10-17-2014, 10:09 AM
When I post here I am usually sharing one of two things: information I found elsewhere (and a possible comment about it) or my opinion. Opinions are fine as they are; we all know where they came from, and usually are best kept to ourselves though the desire to share them runs deep, so we share.
When posting information I find elsewhere I try to always quote the relevant line or two from my source, and then include a link to that source for those that are interested so they can read it for themselves. Recently there has been a practice by some posters to combine real information they gleam from elsewhere and intersperse their own comments, and post the entirety without reference to their source(s) or any effort to distinction between source material and their own words and opinions.
I find this type of posting misleading. I know it is seductive to make them; to be excited by some fact and throw it in with your excitement and post before you ever slow down enough to consider that your readers are intelligent people that would be much better served if you were to share your sources and opinions in such a way as to show the differences clearly, rather that mislead us though a lack of clarity.
Further, when I consider how well established this format of clearly showing sources when sharing information is in all professional endeavors, I am left to conclude that to not do so warrants suspicion of the credibility of the poster. Whether through youth or immaturity, lack of education or down right maliciousness, it's often hard to tell.
So, for the sake of continuity here on punaweb I would like to request that some effort be made to clarify sources and make clear distinctions between them and opinions.
Mahalo
When posting information I find elsewhere I try to always quote the relevant line or two from my source, and then include a link to that source for those that are interested so they can read it for themselves. Recently there has been a practice by some posters to combine real information they gleam from elsewhere and intersperse their own comments, and post the entirety without reference to their source(s) or any effort to distinction between source material and their own words and opinions.
I find this type of posting misleading. I know it is seductive to make them; to be excited by some fact and throw it in with your excitement and post before you ever slow down enough to consider that your readers are intelligent people that would be much better served if you were to share your sources and opinions in such a way as to show the differences clearly, rather that mislead us though a lack of clarity.
Further, when I consider how well established this format of clearly showing sources when sharing information is in all professional endeavors, I am left to conclude that to not do so warrants suspicion of the credibility of the poster. Whether through youth or immaturity, lack of education or down right maliciousness, it's often hard to tell.
So, for the sake of continuity here on punaweb I would like to request that some effort be made to clarify sources and make clear distinctions between them and opinions.
Mahalo