On Apr 9, 2006, at 8:40 PM, wikien-l-request@Wikipedia.org wrote:

Message: 2 Date: Thu, 6 Apr 2006 10:17:52 -0700 (PDT) From: Molu Bosu Palit loom91@yahoo.com Subject: [WikiEN-l] A question about Wikipedia method To: WikiEN-l@Wikipedia.org Message-ID: 20060406171753.2281.qmail@web32104.mail.mud.yahoo.com Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1

Hi,

I have this question about Wikipedia method. If I see cntent that I know for CERTAIN to be true, but the content does not cite a verifiable source and I also know of none, then should I keep the content or should I remove it? Thank you.

Molu

Neither. If you're sure the content is true, then you should not be in a rush to remove it, but if nobody has found a verifiable source, then the reader should be specifically alerted to this problem.

So, tag it with a {{fact}} tag (which displays as a superscript "Citation needed.") Wait a while and see if anyone can find a verifiable source. Continue to try to find a verifiable source yourself.

If, after what you consider to be a reasonable amount of time, nobody has come up with a source, then do not simply remove it, cut it from the article, but paste it into the talk page and explain both that a) you're removing it because nobody could find a source for it, but b) you personally are sure that it is true. Give your reasons for thinking it's true. Giving a good explanation may help someone else find a source. For example, if you say "I think I read it in the Boston Globe," then since my local public library happens to give me access to a database with the full text of the Boston Globe back to about 1980, I might be able to find a source even if you, without such access, can't.