{{Supplement|interprets=multiple policies and guidelines|shortcut=WP:USESPS|shortcut2=WP:USINGSPS}}
'''Self-published works''' are those in which the author and publisher are the same. Anyone can self-publish information regardless of whether they are truly knowledgeable about the topic in question. Therefore, self-published works should be examined carefully when determining whether a specific self-published work is a reliable source for a particular claim in a Wikipedia article.
In determining the type of source, there are three separate, basic characteristics to identify:
* Is the source '''self-published''' or not? (This is the topic of this page.)
* Is the source '''independent or third-party''', or is it closely affiliated with the subject? (See [[Wikipedia:Identifying and using independent sources]].)
* Is the source '''primary''' or not? (If so, then see [[Wikipedia:Identifying and using primary and secondary sources]].)
Every possible combination of these three traits has been seen in sources on Wikipedia. Any combination of these three traits can produce a source that is usable for some purpose in a Wikipedia article. Identifying these characteristics will help you determine how you can use these sources.
This page deals only with the first question: '''identifying and correctly using self-published sources'''.
==Identifying self-published sources==
Identifying a self-published source is usually straightforward. You need two pieces of information:
