[WikiEN-l] Nuke [[WP:CITE]] and [[WP:RS]]

[Ray Saintonge]

Stan Shebs wrote:

>Phil Sandifer wrote:
>  
>
>>I'd be similarly shocked if one could write a good article on high  
>>temperature physics or group theory while being totally dependent on  
>>published reliable sources, because those sources were never written  
>>for the purpose of being used to explain the concept to novices.
>>    
>>
>The best sources for general topics are textbooks actually; reliable, 
>and written to explain concepts. I find the introductions to monographs 
>and papers as useful for WP as the bodies; at least the more articulate 
>writers manage to get in a few words intelligible to the nonspecialist. :-)
>
That's a significant obseration.

>Although I think the formal policies may be overdoing it, we do need to 
>make some effort to change the culture. Can Susan be so certain of her 
>twenty-years-ago memory that she can just  starting typing away with 
>confidence? I would rather she make a library visit first, or simply 
>leave a note on the talk page - several times I've been able to use 
>somebody else's talk page note as a starting point  for doing a bit of 
>research of my own, or triggered somebody else's further research by 
>asking questions. We would also have a lot fewer edit wars if people 
>didn't just wade in and start adding/deleting based on their faulty 
>memory or understanding.
>
If you would rather that Susan make a visit to the library discuss it 
with her.  Also take time to discuss the function of the talk page with 
her.  It could very well end up that spending a half-hour doing this is 
more productive than a half-hour spent cleaning up the article. Either 
way there's no getting around spending the half-hour.  Robotically 
starting the deletion process or putting a canned statement on her talk 
page may be quicker, but it does not achieve the same results.  The edit 
wars are slightly different because those articles are probably ones 
that have passed the tests that keep them from being deleted; the 
article talk page adds another opportunity for discussion.

I acknowledge that it can be frustrating to go over the same arguments 
with a hundred different people, and I can see where the urge to find a 
quick fix can be very inviting.  Nevertheless it still the first time 
for the newbie.

Ec