Wikipedia:Identifying and using self-published works: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 17:57, 10 February 2021

Revision as of 07:03, 22 March 2021

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{{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 s/hethey isare 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:

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=== Acceptable use of self-published works ===

# For certain claims by the author about himself, herself, or itselfthemselves. (See [[#For claims by self-published authors about themselves]])

# The author is an established expert on the topic of the article whose work '''in the relevant field''' has previously been published by reliable third-party publications, except for exceptional claims.<ref name="EXCEPTIONAL">Please do note that any exceptional claim would require [[Wikipedia:Verifiability#Exceptional claims require exceptional_sources|exceptional sources]]</ref> Take care when using such sources: if the information in question is really worth reporting, someone else will probably have done so.<ref>Further examples of self published sources include press releases, material contained within company websites, advertising campaigns, material published in media by the owner(s)/publisher(s) of the media group, self-released music albums and [[manifesto|electoral manifestos]]:</ref>

# A self-published work may be used as a source when the statement concerns ''the source itself''. For example, for the statement "The organization purchased full-page advertisements in major newspapers advocating gun control," the advertisement(s) in question could be cited as sources, even though advertisements are self-published.

=== Unacceptable use of self-published works ===

# Claims by the author him/her/itselfthemselves don't meet the criteria in [[#For claims by self-published authors about themselves]])

# Exceptional claims, even when the author is an established expert on the topic cited[[Wikipedia:Verifiability#Exceptional claims require exceptional_sources|exceptional sources]]

# Third-party sources about living people, even if the author is an expert, well-known professional researcher, or writer.

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{{see|Wikipedia:Biographies of living persons#Avoid self-published sources}}

'''Never''' use self-published sources as third-party sources about any living people, except for claims by the author about himself or herselfthemself. This holds even if the author of the source is an expert, well-known professional researcher, or writer.

{{tick}} '''Acceptable''': The website for a company to support claims about itself or its employees.

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{{tick}} '''Acceptable''': The self-published autobiography to support claims about the author.

{{cross}} '''Unacceptable''': Someone's personal blog about histheir neighbor, business partner, or friend.

===For claims by self-published authors about themselves===