actionforum@comcast.net wrote:
Nah, the kooky view is too easy. A better case would be a passage in a scientific article written by one of our inhouse experts that correctly states the basic concept of a scientific field, but in a way that hasn't been "published" because it is trivial grad student exercise the derive it, and all published work is at the bleeding edge of the field. Imagine his/her frustration at being asked for a citation for something that is obvious, and not being able to provide one, even though he can explain it so well that even the arbitrators understand it.
Sorry, no original research, no insightful explanations and yes, a big hole in making the subject more accessible.
Do you have real-life examples of this happening?
I think it's important that it always remain on-topic for someone to ask, at a given assertion or definition, for a reference for it.
As [[Wikipedia:Cite sources]] points out, it may be obvious to *you*. But if someone comes along in five years and asks, backup would be a very useful thing.
I've been spreading {{unreferenced}} tags with great (slightly restrained, after the TFD nomination ;-) glee, and I see others have taken to it too.
- d.