[WikiEN-l] Arbitration Committee Seeking Comment

Sun Jun 12 17:35:19 UTC 2005

Sean Barrett wrote:
> Fred Bauder stated for the record:
> 
>> There is also the question of whether it is  reasonably convenient to
>> access it. For example, a NYT's article  might cost 2 bucks but
>> something that requires accessing Nexus or  consulting an obscure
>> journal is much more expensive.
> 
> 
> So material from an "obscure" journal is less acceptable?  I guess my
> digging into old Soviet naval records for information about their
> nuclear submarines is a waste of time.

I think Fred made a tiny error in using the word "Obscure" here, but his
basic point is certainly valid.  A physics journal published by Harvard
University and widely consulted and cited by physicists is a valid
source -- an obscure website published by the Flat Earth Society is not.

Assessing whether or not sources are valid is well within our range of
competence in most cases.

--Jimbo