary source. The primary source is not responsible for controlling what others have said (or haven't said).

EyesoftheFlash (talk) 15:45, 19 March 2018 (UTC)
 * Summary of the above replies you got, adding mine to it, is that your suggestion to change guidelines is not accepted, for the reasons given. As a request to vet the sources proposed for Draft: Geoff Green according to current guidance, this isn't the place for it: WP:RSN is. Nonetheless, the sources are rejected as not contributing to establishing notability of the article subject and as too unreliable to base Wikipedia content on them. On this basis the draft should be either shredded, or if they want to give you another chance at AfC, be rebuilt on a totally different basis. RSN would not normally yield a different result: going there may likely precipitate the abortion of the draft. Sorry for not being able to bring you more joyful news: forum post in the sense you describe them above are always primary sources, and generally unreliable, in Wikipedia context. --Francis Schonken (talk) 16:04, 19 March 2018 (UTC)
 * In the case of something like a verified official Twitter account, we can and do use things like that for mundane personal details, things like what town someone's from or what college they went to. But it doesn't contribute to notability, since anyone can register a Twitter account.
 * Other than that, you're still confusing the meaning of primary and secondary sources. An internet forum, regardless of how many people participate in a thread, is still a primary source. A secondary source would be something like this Washington Post story, talking about Reddit, which is itself an internet forum.  G M G  talk   16:05, 19 March 2018 (UTC)

Okay, heading off to bed after this one.

If you read my information more carefully you will have noticed, I was referring to this talk page as an example for how internet forums could be used. I plan to rewrite that article a few more times before I give up on it. I am bringing up this topic to give a better chance for internet forums to be accepted as reliable pieces of information. There is a reason why I submitted this article in both the help desk and in this topic. My topic of expertise is eSports to which is a growing field that Wikipedia in its current state has limited knowledge. Its history is incredibly chaotic and is very hard to present on Wikipedia as reliable evidence.

People are starting to build the history of eSports ever since it began to take off internationally only a few years ago. However much of its early history is incredibly grey, chaotic and is very difficult to form a clear picture. Being able to build a history of what is happening in the realm of eSports is largely only possible through internet forums. You mentioned in Wikipedia context, the current definition of a primary source, although due to integration I personally now think that term is disputable. If we run with the current definition then the forum is a primary source and should not be used as it is not reliable. However lets say there is a scenario where a secondary source wishes to discuss a notable event that occurred on an online forum. They make an article discussing the primary source, however in doing so that article is less reliable, even if it is a well reputed source, because it is not the direct primary source. Internet forums are very easily accessed primary sources and can in circumstances be grounds for demonstrating how one became actively notable.

For Wikipedia, I am primarily focussing on eSports. In my field, I guarantee most eSports players began their careers on forums. Particularly the earlier generations. Furthermore this could extend to programmers ( the subject of my article is both notable as an esports gamer and programmer ). Lets think about the context instead of an individual. What if you could find some groundbreaking software designer's old forum profile and you could actively see through the forum posts as to how he / her met fellow individuals and their interactions that potentially helped build for success. That is certainly grounds for notability. It would be less reliable evidence if you went through some news article as a source when you could just get the direct forum post.

Regards and good night,

EyesoftheFlash (talk) 16:48, 19 March 2018 (UTC)


 * If the content of the forum is covered in a secondary source, is it more reliable, and not less. This is because the person who is writing for that secondary source, writes for a living and writes for an institution that exercises editorial oversight over what they produce. You and I do not, and that is why we use their research, and not ours.  G M G  talk   16:54, 19 March 2018 (UTC)

Quite frankly that's absolutely ridiculous. That just demonstrates deficiency in Wikipedia's reliability and validity methods if that is truly the case. Primary sources are always the most valid and reliable. You learn this stuff at your high school library...

Wikipedia is a public source to which is perfectly capable of establishing its own accountability methods (and has done so), you basically mention that Wikipedia should rely on other's validity and reliability methods when it has its own? If that is the case, then every time we use a secondary source, Wikipedia has to ensure that it complies with their validity and reliability methods rather than its own...

Oh and I did lay down in bed. Does that count as going to bed?

EyesoftheFlash (talk) 18:54, 19 March 2018 (UTC)


 * Relying on other's validity and reliability methods is Wikipedia's validity and reliability method. And yes, every time we use a source we need to verify their reliability. You may think that is ridiculous, and that's perfectly fine. That doesn't change the fact that we are not publishers of original research, and primary sources are the lowest form of sources, and can only be used sparingly if at all on Wikipedia.  G M G  talk   18:58, 19 March 2018 (UTC)

Hello Wikipedia,

You see this article?

Sigmund Freud.

Check the sources, you'll find nearly the entire page is comprised of entirely primary sources. This is not reliable information and you should probably delete this entire page.

Maybe you should get some new policies...???

EyesoftheFlash (talk) 19:31, 19 March 2018 (UTC)
 * No, it looks like most of those are books, about 70 of them. Another at least 20 or so seem to be peer reviewed scholarly publications.  G M G  talk   19:43, 19 March 2018 (UTC)

Yeah. If they have original information. Its a primary source. EyesoftheFlash (talk) 19:45, 19 March 2018 (UTC)
 * Have you actually read Identifying reliable sources before coming here to complain about the policy?  G M G  talk   19:46, 19 March 2018 (UTC)

You can't argue your way out of this one. EyesoftheFlash (talk) 19:50, 19 March 2018 (UTC)
 * So no. Here's the down and dirty. Web forums are not a reliable source, period. We're not changing that for your article. You need to go and take the time to read the actual definitions of primary and secondary sources. Then you should find some secondary sources for your draft. If they do not exist, then the subject is likely non-notable, and an article will have to wait until these types of sources do exist.
 * If you want be a detective and scour internet forums to find out the "real story" so you can write about it, the appropriate place to do that would be in a blog, or a related industry publication. If you want to use high quality sources to help build the most valuable resource for access to free knowledge in the history of our species, the appropriate place to do that is Wikipedia.  G M G  talk   19:58, 19 March 2018 (UTC)
 * I agree with GMG. There are zillions of reliable secondary sources out there, and if they all seem to be avoiding topic XYZ that's a good reason for Wikipedia to avoid it. The news these days is full of manipulated  fake news--the Russians have spent lots of rubles (and dollars) with hundreds of programmers to influence political attitudes in Europe and the USA, for example. It's a dangerous world and Wiki needs to keep very high standards so that we will be trusted more. Rjensen (talk) 20:08, 19 March 2018 (UTC)
 * Yep GMG is getting it correct. EyesoftheFlash we all understand that there are internet communities out there and people in them get information that is important to them from whatever chat forum they have picked, whether that is a company website or something like a reddit subpage.  That is where you are coming from, clearly.  But Wikipedia is not part of the blogosphere or an extension of those kinds of chat forums.  WP is on the internet and is open to all comers, but part of coming here means actually reading our manual. A lot of stuff here doesn't make sense at first, but the policies and guidelines were built by this community over the past 16 or 17 years (!) to make this place possible - on the internet, open to anyone, editing pseudonomously if they wish.  High quality independent sources are the basis for everything there.   Think about some group you really don't like, and think about the internet forum where they gather.  Do you want them to be able to come here and source stuff about their heros using stuff from their forums?  That would be a nightmare for you I am sure, and you would want to bring content from some forum of people who think different... and this would devolve into a shouting match over whose forum was better at one end of bad - a nightmare of warring, low quality "bubbles".   At the other end of bad the page would just be fancruft, all sourced from within one bubble. Neither thing is what we do here.  We are not part of that whole mess, by design.  Please look for high quality independent sources about the person, and write the article based on them (not what you know).  This is laid out at greater length in User:Jytdog/How which I wrote to explain what we are up to and how do things to new users, all on one page. It has a section on creating a new article, after the foundational stuff is explained.  Jytdog (talk) 20:31, 19 March 2018 (UTC)

The above discussion is way off the point
-- Back to the top of your post: article Geoff Green was denied today as it lacked reliable source. - Sorry, you missed important points. The declining notice in full says:
 * "published, reliable, secondary sources that are independent of the subject—see the guidelines on the notability of people, the golden rule and learn about mistakes to avoid when addressing this issue." In other words, the major issue is not the reliability of the sources, but lack of independent coverage.

Please go back and click on all wikilinks in the notice. Geoff Green may be famous in his gaming microcommunity,  just as my grandma is famous for best pancakes in the county, but this is not enough for a wikipedia article.

That said, primary sources may be used in wikipedia, and the the subject's bio may use posts of this subject about himself, per WP:PRIMARY. But this was not the point of the problem with Draft: Geoff Green; the point is that nobody knows him outside his game buddies. Staszek Lem (talk) 21:51, 19 March 2018 (UTC)

Ummm, no offence but my page is actually more verifiable than Albert Einstein's. How many of those primary sources can you actually verify that what the information in it is said to be true. Particularly as I have given you unquestionable evidence that Wikipedia reliability methods are completely unchecked. The only "fake news" is actually coming from Wikipedia. If you look at the original publication of my article, it is in fact easily cross-examined for the evidence. It is reliably consistent. How much of Freud and Einstein as well I don't want to think how many other pages rely on private primary sources to which Wikipedia cannot verify. If what you told me is true about the use of primary sources, then if Wikipedia is correct then I think it has to delete almost all the information on the site. I think the above posts are doing everything they can to avoid the true point.

That would be terrible if Wikipedia was legitimately purged, I am not at all suggesting that. However, I have given you clear evidence that Wikipedia's reliability and validity methods are not working. I have also been constructive and suggested a particular area on how Wikipedia could improve this. Its not me and my article thats being unreliable, its Wikipedia. However I warn you, if a rogue Admin went around and deleted all of Wikipedia's major pages, then they would be well within their guidelines as they only have to refer here to this post to justify their reason for doing so.

I want to make the standpoint that I am entirely against this. But Wikipedia has got to the point that it can no longer control its reliability and validity methods. The influx of information is too great.

EyesoftheFlash (talk) 04:59, 20 March 2018 (UTC)

Also since people keep wanting to talk about my article. Its quite normal for people to have Wikipedia articles when they are notable within only a small section of society. Geoff Green is a public figure and set significant precedent over what is classified as a "professional" eSports gamer. He came from the preceding generation to the current generation whom have been given significantly more publicity. For historical purposes as well as understanding the greater debate over the legitimacy of eSports, Green has a valuable contribution to make. The article was supported by the eSports Taskforce. I know its not relevant here, but I remind you I only used it as an example for the above debate. I'm not the one who kept bringing up its contents. But thankyou :)

EyesoftheFlash (talk) 05:08, 20 March 2018 (UTC)
 * What you have made clear so far, is that you are firmly rooted in your way of thinking about knowledge. You are not dealing with Wikipedia as it is, and what it is. Again all I can do is point you to what everyone else here has said to you, and the orientation I linked to above.
 * Please be aware that while Wikipedia is open to anyone, that openness is contingent on user's learning the policies and guidelines and following them - not just their letter but their spirit. People who refuse to engage usually get themselves in trouble, and leave angry or have their editing privileges restricted or removed.  Instead of trying to change everything before you understand it, please take the time to understand this place.  It is for your own benefit and that of everyone else here too. Jytdog (talk) 05:15, 20 March 2018 (UTC)

Don't put this on me, I wasn't the one who started spouting invalid information. I was making a legitimate query, which has subsequently escalated once I have noticed that other users have provided false information. I have a very specific agenda here on Wikipedia and that is to improve the website's eSports knowledge. It is undoubtedly a weak area that needs to be developed. However my original problem was that is hard to publish this information as Wikipedia doesn't regard certain sources that are necessary for its history as legitimate. I was subsequently told by Wikipedia that reliance on primary sources is against the guidelines. However most major articles, particularly in academics or science are in direct contravention of these guidelines. This is unquestionable, you may as well just admit and develop from there. Its not fair or just that some articles are given special treatment just because of their level of notability ( which in itself is subjective ).

I am not at all suggesting Wikipedia has malicious intent. I'm not sure how long its policies have existed, but the internet has significantly evolved since 2005. I keep mentioning the concept of integration where knowledge and technology are increasing being merged together. Furthermore, Wikipedia is ever expanding and its simply not being regulated properly. This may be unavoidable, however it is instead a legitimate warning that it currently says Wikipedia cannot control itself. However it also works in reverse as rogue admins could now delete numerous pages due to the precedent has been set here. There is absolutely no doubt of contradictory behaviour coming from Wikipedia.

It wouldn't wise to delete my permissions, that just says you are reacting out of fear of the problem. I am being constructive, especially as my whole purpose is to develop a section of Wikipedia's knowledge. I am fighting for the eSports corner of Wikipedia and have demonstrated I have a legitimate concern. EyesoftheFlash (talk) 05:34, 20 March 2018 (UTC)
 * Nope, you have no legitimate concern. You do have 51 edits in Wikipedia and are demonstrating no understanding of our policies and guidelines or why they are structured that way or any interest in gaining an understanding of them.
 * You are like the American in Paris being all angry that nobody speaks English and that nobody will accept his dollars when he tries to buy stuff.
 * Try understanding the place you are in, instead of trying to make it into the place you came from.
 * I have no more to say here. Jytdog (talk) 06:13, 20 March 2018 (UTC)

Okay I'll look into more detail concerning the policies. Let's start with 'No original research'.

"Wikipedia articles should be based on reliable, published secondary sources and, to a lesser extent, on tertiary sources and primary sources." - So why is it acceptable that some articles are based entirely off primary sources? Particularly Sigmund Freud to whom as an example is largely referenced by books to whom user's are likely to be unable to be accessed publicly. Albert Einstein is somewhat more legitimate as he at least has external links to which he can be verified more easily. However both articles have the common factor in that they have an over-reliance of primary sources. Particularly with Freud there is a huge grey area concerning whether an original analysis has been used. Freud has a demonstration of private information being used to source on a website that is a public encyclopedia.

Concerning my article, noone has questioned its verifiability, however its reliability was somewhat questioned. As I have said in my original post, I think there are grounds for Wikipedia to take into account internet forums as a more reliable source than what is currently being considered. I refer to my original post for my reasoning there. However even if it is a primary source, Wikipedia has set notable precedent here that it largely relies on primary sources despite its recommendations that it shouldn't. However an advantage in my favour, that unlike a journal article or a book it is in fact much easier to verify an internet forum as to whether original research has been undertaken. In my article, when quoting a forum I do not make any individual stand-point, I simply convey the necessary information that is relevant to the subject of the article. Any user can easily verify if what I said is the true standpoint in the original source. Although the reliability of the information is debatable, its verification is not. I would argue that articles like Einstein and Freud (particularly Freud) have their sources as more reliable but is more difficult to verify.

In regards to notability, do I have to mention the articles that have 2-3 lines at max? I'm willing to bet there are one sentence articles out there. The subject of my article was undoubtedly a public figure.

EyesoftheFlash (talk) 06:55, 20 March 2018 (UTC)
 * TL;DR – the answer is no, as well regarding the proposal to change current policies and guidelines (please don't misrepresent these by selective quoting or trying to superimpose a rationale foreign to the actual policies and guidelines) as regarding the rejection of Draft: Geoff Green in its current state. Please also familiarise yourself with WP:TPG, regarding indentation, conciseness, etc. --Francis Schonken (talk) 07:24, 20 March 2018 (UTC)

How would you know if its a misrepresentation if you "TL;DR". Its a direct demonstration of your policies...

If you re-read your posts, you have lesser understanding. I don't blame you for wanting to save your reputation.

EyesoftheFlash (talk) 07:36, 20 March 2018 (UTC)

I apologise, just realised English isn't your first language.

EyesoftheFlash (talk) 07:40, 20 March 2018 (UTC)


 * On one of your points, "Particularly Sigmund Freud to whom as an example is largely referenced by books to whom user's are likely to be unable to be accessed publicly." WP accepts that to access a source you may have to buy it, pay for it or visit a library and we're good with that, see WP:SOURCEACCESS. Free online sources are practical, but interesting and useful stuff is also found elsewhere. Books can be very interesting. And English is not my first language either. Gråbergs Gråa Sång (talk) 07:54, 20 March 2018 (UTC)

Good point, however regardless of whether Wikipedia accepts that it is acceptable to provide an unlinked source, its still marked against verification. If someone wanted to question a passage on the article for original thought, the article will either have to be verified with the original source (may be difficult or not possible) or the article may lose legitimate information (because its been questioned and isn't verifiable). I still maintain the position that Wikipedia is having difficulty controlling its sources. As this will help people like myself whom want to introduce a new field of information to Wikipedia, I would suggest that Wikipedia be more open to accepting new information.

That being said, if Wikipedia becomes more liberal in accepting new articles and information, it should be much harsher on unsourced passages. There are plenty of examples ( I know I don't need to tell you ) that there is plenty of unsourced material on Wikipedia. I also think the page should have a public rating as to how reliable the sources are considered. Even such notable pages as Sigmund Freud should remind users that whilst its heavily sourced and is undoubtedly notable, the information is difficult to verify.

Wikipedia simply needs an update. EyesoftheFlash (talk) 08:11, 20 March 2018 (UTC)


 * Well, the internet is vast and there are alternatives like Everipedia and Infogalactic. Gråbergs Gråa Sång (talk) 08:48, 20 March 2018 (UTC)

I somewhat agree with you. Whilst I am new to Wikipedia, I have managed the F1 Wiki as the most active administrator since 2009. The reason I did not use Wikipedia is because I wanted to focus on developing what would be considered minor pages on Wikipedia with much more detail. Take at the comparison between the size of the Wikipedia article of a particularly minor racing driver and the F1 wiki article:


 * Joe Fry
 * http://f1.wikia.com/wiki/Joe_Fry

This very minor F1 driver, if that data were to be transferred to Wikipedia would far surpass much more notable racing drivers articles. However, I am starting be of the opinion (particularly after the Geoff Green article) that if someone of minor notability surpasses the size of a person whom is technical more notable. Then that more notable person is simply incomplete. Also you'll note the reliance on primary sources in my F1 article, much like many of Wikipedia's most notable articles. Also yes, I am allowed to be lazy on the formality of referencing on a minor Wiki :)

But in all seriousness, just as you failed my article for not technically not having reliable information, I could investigate any article to which relies on sources that are private information and are unlinked on the grounds of validity. If you cannot publicly access the sources, then there is very reasonable grounds that the author has used original thought in the topic. This could be potentially be very damaging for Wikipedia's reputation. If someone were to question these sources given Wikipedia's current policies as well as if the sources are unable to be verified, then they would have to be removed on the grounds of potentially be original thought.

This is why I think Wikipedia needs to be more open to accepting sources. Rather than simply preventing pages from being created or removing private sources, Wikipedia should allow the posting of these sources, but regulate and publicly reveal the pages validity and reliability rating.

EyesoftheFlash (talk) 09:25, 20 March 2018 (UTC)
 * could you have a look at the WP:SPA guidance? I'd like to see more edits of you in other topic areas than Geoff Green, which might help you to catch up on how RS and notability guidance is applied throughout Wikipedia. If you have a broader interest in eSports/video games there is for instance WikiProject Video games (see also its talk page) which might give some worthwhile suggestions. Thanks. --Francis Schonken (talk) 09:34, 20 March 2018 (UTC)

Good point but I'm not single purpose, as I've said, I've also demonstrated and have even more expertise in Formula One. I am potentially interested in transferring my Formula One work to Wikipedia (which in many cases has more valid and reliable information than Wikipedia's current understanding). Also I am aware of notability. I would say Geoff Green covers notability under "Persons who are notable due to public responsibility" as quoted from the article. Also the notability articles has multiples grounds to have some of its information on the grounds of original thought. :) EyesoftheFlash (talk) 09:43, 20 March 2018 (UTC)
 * Re. Formula One: in that case WikiProject Automobiles might be of help. Don't know whether there's a separate project about racing (haven't found it anyway). About notability of Geoff Green: as said, according to current policies and guidelines, and there's no reason why these would need changing, the answer you have got is no. Now drop the stick on that one, thanks. --Francis Schonken (talk) 09:56, 20 March 2018 (UTC)

This could potentially come back to bite you. This is a serious chink in your armour. For a starting point, a lot of Sigmund Freud's information is invalidated and has grounds for being original thought. If the sources can't be publicly accessed, then they will have to be removed based on heresay. Exactly the same reasoning you would have used for not permitting my article to be published. EyesoftheFlash (talk) 10:09, 20 March 2018 (UTC)
 * Re. Freud: there's currently a refimprove tag at Sigmund Freud, so there's surely room for improvement of the references in that article. If you'd like to work on that one, please go ahead, but would advise to do so via Talk:Sigmund Freud to get collaboration from others. --Francis Schonken (talk) 10:21, 20 March 2018 (UTC)

You know I don't want to delete information. That's not why I am here, but that information deserves to be deleted if Wikipedia is not consistent in applying its policies. As do all references without validation or information that is not sourced. I am sure you are aware that is quite easy to cripple Wikipedia whilst still playing within the rules. A public purge is certainly not unreasonable due to Wikipedia's inconsistency. This is why I think it legitimately is time for an overhaul of Wikipedia's policies. That way there is fairness for all. Notability is subjective, if one performs a public duty then they have notability. So long as you can link a person's public actions with their true persona, then you have a demonstrated evidence that a person's actions are valid to be on Wikipedia. EyesoftheFlash (talk) 10:30, 20 March 2018 (UTC)
 * Your rationale for overhauling guidance is at this moment, excuse my French, flimsy at best. Please, do get some more experience on how policies and guidelines are operational in practice, i.e. by editing articles, collaboration with other editors, etc. If by the time your account is extended autoconfirmed you still feel the same, we might talk policy again, but at the time such discussions seem way too premature. --Francis Schonken (talk) 10:53, 20 March 2018 (UTC)

Fair enough, it was a polite suggestion to ensure consistency and integrity throughout Wikipedia. What is not flimsy, is the case I have made for purging invalidated sources for original thought. I could quite easily delete much of Wikipedia's information without reason for being banned. If there happened to be a movement behind me, a lot of "notable" articles are going to be much smaller. Then again I am not going to act rashly, I'm going to take a break. I've got a life to get back to and I'll take some time to set up my account for you. EyesoftheFlash (talk) 11:04, 20 March 2018 (UTC)
 * Original thought in reliable secondary sources, that is, before the thought is adopted in mainstream reliable sources on the topic, can often be retained in Wikipedia (that is: if carrying enough weight) via a technique called in-text attribution. Example, last paragraph of this article section: Bist du bei mir. --Francis Schonken (talk) 11:32, 20 March 2018 (UTC)

Any source, be it primary or secondary that is not publicly accessible through the internet is subject to be removed on grounds of original thought given the current policies. Wikipedia is now experiencing conflict in freedom of information. Integration will either destroy or remake Wikipedia. The new era has began. *Calls virtual reality trumpets and banners* EyesoftheFlash (talk) 11:47, 20 March 2018 (UTC)
 * The other users in this discussion have combined, more than 50 years of experience editing Wikipedia, and each of them have told you that you are wrong. You can choose to listen, or you can choose not to, but we're not going to carry on this discussion for another four pages so that you can simply refuse to get the point.  G M G  talk   11:52, 20 March 2018 (UTC)

I'm not wrong, why do you want to slowly kill Wikipedia? EyesoftheFlash (talk) 11:54, 20 March 2018 (UTC)

US draft registration cards
Would WWI/WWII US draft registration cards be considered reliable? I'm attempting to track down a long deceased subject's actual birth date and place. The draft cards in question are definitely for the subject, but if they aren't considered reliable per standards, then I need to know so that I can discard them and continue my search elsewhere. Thank you! Syko1096 (talk) 04:52, 18 February 2018 (UTC)


 * Where did you find them? The reliable sources policy says that sources must be available to the public. If this is some kind of publicly available government database, then it might be acceptable so long as the person's death has been confirmed in a reliable source. (If the death has not been confirmed, the BLP policy presumes that the person is alive for 115 years from the date of birth and this section of that policy says that public records cannot be used to establish facts about living persons.) If, on the other hand, you're looking at the original draft cards found among the person's personal effects, those don't meet the publication requirement of the policy and cannot be used as a source. Regards, TransporterMan  ( TALK ) 18:02, 18 February 2018 (UTC)


 * I found them via Ancestry.com's copy of the originals from the National Archives. "Ancestry.com. U.S., World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2005. Original data: United States, Selective Service System. World War I Selective Service System Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration. M1509, 4,582 rolls. Imaged from Family History Library microfilm."


 * I think this would count as publicly accessible (from the National Archives) and the subject has been deceased since 1976 (he'd be 123 if alive today). Thanks for your help! Syko1096 (talk) 22:08, 19 February 2018 (UTC)


 * It would seem to me that they're an okay source in this instance. Others may disagree. There might (or might not) be some issue about the information routing through Ancestry, I've seen some discussion about issues with using Ancestry (which may not apply in this particular instance; I don't really remember the issues which were raised), but a link to the original National Archives record ought to be okay. Regards, TransporterMan  ( TALK ) 22:52, 19 February 2018 (UTC)


 * I would be concerned about the legitimacy of the records if they were transcriptions, but these are pretty high quality scanned images of the actual cards (front and back). so I think they're pretty safe to use. I appreciate all of the discussion and feedback! Syko1096 (talk) 12:16, 20 February 2018 (UTC)
 * What a interesting and informative discussion. I'm sure I will need to refer to this someday, thanks!Sgerbic (talk) 19:03, 22 February 2018 (UTC)

Ancestry.com and similar sources of primary materials online have been discussed many times here. The main concern normally expressed is that the interpretation of old documents requires interpretation. Amateur genealogists (like me) often misunderstand old documents, and it is good to make sure interpretations are cross checked or reviewed. So for example, it is one thing to find a record for someone named Winston Churchill, but quite another to assert that this was the PM of England (who was not the only person in his generation with that name). So in terms of WP policy this tends to become an "original research" (non obvious conclusions) concern. I think in practice notability will also often be a question. (If no one has noted a record in a publication before, it will tend to be either non obvious or non notable.) --Andrew Lancaster (talk) 21:09, 27 March 2018 (UTC)

Can advertisements be used as a source?
I can't find any concrete info on this on Wikipedia. Ads are usually not fully accurate and reliable but sometimes users use them for citation. What's wiki's stance on them? Eddmanx (talk) 23:02, 18 February 2018 (UTC)
 * Depending for what statement exactly is sourced, maybe (e.g. a release date). But in general no, especially since most important information about something will have been picked up elsewhere. Headbomb {t · c · p · b} 23:22, 18 February 2018 (UTC)
 * It depends... An advertisement would be a reliable PRIMARY source for a statement about content of the advertisement itself... but not a reliable source for the accuracy of the content.
 * To give an example... an advertisement for Lucky Strike cigarettes dating from the 1950s and talking about how “healthy” their cigarettes are, would be absolutely reliable for the statement: “In the 1950s, Lucky Strike cigarettes were advertised as being healthy”... but it would NOT be reliable for the statement “Lucky Strike cigarettes were considered healthy in the 1950s”. Blueboar (talk) 21:22, 22 February 2018 (UTC)
 * This is a good example, and for the record, most of the times (all of the times?) I've seen advertisements uncontroversially accepted as a source they have been from the pre-internet age, and probably mostly from around the mid 19th to early 20th century... or even earlier.  G M G  talk   21:29, 22 February 2018 (UTC)

Nearly every source is reliable for something. For example an advert reliably tells us how something is presented in that advert. So you should bring real practical examples here. Otherwise discussion tends to be impractical.--Andrew Lancaster (talk) 21:10, 27 March 2018 (UTC)

Historical official documents disclosed by National Arhives and Records Agency?
Official documents of USA are disclosed and placed public domain after a certain period. They are archived at National Archive and Record Agency and available to anyone upon request. Are they considered to be reliable source, or the original research? Are they less reliable than papers published by historians? Wordmasterexpress (talk) 09:20, 5 March 2018 (UTC) Wordmasterexpress (talk) 09:20, 5 March 2018 (UTC)
 * they are reliable PRIMARY sources, for which detailed rules apply. Interpretation of what they mean is strongly discouraged--wiki uses reliable SECONDARY sources (vetted by independent experts outside the government agency).  see WP:PRIMARY.  Rjensen (talk) 10:50, 5 March 2018 (UTC)
 * And they cannot be used at all as sources for information about living persons or some deceased persons, see WP:BLPPRIMARY. Regards, TransporterMan  ( TALK ) 14:35, 13 March 2018 (UTC)
 * There are two problems, one is the "primary" aspect (interpretation is needed of raw information from archives) and the other is the question of whether the information is published and verifiable. Concerning the first, the less obvious that information is, the more problematic. Concerning the second, the harder to access, the more problematic.--Andrew Lancaster (talk) 21:13, 27 March 2018 (UTC)

Are Afrocentric works reliable or partisan?
Are Afrocentric works, such as these pieces by Michael W. Williams and Durrenda Ojanuga, WP:RS or Template:Partisan sources? According to Santiago Slabodsky, the Ojanuga piece is a "self-referential "Afrocentric" interpretation". Both works were also published in the Journal of Black Studies, an Afrocentric publication whose founding editor is the writer Molefi Kete Asante, the president of the Molefi Kete Asante Institute for Afrocentric Studies-- "The department also serves as home to several Afro-American Studies/Afrocentric journals: The Journal of Black Studies, edited by Asante". Please advise. Soupforone (talk) 16:08, 29 March 2018 (UTC)
 * The Journal of Black Studies is peer-reviewed, published by Sage and included in the Social Sciences Citation Index. Those are usually pretty good indications of reliability. Cordless Larry (talk) 16:22, 29 March 2018 (UTC)
 * Pinging resident journals expert . Cordless Larry (talk) 16:27, 29 March 2018 (UTC)
 * At Template:Partisan sources it says" This template is designed to tag articles that rely largely upon sources that come from political parties", which I don't think covers these. I'd imagine Afrocentric works range from solid RS to near-fringe, and are obviously not playing on their home ground when dealing with Israel/Palestine.  The reference list for the Williams piece looks rather scary.  I think you have to judge each work individually. Black Athena, one of the grand-daddy works of Afrocentrism, still seems regarded as pretty fringe, 30 years on. Johnbod (talk) 16:34, 29 March 2018 (UTC)
 * (ec)I don't see anything suggesting that the Journal of Black Studies would not be a reliable source, just like the Slabodsky book, which is published by a reputed publisher. Of course, even RS will often disagree with each other... --Randykitty (talk) 16:38, 29 March 2018 (UTC)
 * Johnbod, thanks for the clarification. Many Afrocentric works are indeed partisan and Israel/Palestine is not exactly their expertise. All are also essentially promotional, and WP:QS recommends that promotional works "should only be used as sources for material on themselves such as in articles about themselves". I was just looking at Cheikh Anta Diop's famous African Origin of Civilization, wherein he indicates that "a Latin historian wrote that the Jews are of Negro origin" and that Jews "did not begin to count in history until David and Solomon" . WP:QS does make sense. Soupforone (talk)
 * They are not "partisan" in the sense the template uses, and I don't see why they are more "promotional" than other works, say those supporting Israeli government positions. Johnbod (talk) 17:30, 29 March 2018 (UTC)
 * "Many Afrocentric works are indeed partisan..." only from the perspective of a transparent whiteness. Drmies (talk) 17:46, 29 March 2018 (UTC)
 * The critic of Afrocentrism Clarence E. Walker is African American . Soupforone (talk) 18:11, 29 March 2018 (UTC)
 * And? Drmies (talk) 19:34, 29 March 2018 (UTC)
 * That is not the perspective of a transparent whiteness. Soupforone (talk) 05:45, 30 March 2018 (UTC)
 * Johnbod, by partisan I meant fringey as you wrote, not in a political party sense. And you're right, Diop's work and other Afrocentric works are not any more promotional than are those of Zionists. Soupforone (talk) 18:11, 29 March 2018 (UTC)
 * See WP:BIASED. --Emir of Wikipedia (talk) 19:39, 29 March 2018 (UTC)
 * What kind of throwaway remark is that? Who are you talking to? What are you trying to say about the topic? Drmies (talk) 01:46, 30 March 2018 (UTC)
 * There is nothing wrong with a biased source. Discussion of the reliability of sources takes place at WP:RSN. --Emir of Wikipedia (talk) 13:00, 31 March 2018 (UTC)

Johnbod, Ojunaga indicates that the research perspective of his work is a new, non-mainstream Afrocentric approach -- "The Research Perspective[...] Although there have been studies of the Ethiopian Jews by Israeli and American scholars and journalists, I bring a new approach to the subject-the Afrocentric perspective. The Afrocentric perspective was introduced by an African American scholar, Molefi Asante". That is probably where Slabodsky and Leo P. Chall got the idea that it is an Afrocentric work (i.e., from both the author and the publisher). Soupforone (talk) 05:45, 30 March 2018 (UTC)

The editor Soupforone is attempting to discredit this work in order to advance an insidious agenda at Talk:Black_people. Basically, there is evidence of WP:OWNBEHAVIOR in the article to advance this editor's outlandish and fringe beliefs about Black people. For avoidance of doubt and has been noted by others, Dr. Ajenuga is a Fulbright scholar and teaches at Wayne State University. There is no evidence produced to indicate that the academic veracity of the Journal of Black Studies should be in doubt. This is a fishing expedition to advance an agenda.--DanJazzy (talk) 16:11, 30 March 2018 (UTC)
 * Just to note that has now been blocked as a sockpuppet of . Cordless Larry (talk) 12:26, 3 April 2018 (UTC)

Citing the Daily Mail when referring to controversy about something in... the Daily Mail
Prompted by something in the Real World, I yesterday took at look at the Janet Street-Porter (JSP) page, and was surprised to see that the Controversy section was virtually non-existant, and much shorter than I remembered it. Checking back, I saw that a large chunk was removed by John in this edit last September, with the justification of "no tabloids on BLPs please" even though there were clearly non-tabloid sources in the mix. I reverted the edit, pointing out as such, and John's response was to revert again, and leave two warnings on my Talk page, the first of which I considered a severe over-reaction (and somewhat intimidatory), and the second being exceptionally vague (exactly which bit of Requests for arbitration/Editing of Biographies of Living Persons is it referring to?!), which - in retrospect - seems to be a non-standard template of John's own devising.

I took another look at the removed content, and decided that opinion piece by JSP for the Daily Mail seemed acceptable, given that it was sourced from coverage in the Telegraph, Guardian, Independent, and the BBC. I therefore reinstated that material only, losing what I thought was a superflous Daily Mirror cite, but retaining the link to the actual Daily Mail article the controversy was about. John's reaction was to revert it without further clarification, and - more brutally - block me for 24 hours.

So where are we at with this? I would normally trust the Daily Mail about as far as I could comortably spit out a rat, but does the apparent (but self-evidently clealry selective) "ban" on the Mail actually include linking to something controversial in the newspaper/website itself when discussing that controversy? Certainly WP:DAILYMAIL seems only concerned with using the Mail as a source, but that's not what this was. Nick Cooper (talk) 21:08, 21 March 2018 (UTC)
 * I have to agree that when the topic of an article or section is directly connected to something written in the DM (ie when the DM is “part of the story”), it is appropriate to cite the DM itself as a primary source for what it printed. Blueboar (talk) 21:22, 21 March 2018 (UTC)
 * Exactly agree. Key is just to make sure it is clear that the controversial information is attributed in prose to the DM. This is a fully acceptable situation when the DM should be used in light of their ban otherwise. --M asem (t) 21:25, 21 March 2018 (UTC)
 * The article by Janet Street-Porter is an opinion piece, and it is okay to cite an opinion published in The Daily Mail, according to three of the WP:DAILYMAIL closers, see the NPOVN archive of a May 2017 discussion and look for the words "Attributed opinions of the author were not considered in the RFC, and a reasonable exception from the ban appears correct here." You can also see that John wrote during the RfC discussion "Opinion pieces? Where did anyone mention opinion pieces? The problem is not opinion pieces, ..." so WP:DAILYMAIL isn't supporting John. Peter Gulutzan (talk) 19:07, 1 April 2018 (UTC)
 * OK, that seems to confirm that what I did should not have merited the reaction it did. I'll have to consider how to proceed on this, though. Nick Cooper (talk) 13:57, 5 April 2018 (UTC)


 * I am bit shocked by that block. If the article is under special sanctions (where are block is fully justified in these circumstamces) couldn't  have at least been informed and given the opportunity to self-revert first? I feel like I am missing a piece of the puzzle here. Anyway, it seems reasonable to me to cite the original Daily Mail piece if the Daily Mail is subject of secondary coverage. The reason for the the Daily Mail ban (which I support incidentally) is because it has knowingly fabricated stories so we cannot trust its factual veracity. However, if an article in it is the subject of sourced commentary it seems reasonable to cite it as the "work under review", in much the same way we might cite Mein Kampf if secondary sources are discussing it. Betty Logan (talk) 21:02, 5 April 2018 (UTC)

Misuse of this page
Mea culpa. I am (by responding to posts about individual sources) in part responsible for the current situation here, but I realize that and we need to fix it. This page has long become a mini-RSN, whereas it is supposed to be only for improving this guideline (as is stated at the top of the page). We need to shut that down and refer to RSN all inquiries here which don't at least mention or clearly imply some change to this guideline. I'm going to start collapsing any new inquiries here that do not meet that standard and hope that others will join me in that maintenance. (I'll leave alone any which are currently pending until they archive out.) Here's what I'm going to use:

If anyone has objection to enforcing the purpose of this page or that particular wording, please speak up. Best regards, TransporterMan  ( TALK ) 17:07, 2 April 2018 (UTC)
 * Support this. Emir of Wikipedia (talk) 19:53, 3 April 2018 (UTC)
 * Fine by me.  G M G  talk  20:05, 3 April 2018 (UTC)
 * I guess to clarify a little, I'm not totally on board with collapsing these threads necessarily. They're largely legitimate and constructive discussions about sourcing. However, those discussions belong at RSN, if nothing else, because if they're here, when I search RSN to look at past discussions about sources, I'm not going to find anything. We should be moving them and letting them continue, not shutting them down.   G M G  talk  13:15, 4 April 2018 (UTC)
 * I would also support that. Emir of Wikipedia (talk) 21:07, 5 April 2018 (UTC)
 * Definitely. This is not a page where editors can discuss the reliability of sources. I often search RSN to see if a source has been discussed and I'd never think of searching here. Doug Weller  talk 11:54, 11 April 2018 (UTC)

Primary source VS secondary source
What if there is a contradiction between primary source and secondary source? Common logic says to prefer primary source but wiki policy seems to have no rule regarding this issue. Should we not have it? There may be small or big inaccuracies or differences between primary and secondary sources. --88.231.135.73 (talk) 18:35, 21 May 2018 (UTC)
 * please provide an example. For example, does the secondary source reference the primary source, but the reference is incorrect? Or are you doing original research by reading of a primary source and concluding a secondary source is wrong in its statement?Work permit (talk) 02:58, 22 May 2018 (UTC)

Masters thesis
If we want to change criterion for Masters thesis in this guideline we must have RFC--Shrike (talk) 19:09, 25 May 2018 (UTC)
 * This change has deleted the masters word before that this version was stable.--Shrike (talk) 22:27, 25 May 2018 (UTC)

Revert of Shrike and Erkinalp9035 edits regarding theses
I removed a change to the guideline that was made on 23 May by without seeking consensus. "Theses" alone was the stable version of the guideline for over a year and the addition of "for degrees lower than doctoral degrees" was made without seeking consensus. later restored said change claiming that I needed to seek consensus but actually the onus for consensus laid on Erkinalp9035 because I only removed a change Erkinalp9035 made without consensus. Although I have to make the clarification that I only partially reverted the edit because the guideline read "Masters dissertations and theses are considered reliable only..." and I only removed the addition of "for degrees lower than doctoral degrees". I think the guideline as it was talked about theses and masters dissertations although it can also mean masters dissertations and masters theses but my best guess is that all theses, not just masters ones and not just theses for degrees lower than doctoral degrees, can also be used as reliable sources, thence I didn't revert completely the change that Erkinalp9035 made. Thinker78 (talk) 22:47, 25 May 2018 (UTC)
 * I have reverted to version dated 6 May before all the changes.This wording was stable for a long time.If someone want to change it please do a RFC.--Shrike (talk) 22:52, 25 May 2018 (UTC)
 * Per WP:RFCBEFORE let's try discussing this before the rfc. Thinker78 (talk) 23:57, 25 May 2018 (UTC)
 * This affects a wide swath of editors. The guideline should not be changed from the long-standing consensus without an RFC. But if folks want to discuss how to word an RFC before starting it, I have no problem with that. Jc3s5h (talk) 00:01, 26 May 2018 (UTC)
 * I think change of PhD to doctorate is undisputed since not all countries have PhD. For example, Russia only has D.Nauk (D.Sc.) which is equivalent to German docency. Erkinalp9035 (talk) 13:42, 27 May 2018 (UTC)

RS for map data?
I just rejected a draft because the author was using wikimapia as a reference, and wikimapia isn't a WP:RS due to it being user-supplied data. So, where does that leave us? What is a RS for map data? Open Street Map, while pretty much the gold standard, is also user-supplied data. So what should I recommend to people in place of wikimapia? -- RoySmith (talk) 20:57, 27 May 2018 (UTC)
 * Wikimapia has reviewers. OSM has stringent enforcement of community principles. Both have good and bad sides. Disclaimer: Erkinalp9035 (talk) 18:46, 28 May 2018 (UTC)



Potential replacement for
The new improvement to  proposed at WMDE Technical Wishes/Book referencing/Call for feedback (May 2018) would obviate the need for the template, as well as provide various other enhancements. The discussion is presently swamped by people who just don't like fully-inline citations and only want to use and page-bottom referencing, but this is a false dichotomy. The discussion isn't about which citation style is better (the answer to that is "it depends on the article"); the question is whether this feature would be good to have for referencing that is fully inline, and the answer is clearly "yes". I would be delighted if my old template was finally superseded by an actual (and more tidy) feature of MediaWiki itself. — SMcCandlish ☏ ¢ 😼  22:05, 1 June 2018 (UTC)
 * Would this mean anything for template:r? --Emir of Wikipedia (talk) 22:38, 4 June 2018 (UTC)

Since when was the Chinese Foreign Ministry a reliable source?
"Questionable sources are those with a poor reputation for checking the facts..." I would argue that the Chinese Foreign Ministry should CERTAINLY be viewed as a questionable and unreliable source for the purposes of Wikipedia articles concerning border disputes. The fact that I am even having to make this post is a disgrace, but see the article on (for example) the 2017 China–India border standoff. I will continue to search to determine whether this article is a one off, but I am seriously doubtful of it. One only has to think of China's actions in the South China Sea to feel disbelief in the idea that Wikipedia could be a platform for Communist Information warfare.

The general issue here should be one of procedures and policies governing how Wikipedia deals with reporting upon Border disputes. Would Wikipedia ever, for example, refute Parliamentary sources in the UK? Or papers by the American Government? Under what circumstances would a government's publications be considered unrealiable (perhaps this is a difficult question to answer, but one worth general policy commentary)?

ASavantDude (talk) 23:08, 22 March 2018 (UTC)


 * All governments lie, without exception, when it serves its purposes. The differences are in frequency and recklesness. Staszek Lem (talk) 21:00, 27 March 2018 (UTC)


 * Nearly every possible source can be reliable for something and unreliable for something. It is very difficult to get any practical agreement about "general theories" of reliability. The solution is to only bring specific examples here: what edit is being proposed, using what source, etc.--Andrew Lancaster (talk) 21:14, 27 March 2018 (UTC)
 * Or at WP:RSN. --Emir of Wikipedia (talk) 21:17, 27 March 2018 (UTC)


 * In this case it's fair to use the Chinese Foreign Ministry as a source, but 1) Don't state China's views as fact 2) Clearly state the source and 3) Provide alternate viewpoints. Example: "The Chinese Foreign Ministry formally made claim of [some land] on [date]. This claim was met by protest from [the international community / occupying countries / etc]". There's no debate that the Chinese Foreign Ministry is an incredibly biased source pertaining to this issue. --Elephanthunter (talk) 16:58, 10 May 2018 (UTC)
 * Agree with above sentiment, although I'd be a bit worried if ANY foreign ministry demonstrated objectivity to its own detriment! :))))) But no government standpoint should be presented as fact. Quite simply: according to the Chinese foreign ministry, China is the most popular tourist destination in the world for the fifth year running..., or whatever it reports. --Edin Balgarin (talk) 16:43, 7 June 2018 (UTC)

Legal problem on Rajoy's article
Please, may someone who knows about law decide which source is more valid to determine when Mariano Rajoy's term ended? According to the Spanish Constitution (Art. 101) and the date the BOE published the Royal Decrees dismissing Rajoy and appointing Sánchez as Prime Minister, it should have ended on June 2, not on June 1: Art. 101 El Gobierno cesa tras la celebración de elecciones generales, en los casos de pérdida de la confianza parlamentaria previstos en la Constitución, o por dimisión o fallecimiento de su Presidente.

El Gobierno cesante continuará en funciones hasta la toma de posesión del nuevo Gobierno.

https://www.boe.es/boe/dias/2018/06/02/

However, one user hinders me from making the change (June 2 is stated as the date Rajoy's term ended in all other Wikipedias, although I know different-language Wikipedias are independent from each other) and insists on using a chart which appears in LaMoncloa's official website as a legal criterion to determine the date. However, LaMoncloa's website is not a legal source and that chart's data may have even been extracted from Wikipedia itself - workers who are in charge of the page are obviously not lawyers and their main job is to design a beautiful website with useful information and news about the Government, but it is not their aim to specify and solve subtle legal questions of this kind. Thank you and sorry for insisting. I just would like you to understand that the sources that are being used to support that date are not legally valid.

Rajoy's term ended on June 2, not on June 1. It specifically ended when Sánchez became Prime Minister. There cannot be a power vacuum between both days (Pedro Sánchez's term is already said to begin on June 2). The Royal Decrees published in the Official Diary of the State were signed on June 1, but were published the following day, and therefore did not come into force until that same day. The day the decree was signed has no legal validity. Please check how the Decree which made Rajoy Prime Minister in 2011 was also signed one day before it came into force - it was signed on December 20, the day he was elected by the Congress of Deputies, but Rajoy only became Prime Minister one day later, when the Decree was published and he was sworn in. This same article states that his first term began on December 21, so there is an obvious contradiction between both dates, because two different criteria are being followed. I can guarantee you that the correct criterium is the 21 December - 2 June one, which is the one that has been followed to fix the date Rajoy's term began and also to establish the dates when former Spanish Prime Ministers began and finished their terms. Thanks a lot for your attention. Check: http://www.boe.es/boe/dias/2011/12/21/pdfs/BOE-A-2011-19861.pdf
 * This is not what this site is for. I re-directed you here to seek advice on the source you doubted (that is, La Moncloa's website), not to make a copy-paste of your concerns here, because this is not the place for it.
 * Just to voice my opinion, what this IP user tries to do is a clear case of WP:SYNTH: he/she is trying to re-interpret different sources in order to imply a conclusion not stated in any one of them (that is, that Rajoy's term ended on 2 June because the Constitution makes a rather unrelated and generic statement).
 * La Moncloa's website is very clear when fixing Rajoy's term end on 1 June 2018, which is the date in which the motion of no confidence succeeded (which is also one of the causes for a PM to be removed from office, as clearly outlined in Article 101 of the Constitution).
 * I thereby ask on whether La Moncloa's website, which is the Spanish Government official website, is a reliable source for extracting such a data. Thank you.  Impru20 talk 09:20, 7 June 2018 (UTC)

Section 101 1. The Government shall resign after the holding of general elections, in the event of loss of parliamentary confidence as provided in the Constitution, or on the resignation or death of the President. 2. THE OUTGOING GOVERNMENT SHALL CONTINUE AS AN ACTING BODY UNTIL THE NEW GOVERNMENT TAKES OFFICE. Thank you. We'd appreciate your help.
 * Again: 1) This talk page is not intended for this, but for getting information on the reliability of sources; and 2) Avoid synthesising. Thank you.  Impru20 talk 09:47, 7 June 2018 (UTC)

OK, sorry. So if two sources contradict each other, which one is more valid? The Spanish Constitution and the date a Royal Decree was published in the Official Diary of the State (before which no legal act is valid), or an info box published in the Government's official website? (I'd say the latter may contain mistakes because of the proximity of events, but this is a personal assumption). Thank you, I'll wait for your answer.
 * They are not contradicting each other, because neither the Constitution nor the BOE do establish Rajoy's term end date; they only contradict under your re-interpretation of them.  Impru20 talk 10:27, 7 June 2018 (UTC)

Will you please wait for another admin to answer? The Constitution establishes when a Prime Minister's term must end (when the new PM takes office) and the Royal Decree I have mentioned does of course establish Rajoy's term end date - it does not literally say that because it uses a legal language, but it says Rajoy will cease in his functions once the Decree is published, and it was published on June 2. By the way, a legal warning in LaMoncloa's website: Aviso legal www.lamoncloa.gob.es es un dominio en internet de la titularidad del Ministerio de la Presidencia (CIF S-2811001-C). Complejo de la Moncloa 28071 Madrid. Tfno.: 91.321.4000.

El uso del sitio web implica la expresa y plena aceptación de las condiciones aquí expuestas.

Su contenido es meramente informativo y carece de efectos jurídicos vinculantes para la Administración - its content is merely for informational purposes and lacks legal binding effects for the Administration. So which source is more valid? Thank you. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 93.156.8.194 (talk) 10:40, 7 June 2018 (UTC)
 * it does not literally say that because it uses a legal language Neither literally or unliterally, but at least you acknowledge at least that you're reinterpreting the literal content of the source. The BOE link just says the Royal Decree was signed on 1 June and published on 2 June, thus meaning Rajoy's term could have ended either on 1 June or in 2 June. Normally, an officeholder would wait until his/her successor takes office before being removed, but in this case, Rajoy's term ended when the motion of no confidence was approved, and as such is reflected in La Moncloa's website (take into consideration that this is the first time that a motion of no confidence is successful in Spain. There are no precedents for this). Again you are reinterpreting legal sources to take this off-topic. This is not the place for this discussion, we are already discussing this on Talk:Mariano Rajoy and this page is only for seeking advice on the reliability of sources.
 * its content is merely for informational purposes and lacks legal binding effects for the Administration. So, do we require sources in Wikipedia to have legal binding effects for the Administration for we to use them? Obviously not. And yet another obvious case of re-interpretation of sources to try to imply conclusions not reached in the sources themselves.  Impru20 talk 11:04, 7 June 2018 (UTC)

When a Prime Minister ceases in his functions, it must be covered by a legal source because it's something with clear legal effects, and so you must consult authoritative legal sources in this case, not info boxes from a website. I do not acknowledge I'm reinterpreting information because I'm not, I'm just explaining it doesn't say "RAJOY'S END OF TERM DATE" but "Rajoy shall cease in his functions" and it's published on June 2. Nothing at that level can happen officially if it's not covered by a legal source - no one can resign or be removed from his/her functions until the BOE (the Official Diary of the State) makes it official and legally binding. Please wait for someone else to answer. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 93.156.8.194 (talk) 11:58, 7 June 2018 (UTC)
 * Look, you are unable to keep on-topic about the Moncloa's website, so I think the best course of action would be to contact La Moncloa itself so that it is them that either confirm or correct their own source. Otherwise, we can't use the unsourced presumptions of an user to present them as facts in Wikipedia. Btw, if you ask me to "please wait for someone else to answer", then please, stop talking to me here, because I'll reply to you whenever you're replying to me.  Impru20 talk 12:38, 7 June 2018 (UTC)

OK. Let's wait then. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 93.156.8.194 (talk) 12:42, 7 June 2018 (UTC)

Fact checking
Wikipedia employs no systematic mechanism for fact checking or accuracy -> Wikipedia currently employs no systematic mechanism for fact checking or accuracy. Paper encyclopedias had trusted committees, and those committees had many scientists in many fields and were usually headed by a philosopher or a grammarian to check accuracy. As Wikipedia editors are highly distributed and has no one trusted, we need a systematic process. Wikipedia, as an encyclopedia, cannot perform primary original research, but sometimes, primary sources conflict so much that a reconciliation (which is a tertiary research) is needed more than stating "there is no consensus". Hence a need for systematic reconciliation process. Something like systematic literature review but applied to a tertiary source. An automated rule-based one would be even more preferable as it would be auditable. Erkinalp9035 (talk) 14:05, 29 May 2018 (UTC)
 * It would also allow to simplify the inclusion criteria in most subjects into "systematically audited k-fold n-ary attestation (k and n may vary among subjects) from reliable sources", helping us include more information but still closer to the truth. Erkinalp9035 (talk) 08:17, 30 May 2018 (UTC)
 * When sources conflict, editors need to weigh their reliability and try to give them due weight accordingly. Sometimes, we might even decide some sources are just wrong, and delete these claims or move them to a footnote. For example, I did this at Acts of Thaddeus when a bunch of sources from reputable publishers made erroneous claims. If you're suggesting a more formalized process for making these judgments, then I would suggest that you think this through and make a more specific proposal. However, if by "reconciliation" you mean actively trying to make sense of how both sources can be true, then that's WP:SYNTH, and I strongly agree with the guidelines that that is out of the scope of what is appropriate for an encyclopedia editor. Daask (talk) 21:53, 4 June 2018 (UTC)
 * I propose a completely formal algorithm for k-fold n-ary attestation, which I would name "mechanical historian". To include any conclusion mentioned in a source:
 * Find k sources of n-ary nature where n is not categorically decided but formally defined by its shortest citation distance to original research or an event (theses and well-sourced news or reports are primary in this system). Citation cycles are removed in source consideration. Non-citing sources are automatically considered questionable and subject to the current rule, i.e. only to be used for facts about itself. Remaining sources which of which any citations do not eventually lead to an event or original research are automatically disqualified as made-up.
 * Mechanically compare all pairs of these k sources, and note the number of conflicting pairs (for a given fact, slightest disagreement or one-sided non-statement is considered conflict for this purpose, two-sided non-statement is excluded from this calculation) for said conclusion, which I would call φ. Number of considered pairs is σ.
 * Truthiness ڪ=max(0,div(σ-kth_root(k,2*φ)-1;(σ+k+1)))^n is the score we want (notice it is damped by number of the sources. This is because further sources are more prone to misstatement.)
 * Only conclusions those can be included are whose kaf scores are greater than a threshold (which could vary according to the field just like k and n) are considered reliable or questionable, anything below it is considered unreliable.
 * A reliable fact can be included by itself without mentioning alternate conclusions, but its full citation chain needs to be included.
 * A fact in "factually questionable" truthiness can be included if and only if no reliable conclusions exist, but all of the questionable conclusions have to be included together and with their full citation chains.
 * Unreliable conclusions cannot be included at all, even if it is about itself, only exception is statement of lack of consensus when no reliable or questionable conclusions exist.
 * We now have fact-level reliability rather than source-level and the procedure is simplified compared to current notability and reliability guidelines.
 * Anything passing this tough test as "reliable" is synthesis-safe (i.e. can freely be combined with one another for further conclusion as long as logical rules are followed faithfully), and can be used in further non-primary research in addition to be included into Wikipedia.
 * Kaf score represents a probabilistic truthiness, and is formulated in a way it is more than or equal to 0, but always less than 1 because nothing can be trusted in an absolute certainty.
 * It completes in quadratic time per fact, cubic time per article. This is also easily implementable on a bot except for the natural language processing hurdle.
 * The proposed inclusion criteria is rigorous enough to make Wikipedia a well-formed secondary-source (not the formal definition in the algorithm, but in the historian's sense) encyclopedia without including subjective judgment,  as it is originally intended . "
 * Applicability and implementation: Implementation of this proposal requires re-scanning of all articles in the project. Erkinalp9035 (talk) 14:08, 5 June 2018 (UTC) -- fixed spelling mistake at 13:16, 31 March 2020 (UTC) by Erkin Alp Güney
 * ڪ is for k-t-b which means "to write" in Arabic. Erkinalp9035 (talk) 09:50, 7 June 2018 (UTC)
 * I would strongly oppose this proposal and consider it substantially inferior to current guidelines. Secondarily, I also consider it impossible to implement. Issues:
 * Primary source material is frequently mixed with analysis.
 * Analysis material doesn't always cite all the primary material being discussed.
 * Some writers are more authoritative than others; If you're trying to do this automatically, I would expect some sort of weighting by journal impact factor, author h-index, and publisher reputation.
 * The natural language processing hurdle is not trivial.
 * Wikipedia isn't about truth, it's about reporting on what reliable sources say.
 * I don't think the quality of sources can be adequately assessed by machines. What you describe sounds like it could be a useful tool to assist editors in making judgments. I continue to oppose the synthesis you describe as a form of original research we should never allow on Wikipedia.
 * Ultimately, I think you're dreaming of a tool that is far from trivial to create, and of questionable use to Wikipedia, as you are proposing different criteria than what we use here. Daask (talk) 15:26, 11 June 2018 (UTC)
 * The proposed guideline would evaluate the sources we currently evaluate "questionable" as unreliable (made-up). "The slightest disagreement counts as conflict" is to avoid improper synthesis, to replace current policy of "... kinds of sources are reliable" (which is very long and frequently leads to WP:IAR, primary purpose of this proposal is reduce instances we need to resort to WP:IAR and avoid drifting the encyclopedia into compendium). If you have a proposal to implement fact-level reliability check without getting into NLP hurdle, go propose. "Analysis material doesn't always cite all the primary material being discussed." They do in natural sciences, applied sciences, linguistics and history (proposed policy is modelled after the method of literary history). Political and behavioral sciences may have different techniques. "Some writers are more authoritative than others" Proposed procedure abolishes it and replaces by "citation distance", h-index and journal impact factor are backlink-dependent, novelty dependent and nonexistent outside scientific literature therefore unusable for historical research which needs to refer to primary or secondary sources in many context. An encyclopedia is an historical artifact, after all. Erkinalp9035 (talk) 12:45, 12 June 2018 (UTC)