Training modules/dashboard/slides/10314-notability-continued

Notability (continued)

Notability: “Why this?”

Notability is an important first step, because it will help you pick your topic. So let’s look a bit closer at what makes a topic notable.

The basic requirement for a topic to have its own article is: significant coverage in reliable sources that are independent of the subject.

• significant coverage means that at least a couple of sources talk specifically about your topic. Significant coverage is more than a trivial mention, though it doesn’t have to be the core focus of the book or article you cite. On the other hand, it should be more than a single mention or single line of text.
• reliable sources generally means that coverage comes from secondary sources from reputable publishers. You want the book, journal article, or other source you're referencing to have a reputation for accuracy and fact-checking. Those sources don’t have to be in English, and they don’t have to be online.
• independent of the subject means the publisher doesn't have a stake in presenting a biased point of view (either positive or negative). For example, self-publicity, advertising, self-published material by the subject of your article, autobiographies, and press releases are not considered independent.