Second Order Effects Articles that include the following as references are good articles:
Facts — Things like: the temperature of the room, the formula for the acceleration of gravity, the results of an experiment or poll, exact quotes from individuals, etc. The fact that something was found and stated in a study or poll can be used but, it doesn’t mean that information is correct.
US Government Reports — Many US Government agencies release reports about activities; these agencies include the Census Bureau, Internal Revenue Service, Treasury Department, Department of Defense, National Institute of Standards, Bureau of Labor and Statistics, etc. Occasionally, reports can be correct but one can not compare the reports for different periods of time because the definition of an item may change from year to year.
Widely Accepted Theories — These are theories that largely every one agrees with, the theory of evolution, supply and demand, molecular chemistry theories, Theory of Relativity, etc.
US Government Studies — Many US Government agencies release studies; these agencies include the Census Bureau, Internal Revenue Service, Treasury Department, Department of Defense, National Institute of Standards, Bureau of Labor and Statistics, etc. These studies include things like the monthly unemployment report by the Bureau of Labor and Statistics. Occasionally, studies can be correct but one can not compare the studies for different periods of time because the definition of an item may change from year to year.
Studies — One can state the finding of a study and it is a fact that the study said or found something. No single study establishes actual facts and other studies that may or may not agree with the information in any given study have just as much validity. When quoting a study, you must reference the study. If an author draws a conclusion from a study that is an opinion and not a fact.
Acceptable Items:
US Government Projections — Many US Government agencies make projections about many government activities. As an example, the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) creates estimates for the effects of legislation.
Accepted Theories — To use these theories, one has to show documented acceptance (experimental data, study, survey or poll), one just can’t assume acceptance.
Expert Opinion — These are not facts and one can find an expert that will say just about anything. One can say that Expert so and so said X, and the fact is that so and so said X; that does not make X a fact.
Survey or Poll — Nothing in a poll or survey is a fact other then the poll was taken and these are the results.
Things that people do to make a point, can be called out:
Cherry Picking Facts — When one picks only the facts that support their position and ignore potentially a mountain of evidence that they are wrong.
Errors — Reports and news reporting can have errors, errors used in good faith are OK, but when detected articles should be updated to reflect the error.
Political Taking Points — Meaningless and mind numbing points to use when ever the user doesn’t know what else to say. Typically, if one is being pressed on a point, to change topics one uses a smooth sounding talking point to change the conversation away from the facts that don’t support their position.
Spinning — Similar to Cherry Picking Facts, but with more flare and less substance, tends to use emotional arguments to mask facts that one wants to hide.
Conflating — Mixing two related subjects that really are different: i.e. Many times comments made about illegal immigrants are conflated with legal immigrants to make commentor look racist. When the conflation is an error, it is a point that should be called out.
Stereotypes — A simplified and standardized conception or image invested with special meaning and held in common by members of a group: The cowboy and Indian are American stereotypes. Stereotypes without facts are not useful. One has to backup these empty platitudes with studies and other works that backup the stereotype and one always needs to disclaim that when talking about groups of people that this is about the group not about individuals.
Things to avoid and will be called out:
Bloviating — talk at length, especially in an inflated or empty way.
Errors — Reports and news reporting can have errors, errors used to make a point and are known to be false qualifies as lying! See below.
Inventing facts — Randomly creating facts to support your argument or using someone else’s invented facts. This different from lying (see Lie and lying), in that the stating party may not know if the fact is true or false when they state it.
Lie — A lie is a statement that the stating party believes or knows to be false and that is made with the intention to deceive.
Lying — The practice of communicating lies is called lying, and a person who communicates a lie may be termed a liar. So to call some a liar on this site, you must be able to prove the false hood of the statement and that the suspected liar intended to deceive.
Conflating — Mixing two related subjects that really are different: i.e. Many times comments made about illegal immigrants are conflated with legal immigrants to make commentor look racist. When the conflation is a deliberate act; that is lying and the conflator is a liar.
Plagiarism — Using someone else’s words and representing them as your own. Quoting someone is fine, just give them credit.
Racism — a belief that race is the primary determinant of human traits and capacities and that racial differences produce an inherent superiority of a particular race. So to demonstrate that a comment shows racism, it must clearly show that the intent, conscious or unconsciously, was racist. To practice racism, one must be presenting the view that their race is superior to other races.
Racist — a person who believes in racism, the doctrine that one’s own racial group is superior or that a particular racial group is inferior to the others. To be called a racist one must demonstrate this view through actions and speech.
False Accusations — Accusing a site author, commentor or writing an article and accusing another individual of Racism, Lying, Plagiarism, Inventing facts, etc. without presenting facts is likely out of reasoned arguments and has gotten desperate. This will be called for what it is, I don’t know what else to say.