sourcepoor

Sourcepoor is a term used to describe research outputs, journalism, or data collections that lack adequate sourcing. A sourcepoor work relies on too few sources, insufficient diversity of origin, or sources lacking reliability, making claims harder to verify. The term emphasizes the role of sources in establishing credibility and traceability in information.

Origin and usage: sourcepoor is a relatively new neologism in critiques of information quality. It is not a formal methodological standard but is applied descriptively by critics who judge that a report fails to meet expected sourcing norms.

Indicators: common indicators include scant citations, reliance on a single or non-authoritative source, absence of primary sources, dated or behind-paywall references, or insufficient transparency about data provenance.

Implications: sourcepoor outputs risk reduced credibility, hinder reproducibility, and can mislead audiences if key claims are not clearly supported. The term is subjective to some extent, reflecting norms within disciplines about what counts as adequate evidence.

Mitigation: to avoid being labeled sourcepoor, authors can document data provenance, diversify sources, favor primary or peer‑reviewed materials, provide accessible citations, and follow established citation standards. In data projects, sharing code and data, preregistration, and audit trails can improve perceived sourcing quality.

See also: reliability of sources, citation standards, reproducibility, data provenance.