Another question about citing sources for your facts?

Question

I guess this is just a poll but in light of a few questions on here, I think it'd be interesting to know.

Do you think someone should provide sources for their facts? Do you consider their "facts" invalid until they can back them up?

or

Do you not care either way?

or

Is it some mixture of things?

Answer 1

It really depends.

If it's something like "95% of rape accusations are false," then h**l yeah, you need to back that up.

If it's "Monkeys have itchy palms 95% of the time," OK, that's curious, and I would LIKE to see a source, but I'll let it slide.

But this is often a matter of education. People that went to a University are used to having to back up everything they say...in class, and in print. It's hammered into us from day one, that it's NOT a fact until you can prove it (and even then it's up for debate). so when we come here, we're so used to that sort of debate in school, we carry it over, and realize pretty quickly that there ARE people who think that they can say "Helen Keller was a secret n***s sympathizer who funneled millions into the deaths camps from the proceeds of her charities and lectures" and that just because they SAID it, we should take their word for it. No thanks. Gonna need some proof.

Often, I'm simply curious to see WHERE a person got their "facts," whether it was from the girl that sits next to them in Home Ec., or a reliable source (such as a peer reviewed journal).

And yes, certain claims (see above) I DO consider invalid. (BTW, I HAVE seen that statistic (the 95% one) posted time and again here, and it has NEVER been backed up by a reliable resource.)

Answer 2

If they are facts I would really like to know the source.    There is so much c**p - and then you get the people who post completely - unrelated "facts" and assert they are truth.

Answer 3

If they state something as facts then they should back them up.

Answer 4

the source of my facts is my as*.

on a serious note, i dont care. im more interested in peoples opinions. if they do use some sort of data, then a source would be nice. but you can usually tell when people are talking c**p.

Answer 5

I prefer sources for most questions-since most people are either looking for information or are trying to persuade people to agree with them. I consider this forum gender and women STUDIES even if others don't.    

-I don't respect people's opinions unless they speak about a topic based on  a lot of personal experiences with the subject-and I don't mean just education either.

-If someone states their opinion-they'd better have a logical reason for it-and not state it based on what their grandma said or the one feminist they've met said. I despise this kind of opinionated question based on no facts and/or based on their very limited life experience or worse based on their uninformed sexist views of men and women.

-Worse is when people ask a question and admit they don't know anything about the topic and don't want anyone to use sources or books as they don't read them either. Why bother asking the question if they really don't want an answer?

-I don't understand why the people who want to tell jokes don't go to the joke forum-maybe if they go there they'll be able to find someone who'll find their lame attempts at humor as funny.

-I actually want to see intelligent questions-that's why I don't go to the joke forum. Sometimes-we manage to have a few.

Answer 6

Just me answering any question should be source enough!

Answer 7

If the question is about opinions, sources are not 'necessary', but they are useful if information is given.

I usually ask for sources if information is given in the form of 'as we all know' or 'studies show' or 'did anyone see the article', and then asks people to comment on it.

If you are claiming to cite information from a study or article, it is not unreasonable for people to request a link to the article or study, especially if the claim is controversial or derogatory to others.

Sometimes, the 'studies' turn out to be opinion pieces in blogs, which themselves reference dubious sources, which undermines the credibility of the claim.

If you are interested in facts, and not just in pushing one's own agenda, this is an important distinction.

Also, having links and sources supplied is useful if the subject is interesting and you want to read on.

Let's just say I do regard questions and answers about matters or claims of fact, which use and cite valid sources more seriously.

For fun questons it doesn't matter at all.

Of course for many people all this is simply entertainment and that's fine, but this forum also offers a place to find out about diverse views and opinions, so in keeping with the title 'Gender and Women's STUDIES' sources and links are useful and productive if the asker and answerer wish to supply them.

Cheers :-)

Answer 8

depends on whats being discussed, to what extent you want to be serious about it - and I suppose whether it really does seem that outlandish that evidence is required to support before its believed.

Other than that as gazz said - BS is often (not always) obvious.

Many things in life are a mix of things ... all in good measure.

Answer 9

If it is a stat there should be a source. Using somebody's ideas also requires a source. If it isn't a stat or another's ideas, I don't see the need for a source.

Answer 10

I consider their "facts" invalid until they can back them up.

Too much c**p around this place.  

BTW Feminists killed Che Guevara.

Answer 11

I don't consider facts facts unless they are extremely well backed up. One study does not necessarily make a fact. It provides SOME evidence.

Of course if the person provides no sources for 'facts' I will automatically discount them as unreliable. (Unless they are very well known facts.)

I also discount any question that starts with an opinion disguised as 'fact'.

I don't mind when people are offering opinions (and not 'facts') and are honest about it.

Answer 12

If someone is making the argument that people are blind to fact that they don't want to believe, the onus is on that person to provide some reliable sources or else they'll just look like an idiot.

I don't really care either way, I'm not here to read magazine articles, but if someone really wants to make a point, they'd be smart to give their "facts" some credibility. We can all back up our opinions by citing random numbers and percentages, but then that would be pretty childish and unproductive, wouldn't it?

Answer 13

A lot depends on how outlandish the "fact" being asserted is.  If it's something I know is true because I've looked it up, and yes, I do look up stuff, then I leave it alone...but if it gets my b.s. radar going, then yes, I'll challenge the person especially if I'm 99.9% certain they're talking out their you know what.

Answer 14

Yes, I do think sources should be provided. Those who get defensive when facts are requested are just mad that nobody follows them blindly.

Answer 15

Some people don't always know where they get their facts from, they simply want you to believe what they say.  Overall,  I really don't care whether they provide sources for their facts.   If it's something I'm really curious about, I'll do the research myself.

Answer 16

I personally don't care.  If the answer sounds intelligible then I'll believe it.  If you don't believe me, then I really don't give a flying ****.  Live my mistakes, I've already overcame them.  I won't shed a tear for your unwillingness to take advice.

My answers usually come from the school of hard knocks so I have no sympathy for not trusting other people's words.