Why do people think "I am a geologist" counts as a source?

Question

That's not a source people... that's merely stating your occupation. If you are going to cite a source try giving a website where the asker can learn more about their question. Nobody cares if you're a geologist, they care if your answer is correct.

If you're a geologist - that's great say so in your answer - but that is not a source. If a geologist answers a question based on their general knowledge then list "memory" as your source. An occupation/field of study is not a source.

Comparing Yahoo Answers to a visit to the office of professional is really absurd.

Answer 1

Personally, I would rather a person put a link to a page that backs up the information that they present in their answer.

Sometimes that is not possible. I wish they would put more than just "I am a geologist". How long have you been a geologist? What area do you work in? Things like that give a bit more credibility to the answer.

However, just stating that the person is a geologist does not mean that the person is a geologist.


Pbleek--Would you take medical advice from a person on Yahoo Answers who told you to self perform a lobotamy using a rusty knife, an icepick, some tweezers, some gauze, and a bottle of scotch, just because the person left "I am a doctor" in the sources section?

Answer 2

When you ask a doctor a question about medicine, do you ask him to cite his source for the answer he gives you? When you ask a lawyer a question about the law, do you ask him to show you what law books he got his answer from?

If a person has gone through the training needed to get a degree in their field of study, it is generally accepted that the information they give you is based on the knowledge they have learned. Most of, if not all, the answers I give are from textbooks that I have here in my library, some of which most people do not have access to. I have geology books that were printed in the middle of the 1800's. Most of the information that is given by true geologists is not from web-based sources, so giving you a "web site" to look up is not possible. The kinds of questions that are asked on this site generally require answers that are considered common knowledge for those that have a degree in geology. You are not required to cite sources of common knowledge.

Answer 3

Although I never use that phrase I agree with using it as a source. The reason is that by being educated and having up to three degrees in Science, you understand many things that otherwise would require some amount of research to find the original source. I usually list the (probable) class I learned the material as a source rather than try to find the material in a textbook. If I don't know where I picked up the material I just leave it blank, but that is a personal preference.

Answer 4

Because to claim to be a geologist, you need to have at least your bachelors. That entails taking courses in stratigraphy, mineralogy, petrology, earth history, earth processes, physics, chemistry, biology, and in most cases paleontology, geochemistry, and geomorphology as well. Some of the questions can be answered easily and obviously with what has been learned in the course of a bachelor's education. So instead of digging up the combined ten references that could be used as sources, people just name their occupation.

I do agree that this can make sourcing difficult, but some of the questions are easy enough and obvious enough that you wouldn;t think someone would need or care for a reference.

Answer 5

Fantastic, next time you go to see your doctor tell him you dont believe anything he says unless he can support it with some web links.
I still don't get your point, if you ask a question on this site you will get peoples opinions and in many cases useful advice, if someone is a geologist they can easily answer some of the basic earth science questions posted here. You are not paying for the answers so to demand that people support their answers with links is unrealistic.