505:(2018): "Unlike most books and journal articles, which undergo strict editorial review before publication, much of the information on the Web is self-published. To be sure, there are many websites in which you can have confidence: mainstream newspapers, refereed electronic journals, and university, library, and government collections of data. But for vast amounts of Web-based information, no impartial reviewers have evaluated the accuracy or fairness of such material before it’s made instantly available across the globe."
32:
721:
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165:
In determining whether a source is self-published, you should not consider any other factors. Neither the subject material, nor the size of the entity, nor whether the source is printed on paper or available electronically, nor whether the author is a famous expert, makes any difference (though the
622:
Not all self-published sources are equal. A personal blog post claiming that the Twin Towers fell as the result of a controlled demolition, written by someone with no expertise, is not at the same level as a personal blog post about physics written by the chairperson of the physics department at a
545:
Self-published works are sometimes acceptable as sources, so self-publication is not, and should not be, a bit of jargon used by
Wikipedians to automatically dismiss a source as "bad" or "unreliable" or "unusable". While many self-published sources happen to be unreliable, the mere fact that it is
494:
library states: "Most pages found in general search engines for the web are self-published or published by businesses small and large with motives to get you to buy something or believe a point of view. Even within university and library web sites, there can be many pages that the institution does
360:
The relationship between the author and the publisher is the key point. If it's the same person (or the same group of people) doing both, then it's self-published. If it's a different person or group of people voluntarily deciding whether to make the authors' works available to the public, then
97:
are those in which the author and publisher are the same. Anyone can self-publish information regardless of whether they are truly knowledgeable about the topic in question. Therefore, self-published works should be examined carefully when determining whether a specific self-published work is a
583:
Conversely, properly published sources are not always "good" or "reliable" or "usable", either. Being properly published does not guarantee that the source is independent, authoritative, high-quality, accurate, fact-checked, expert-approved, or subject to editorial control. Properly published
135:
Every possible combination of these three traits has been seen in sources on
Knowledge. Any combination of these three traits can produce a source that is usable for some purpose in a Knowledge article. Identifying these characteristics will help you determine how you can use these sources.
195:
says, "Any
Internet site that does not have a specific publisher or sponsoring body should be treated as unpublished or self-published work." However, the converse isn't true: if a site does have a specific publisher or sponsoring body, it might still be self-published.
965:
Further examples of self published sources include press releases, material contained within company websites, advertising campaigns, material published in media by the owner(s)/publisher(s) of the media group, self-released music albums and
466:
And then of course, you have this great rise since 2000 of self-published books and books that to all intents and purposes should not be self-published because they are not good enough to published and therefore shouldn’t be self-published.
659:. For example, for the statement "The organization purchased full-page advertisements in major newspapers advocating gun control," the advertisement(s) in question could be cited as sources, even though advertisements are self-published.
651:
has previously been published by reliable third-party publications, except for exceptional claims. Take care when using such sources: if the information in question is really worth reporting, someone else will probably have done
701:
use self-published sources as third-party sources about any living people, except for claims by the author about themself. This holds even if the author of the source is an expert, well-known professional researcher, or writer.
758:
Self-published and questionable sources may be used as sources of information about themselves, usually in articles about themselves or their activities, even if the source is not a published expert in the field, so long as:
177:
so that it will look like a separate entity has published their works. If the author directly controls the decision to publish the books, then those books are still self-published. Self-published books may be printed by a
443:
185:
If the author works for a company, and the publisher is the employer, and the author's job is to produce the work (e.g., sales materials or a corporate website), then the author and publisher are the same.
332:
17:
569:
If you are supporting a direct quotation, the original document is the best source because the original document will be free of any errors or misquotations introduced by subsequent sources.
747:
631:
A non-self-published source that verifies the same information is usually preferred to a self-published one. If it is not clear which source is better, they can both be cited.
338:
128:
619:
Self-published works should be examined carefully in determining whether a specific self-published work is a reliable source for a particular claim in a
Knowledge article.
527:. If she disagrees with the editor, she can reject his advice, fire him, or (if the editor is employed by the self-publishing printer) go to a different printing house.
916:
455:
A personal blog is self-published. When it provides information about a book the blog's author borrowed from the library, it is independent of its subject matter.
607:
It has a professional structure in place for deciding whether to publish something, such as independent editorial oversight or independent peer review processes.
693:
117:
663:
601:
It is appropriate for the material in question, i.e., the source is directly about the subject, rather than mentioning something unrelated in passing.
540:
361:
it's non-self-published. The type of content is irrelevant. The same document can be self-published by the author or non-self-published by others:
296:
883:
634:
783:
954:
764:
677:
162:
If the answers to these questions are the same, then the work is self-published. If they are different, then the work is not self-published.
990:
837:
565:
claims about living people). Sometimes, a self-published source is even the best possible source or among the best sources. For example:
523:
Alice Expert writes about her experiment, and she hires a freelance editor to help her improve her draft before sending her book to a
346:
A personal blog is always a self-published source. Here are examples of how different postings on the same blog could be classified:
40:
572:
A self-published source by an expert may become an authoritative reference for a claim, as with the best-selling self-published book
353:
When the blog posting provides an analysis of an event that happened decades before, it is a secondary source for its subject matter.
356:
When the blog posting provides a simple list of tourist attractions in a given area, it is a tertiary source for its subject matter.
687:
350:
When the blog posting provides information about what the author cooked last night, it is a primary source for its subject matter.
626:
579:
A self-published source by an expert may include a significant opinion that hasn’t yet appeared in a non-self-published source.
985:
929:
327:
683:
Third-party sources about living people, even if the author is an expert, well-known professional researcher, or writer.
459:
888:
491:
486:(those who are not hired and fired by the author, and whose employment does not depend upon agreeing with the author).
832:
49:
48:
This page provides additional information about concepts in the page(s) it supplements. This page is not one of
452:
A corporate website is self-published. When it provides information about the business, it is non-independent.
146:
547:
53:
534:
of a magazine. If she disagrees with these editors, they won't publish her article in their publication.
893:
191:
588:
151:
Identifying a self-published source is usually straightforward. You need two pieces of information:
857:
614:
313:
pieces in newspapers (including online-only content of widely-circulated magazines and newspapers)
804:
been made available to the public in some form like at a library or archive. Examples include:
101:
In determining the type of source, there are three separate, basic characteristics to identify:
531:
253:
227:
818:
Unpublished sources may not be cited in any article. There are no exceptions to this rule.
78:
925:
789:
676:
Exceptional claims, even when the author is an established expert on the topic cited. (See
498:
472:
71:
8:
753:
173:
Be careful in identifying the publishers of books. In some cases, authors will create a
207:
except for those published by traditional publishers (such as news media organizations)
63:
267:
174:
827:
795:
448:
Self-published sources can be independent sources or non-independent sources.
425:
Alice Expert combines data from a dozen previously published experiments into a
410:
Alice Expert combines data from a dozen previously published experiments into a
744:: Someone's personal blog about their neighbor, business partner, or friend.
716:: The website for a company to support claims about itself or its employees.
979:
426:
411:
281:
167:
550:, authoritative, high-quality, accurate, fact-checked, and expert-approved.
773:
it does not involve claims about events not directly related to the source;
647:
The author is an established expert on the topic of the article whose work
562:
524:
317:
275:
261:
179:
670:
655:
A self-published work may be used as a source when the statement concerns
641:
343:
Self-published sources can be primary, secondary, or tertiary sources.
730:: The self-published autobiography to support claims about the author.
286:
694:
Knowledge:Biographies of living persons § Avoid self-published sources
967:
814:
Letters or e-mail messages sent to you or to a small number of people
394:
Alice Expert writes an original report about her experiment, and the
217:
168:
whether you can cite the self-published source in a
Knowledge article
546:
self-published does not prove this. A self-published source can be
309:
The contents of magazines and newspapers, including editorials and
247:
239:
231:
884:"Evaluating Web Pages: Techniques to Apply & Questions to Ask"
530:
Alice Expert writes about her experiment, and submitted it to the
383:
Alice Expert writes an original report about her experiment, and
257:
243:
235:
297:
Knowledge:Reliable source examples#Are patents reliable sources?
788:
Self-published sources are seldom useful for demonstrating the
292:
98:
reliable source for a particular claim in a
Knowledge article.
339:
Knowledge:Identifying and using primary and secondary sources
310:
129:
Knowledge:Identifying and using primary and secondary sources
91:
Explanatory essay about the multiple policies and guidelines
669:
Claims by the author themselves don't meet the criteria in
222:
212:
821:
861:
611:
A self-published source can have all of these qualities.
953:
Please do note that any exceptional claim would require
640:
For certain claims by the author about themselves. (See
591:, a reliable source has the following characteristics:
671:#For claims by self-published authors about themselves
642:#For claims by self-published authors about themselves
584:
sources can be unreliable, biased, and self-serving.
182:
or a publisher that prints books by only that author.
141:
identifying and correctly using self-published sources
116:, or is it closely affiliated with the subject? (See
18:
Knowledge:Identifying and using self-published sources
748:
For claims by self-published authors about themselves
843:
776:
there is no reasonable doubt as to its authenticity;
779:
the article is not based primarily on such sources.
595:
It has a reputation for fact-checking and accuracy.
118:
Knowledge:Identifying and using independent sources
589:content guideline on identifying reliable sources
479:One characteristic of self-published material is
977:
763:the material is neither unduly self-serving nor
576:as a source for claims about cooking techniques.
444:"Self-published" does not mean "non-independent"
316:Books published by established publishers (like
770:it does not involve claims about third parties;
139:This page deals only with the first question:
808:Letters or diaries found in your family's home
678:Exceptional claims require exceptional sources
800:An unpublished source is any source that has
501:offers this understanding in the publication
481:lack of reviewers who are independent of the
323:Research published in peer-reviewed journals
838:Knowledge:List of self-publishing companies
947:
855:
604:It is a third-party or independent source.
109:or not? (This is the topic of this page.)
43:about the multiple policies and guidelines
811:Internal documents or papers at your work
155:Who is the author or creator of the work?
664:Unacceptable use of self-published works
333:"Self-published" does not mean "primary"
328:Different from other key characteristics
460:The problem with self-published sources
14:
978:
635:Acceptable use of self-published works
304:Examples of non-self-published sources
858:"Writing history in the 21st century"
784:Self-published sources for notability
26:
991:Knowledge essays about verification
915:"Nonprint and Electronic Sources".
24:
889:University of California, Berkeley
492:University of California, Berkeley
437:report in their academic journal.
402:report in their academic journal.
200:Examples of self-published sources
147:Identifying self-published sources
54:thoroughly vetted by the community
50:Knowledge's policies or guidelines
25:
1002:
833:List of self-publishing companies
433:of an academic journal published
398:of an academic journal published
158:Who is the publisher of the work?
733:
719:
705:
30:
918:Academic Integrity at Princeton
541:Self-published doesn't mean bad
503:Academic Integrity at Princeton
280:Advertisements, pamphlets, and
959:
908:
876:
849:
688:For claims about living people
13:
1:
892:. May 8, 2012. Archived from
627:Non-self-published preferable
986:Knowledge supplemental pages
615:Using self-published sources
7:
192:The Chicago Manual of Style
10:
1007:
856:Matt Elton (26 May 2016).
751:
691:
336:
289:published by organizations
266:Business, charitable, and
127:or not? (If so, then see
114:independent or third-party
61:
864:. Event occurs at 28:00
274:Books printed through a
553:Self-published sources
228:Social networking sites
928:. 2018. Archived from
557:be reliable, and they
469:
254:user-generated content
166:last point may affect
752:Further information:
692:Further information:
649:in the relevant field
561:be used (but not for
518:Independent reviewer
464:
337:Further information:
968:electoral manifestos
926:Princeton University
499:Princeton University
495:not try to oversee."
422:report on her blog.
391:report on her blog.
205:Almost all websites
189:The 16th edition of
95:Self-published works
955:exceptional sources
796:Unpublished sources
532:independent editors
511:
431:independent editors
396:independent editors
375:Non-self-published
366:
52:as it has not been
623:major university.
574:The Joy of Cooking
509:
364:
657:the source itself
587:According to our
538:
537:
441:
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407:Secondary source
268:personal websites
89:
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41:explanatory essay
16:(Redirected from
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792:of any subject.
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598:It is published.
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896:on May 10, 2016
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828:Self-publishing
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754:WP:ABOUTSELF
742:Unacceptable
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318:Random House
276:vanity press
262:Find A Grave
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860:(Podcast).
765:exceptional
563:third-party
548:independent
473:Tom Holland
287:Newsletters
252:Sites with
79:WP:USINGSPS
39:This is an
980:Categories
790:notability
767:in nature;
728:Acceptable
714:Acceptable
429:, and the
218:Web forums
175:trade name
510:Examples
365:Examples
72:WP:USESPS
64:Shortcuts
939:July 11,
900:July 11,
822:See also
248:LinkedIn
232:Facebook
868:June 2,
420:her own
389:her own
293:Patents
258:YouTube
244:Twitter
240:Google+
236:Myspace
125:primary
483:author
418:posts
414:, and
387:posts
246:, and
933:(PDF)
922:(PDF)
844:Notes
699:Never
311:op-ed
295:(see
230:like
223:Wikis
213:Blogs
941:2020
902:2020
870:2016
490:The
260:and
862:BBC
802:not
652:so.
559:can
555:can
435:her
416:she
400:her
385:she
170:).
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45:.
970::
943:.
904:.
872:.
739:N
725:Y
711:Y
680:)
673:)
644:)
320:)
299:)
56:.
20:)
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