[WikiEN-l] The boundaries of OR

[zero 0000]

Here is a scenario that explores the boundaries of
what counts as Original Reseach.  Suppose there is
a legal issue about which there are two popular
opinions, say A and B.

Now I log into a well-known depository of legal
journals and search for this issue.  I get about 20 hits.
Then I look at each of these hits (articles published
in peer-reviewed law journals) and in all cases the
writer gives opinion A.

Ok, so now I am itching to write in Wikipedia
something like: "The consensus amongst legal
scholars is that opinion A is correct"  (or similar),
with a footnote stating the evidence.

Can I do that?  My sources were the best that exist,
and everything I did can be verified easily by anyone
with a good library.  On the other hand, I have drawn
my own conclusions from these observations so
maybe I'm afoul of the No Original Research policy.

I tend to think it's ok because the conclusions I drew
were the same as any reasonable person would draw,
and these conclusions don't require any private
information.  I admit it is a boundary case though.
What do you think?

--Zero.

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