[Foundation-l] Enforcing WP:CITE

Wed Nov 30 22:55:58 UTC 2005

Brian wrote:

> David Gerard wrote:
>
>> Brian wrote:
>>
>>> In the same way that we are currently enforcing proper image tags using
>>> a bot, could we do the same with unsourced articles? Start out by
>>> placing {{unsourced}} in all the articles lacking sources, and then, if
>>> it is not sourced in a week, create something like the {{copvio}}
>>> page-replacer to hide the unsourced content (the entire article),
>>> explaining with a detailed message that the article must be thoroughly
>>> sourced.
>>
>> I don't know about enforcing it ... but, on en: at least, the
>> {{unreferenced}} tag (which {{unsourced}} redirects to) is there for
>> anyone who wants to use them. I put it on articles I happen across that
>> are (a) not a stub (b) don't have even an external link somewhere.
>
> I agree about that, but I think the templates currently aren't taken 
> too seriously. People will be motivated to cite/reference with this 
> proposed system, or something like it. And it seems like something 
> that we should automatically be requiring. Peer-reviewed encyclopedias 
> do not require this, because they have trusted, known contributors. 
> Our contributors are not known in anything like the same sense, so we 
> have to show the public that our content is based on verifiable 
> information.

Templates aren't taken too seriously because there are too many of 
them.  There is no motivation in your scheme.  If your {{unsourced}} 
template is only going on the articles most people won't notice it, and 
won't notice anything is wrong until they have need to visit the article 
only to find the information is gone.

Why shouldn't peer reviewed encyclopedias be put to the same standard.  
What makes our long standing contributors any less trusted?  Many of us 
do not accept this kind of elitism.

Ec