We believe every fact should be traceable. That is why articles carry a Notes and references section at the end, listing the sources used when the article was written. At the moment, 0 of our 0 articles include explicit references — we are working to bring the rest up to the same standard.
Types of sources we use
- Encyclopedic and reference works (e.g. Britannica, established dictionaries).
- Peer-reviewed academic publications and standard textbooks.
- Government and institutional records, census data, and official reports.
- Reputable news organisations, used mainly for current-events claims.
- Primary sources wherever possible — original documents, statutes, datasets.
How references appear
References appear as numbered notes in the “Notes and references” section at the bottom of each article. Each note names the source and the retrieval date where relevant. Where a fact is common general knowledge or is explained inline, no note is added. We aim for every non-trivial claim to be backed by a citation a reader can follow.
Evaluating a source
When choosing sources we consider authority (who published it and their expertise), recency (how current the information is), and independence (whether the source has a stake in the claim). We avoid relying on a single source for important or disputed facts, and we prefer sources that themselves cite evidence.
Verifying and archiving
Web sources can change or disappear. Where practical we record the access date and, for key claims, keep an archived copy so the citation remains meaningful over time. If a source link breaks, readers can report it via the contact page.
Machine translations
Translated versions produced on demand are machine translations of the English original. The English article and its references remain the source of truth, and translated text may contain errors introduced by the translation process.
Suggest a source
If you know a good, reliable source for a topic we cover, tell us via the contact page.