Africa Growth Pilot/Live Tutorials on Core Policies/Module4

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 Africa Growth Pilot I - Live Tutorials on Core Policies 2023 

Module 4: Sourcing knowledge: Verifiability on Wikipedia

Rationale

The policy of Verifiability (VER) is just as important as the policy of Neutral Point of View. At its core it simply means giving other people who are using the encyclopedia the ability to check that the information comes from a reliable source. It is an important policy to understand before venturing into the policy of Notability, which understandably most newbie editors find themselves at odds with, precisely because the foundation policy of Verifiability was poorly understood. Understanding of VER can significantly allow new volunteers who contribute to Wikipedia to avoid the frustration of debates about whether a topic is notable or not.

Understanding VER requires an in depth scrutiny of what Wikipedia considers to be a reliable source, and what is considered to be an unreliable source. Given the focus on Africa, learners will also briefly explore guidelines for discussing the reliability of particular types of sources, so that they may help improve WIkipedia’s coverage and understanding of reliable sources in the region.

Teaching VER requires absolutely no contact with Mediawiki's interface, so that learners can focus on the material and not on interface details or challenges. Furthermore because it is fundamental to the more contentious policy of Notability, it is the second policy taught in the pilot.

Goal

  • Learners appreciate the concept of verifiability as a building block of a credible Wikipedia.
  • Learners understand the concept of and can distinguish between reliable and unreliable sources.
  • Learners acquire technique of transcending disagreement in reliable sources.
  • Learners discover the Africa Sources list project.

Time frame

2 sessions of 120 minutes each.

Outline

Session one:

  • What is verifiability?
    • “The threshold for inclusion is verifiability, not truth” - this section continues from where the previous module left off. Now that learners appreciate “Wikipedia’s voice” we help them appreciate verifiability as a minimum condition for including material into an article.
    • Verifiability policy requires sources to be:
      • Appropriate,
      • Used carefully,
      • Balanced relative to other sources
    • In short, Wikipedia's content is determined by previously published information rather than the beliefs or experiences of its editors. Even if you're sure something is true, it must be verifiable via an external source before you can add it.
    • Verifiability does not guarantee inclusion. The source must improve an article, for it to be accepted and included.
  • Exercise 1: “But I know the truth!” help learners deal with their own biases toward their world view.
  • What is a reliable source, And who decides this anyway?
    • For Wikipedia's purposes, the source must have been made available to the public in some form. The term is most commonly associated with text materials, either in traditional printed format or online; however, audio, video, and multimedia materials that have been recorded then broadcast, distributed, or archived by a reputable party may also meet the necessary criteria to be considered reliable sources.
    • For a source to be considered reliable:
      • The work itself is recent and reliable.
      • The creator of the work is reliable.
      • The publication is reliable.
      • The publisher of the work is reputable.
    • Wikipedia articles themselves are not reliable sources for any purpose.
    • Who decides if a source is reliable for use on Wikipedia? - Introducing the Reliable Sources Noticeboard. And a list of perennially discussed sources with current community consensus. There are also topic-specific source lists, e.g. en:Wikipedia:Current science and technology sources
    • What if my source isn't on these lists? -- Apply the principles, and be bold. Be prepared to defend the source if challenged.

Session two:

  • What is an unreliable source?
    • Suspect/Self-published sources
    • Fringe theories and pseudo-science
    • Sources known to have published falsehoods without retractions
    • Sources known to be propaganda vehicles for states or political parties
  • Sources do not have to be in English. English is preferred on English Wikipedia, but any language is acceptable.
  • Exercise 2: Can you decide if this is a reliable source?
  • What if reliable sources disagree?
    • NPOV kicks in. All articles must fairly represent all majority and significant-minority viewpoints published by reliable sources.
    • Wikipedia doesn't need to come down on one side or another of a controversy in reliable sources; rather, it informs its readers about the controversy, using reliable sources.
  • What if there are no reliable sources?
    • If no reliable sources can be found on a topic, Wikipedia should not have an article on it. If no reliable sources cover an aspect or a fact about a topic, that aspect or fact cannot be included in the article. There are plenty of other topics to cover, and it is better to pursue them than to fight for the inclusion of unsourced content.
  • How can you help improve Africa’s set of reliable sources?
    • A showcase of the Africa Sources list project. There is plenty of room to expand and improve this list, and to propose new sources as reliable sources.
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