Re: HIST: SPEC: Clovis is Louis?

In a message dated 1/22/2006 4:45:53 PM Eastern Standard Time,  
steve@familyszabo.com writes:

<<As it goes, whether using a book as a resource, or the web,  check and 
double check the information you find. If sources are not cited,  than any 
information is
suspect, unless you trust the author of said  information. >>


I absolutely agree with this.
 
I am a supporter of including references to sources iof  information in 
researched pieces about historic  irises, or pieces on other iris subjects, 
including scientific  ones, but I am given to understand that I am an utter crank on 
this  subject and that many folks  find sources neither necessary or  
desirable. Indeed I am  told that notes in a document may  actually put people off.  
Could this be true? Since when did  we become such anti-intellectual sissies? 
 
Now, clearly we don't need to get all cumbersone and pedantic about including 
scholarly apparatus in our  lighter and more anecdotal writings, but when we 
tackle original, or  substantial, or controversial research, even that which 
we propose to package  in some popular form, I think we need to  consider 
ensuring our most important sources are identified in one  way or another, even a 
creative or informal one.
 
In my opinion AIS overall has been entirely too casual about  building a body 
of well documented literature. Nor are they the only  ones.. More footnotes, 
I say, I'll take all you've got! 
 
A failure to cite sources scrupulously means we are not crediting  and 
honoring those upon work we are building. It also means the  accuracy of information 
in our work cannot be confirmed, and so may  not be relied upon by those who 
come behind us. In effect, we  are writing a dead end, which is not, I 
suggest, the same  as having the last word.
 
As for Wikipedia, well, Wiki is Wiki and I think most people  understand 
that. 
 
Cordially,
 
Anner Whitehead
Richmond VA USA

---------------------------------------------------------------------
To sign-off this list, send email to majordomo@hort.net with the
message text UNSUBSCRIBE IRIS
Other Mailing lists | Author Index | Date Index | Subject Index | Thread Index