Wikibooks:Original research
From Wikibooks, the open-content textbooks collection
Original research refers to unproven facts and to theories that have not been subject to peer review. It also refers to peer reviewed material where Wikibooks is used as the hosting site for the location of original publication. Original research is not permitted at Wikibooks. In practice, however, Wikibooks takes a permissive stance by allowing specific types of contributions that, strictly speaking, should be considered original research. This practice allows for the fact that Wikibooks might be the first place that certain knowledge is put into print. Moreover, authors may add content based on repeatable information from their personal experiences or from common knowledge they have "off the top of their heads." When adding unsourced information to Wikibooks, though, remember to avoid content that isn't well supported in subject literature, or that other contributors might disagree with. In the event a dispute about unsourced claims does arise, the questioned claims must be cited or removed.
Textbooks are typically, but not always, tertiary sources that draw on previously published reviews and syntheses for their content. In situations where a printed book would draw on other sources, it is usually appropriate for Wikibooks to do so. On the other hand, it is sometimes unnecessary or impractical for a textbook to refer to external sources, such as for a cookbook. In most of these cases, it is also unnecessary for Wikibooks authors to make reference to published sources.
Note that content which satisfies one or more of the conditions below may still not be suitable content for Wikibooks. Only content which is deemed by community consensus to be appropriate may be contributed.
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[edit] Verifiable information
Information that is readily verifiable, including methods and recipes that are easily reproducible (but which may not be discussed or referenced in external resources) are accepted here on Wikibooks. When referencing external resources, those resources themselves should contain verifiable and peer-reviewed information. The existence of information on the internet or in publication alone does not make the information "verifiable".
"Verifiability" in these cases means that a reader of Wikibooks must be able to reproduce the information for themselves safely and reliably.
[edit] New or novel writing methods
There is a traditional definition for "textbook", but the Wikibooks project is anything but traditional. Material on Wikibooks can be written about or presented in a new or novel way, at the discretion of the participating authors. Books and individual book pages (modules) can have new or novel titles. Information can be presented in non-traditional reading orders, and books can be arranged to have non-traditional organizational structures.
[edit] New vocabulary
A Wikibook can contain new vocabulary words, or old words defined in a new way, when the change in vocabulary has the effect of better conveying the material in that book. The specific words and language to use is up to the discretion of the participating authors.
[edit] Common knowledge
Wikibooks may contain information that is considered "common knowledge", either to a general audience, or to the specific target audience of the particular book. University students are likely to have more common knowledge then elementary school students, etc.
[edit] Citations and bibliography
Textbooks, especially those containing information beyond what is considered "common knowledge" should contain proper citations and bibliographies. Unlike Wikipedia articles, individual Wikibooks may (at the discretion of the participating authors) forgo footnotes and instead create a separate chapter for citations and bibliographies.
[edit] Self-verifiable information
Information that has not been published in an external academic media, but which is still independently verifiable is acceptable here on Wikibooks. This can include new uses for a particular product, new methods for performing a common task, or exposition of hidden (undocumented) features in existing products. Frequently, this information is already common knowledge.
