CEO.wiki:Verifiability

Verifiability

Verifiability means that anyone can check that information in CEO.wiki comes from a reliable source. All content must be verifiable through citations to reliable, published sources.

Core Principle

The threshold for inclusion in CEO.wiki is verifiability, not truth. This means:

• Information must be attributable to a reliable published source
• Whether something is true is less important than whether it's verifiable
• Editors should not add their own knowledge without a source
• "I know it's true" is never sufficient justification

What Requires a Citation

Always Cite

The following must have inline citations:

• Quotations - Every direct quote, without exception
• Statistics and data - Revenue, compensation, stock prices, etc.
• Controversial claims - Anything likely to be challenged
• Historical facts - Dates, events, appointments
• Third-party opinions - Analyst views, expert commentary

Specific Examples

Quotations - Must cite:

"We are committed to an all-electric future," Barra stated in the 2022 annual shareholder meeting.

Statistics - Must cite:

Cook's total compensation in 2023 was $63.2 million, including $3 million in base salary and $60.2 million in stock awards.

Analysis - Must cite:

Morgan Stanley analysts rated the acquisition as "transformative" and raised their price target from $150 to $175.

Burden of Evidence

Who Must Provide Sources

• The burden of evidence lies with the editor who adds or restores material
• Any editor may remove unsourced content
• "Citation needed" tags should be addressed promptly
• Content challenged and unsourced may be removed immediately

When Sources Are Challenged

If another editor challenges your content:

Good response:

"You're right, I'll add the source. Here's the SEC filing that confirms the compensation figure: [link]. I've added the citation to the article."

Bad response:

"This is common knowledge. Everyone knows this is true. I don't have time to find sources for obvious facts."

Source Quality

Acceptable Sources

Primary Sources (Use for facts):

• SEC filings (10-K, 10-Q, DEF 14A, 8-K)
• Annual reports
• Earnings transcripts
• Press releases (for statements and announcements)
• Court documents
• Government databases

Secondary Sources (Preferred for analysis):

• Major newspapers (WSJ, FT, NYT, Bloomberg)
• Business publications (Fortune, Forbes, Harvard Business Review)
• News agencies (Reuters, AP, Bloomberg News)
• Academic journals
• Reputable industry publications

Examples of Proper Sourcing:

Good - SEC Filing: "Nadella received $42.9 million in total compensation for fiscal year 2023."

Good - News Source: "The Wall Street Journal reported that the merger talks had stalled over disagreement about the purchase price."

Good - Multiple Sources: "The restructuring resulted in 10,000 job cuts worldwide."

Unacceptable Sources

Never use:

• Personal blogs
• Social media posts (except official company accounts for direct statements)
• Wikipedia or other wikis
• Self-published sources
• Press releases as sole source for analysis/opinion
• Anonymous sources without corroboration

Examples of Poor Sourcing:

Bad - Blog: "According to TechBlogger99, the CEO is planning to resign next month."

Why it's bad: Personal blogs are not reliable sources. Rumors need verification from credible news sources.

Bad - Social Media: "Many analysts believe the stock is overvalued."

Why it's bad: Social media posts are not reliable sources. Need actual analyst reports.

Bad - No Source: "The CEO is widely considered one of the most innovative leaders in tech."

Why it's bad: Unsourced opinion. Who considers them innovative? Need attribution.

Citation Methods

Inline Citations

Use <ref> tags immediately after the material:

Cook joined Apple in 1998.<ref>Bloomberg: "Tim Cook Profile," accessed March 2024</ref>

Named References

For repeated use of the same source:

First use: ...$63 million.<ref name="proxy2024">Apple Proxy Statement, Jan 2024, p. 45</ref>
Later use: ...stock awards.<ref name="proxy2024" />

Citation Format

Include these elements:

• Author (if available)
• Title of article/document
• Publication name
• Date
• Page number (if applicable)
• URL (for online sources)

Example - News Article:

Smith, Jane. "CEO Compensation Rises 15% in 2023." ''Wall Street Journal'', 
March 15, 2024, p. B3. https://wsj.com/articles/...

Example - SEC Filing:

Microsoft Corporation. Proxy Statement (Schedule 14A), filed October 12, 2023, 
p. 52. Available at: https://sec.gov/cgi-bin/browse-edgar...

When Sources Disagree

If reliable sources contradict each other:

Approach 1 - Present Both:

"The Wall Street Journal reported the deal value at $10 billion, while the Financial Times cited $11 billion. The companies did not disclose terms publicly."

Approach 2 - Use Most Reliable:

"According to the company's SEC filing, the deal was valued at $10.5 billion."

Special Cases

Common Knowledge

Even "common knowledge" benefits from citations in CEO.wiki:

Helpful to cite even if obvious:

• Birth dates and places
• Educational credentials
• Job titles and appointment dates
• Company founding dates

Why: Makes verification easier for readers and provides authoritative sources.

Self-published Expert Sources

Experts may occasionally be cited if:

• They are recognized authorities in their field
• The statement is within their area of expertise
• No conflict of interest exists
• Used only for expert opinion, not for facts

Example - Acceptable:

"Harvard Business School professor Michael Porter, in his blog, analyzed the company's competitive strategy as a classic case of differentiation focus."

Press Releases

Use press releases for:

• ✅ Factual announcements (appointments, launches, earnings dates)
• ✅ Direct quotes from executives
• ❌ Analysis or opinions (need independent verification)
• ❌ Sole source for major claims

Addressing Template:Citation needed

When you see Template:Citation needed:

1. Find a source - Search for reliable sources that verify the claim 2. Add citation - Insert the reference in proper format 3. Remove tag - Delete Template:Citation needed after adding source 4. If no source exists - Remove the unsourced claim

Don't:

• Leave Template:Citation needed tags indefinitely
• Remove tags without adding sources
• Add unreliable sources just to have something

Exceptional Circumstances

Very rarely, truly exceptional circumstances may allow:

• Breaking news - Recent events may temporarily lack sources (mark with Template:Update)
• In preparation - Stub articles being actively developed (mark clearly)

But these are temporary exceptions only. Content must be sourced before leaving stub status.

Enforcement

Editor Responsibilities

All editors must:

• Provide sources for added content
• Respond to citation requests promptly
• Not restore content without providing sources
• Remove clearly unsourced content

Consequences

Unsourced content may be:

• Tagged with Template:Citation needed
• Removed by any editor
• Cause for page protection if persistent

Editors who persistently add unsourced content may face:

• Warnings
• Temporary editing restrictions
• Blocks for serious or repeated violations

Tools and Resources

Finding Sources

• SEC EDGAR Database
• Google Scholar - Academic sources
• Bloomberg - Business news
• Wall Street Journal
• Financial Times
• University library databases

Citation Tools

• Use <ref> tags for inline citations
• See Citation guidelines for formats
• Templates available for common source types

See Also

• Neutral Point of View
• No Original Research
• Reliable Sources
• Citation Guidelines

External Links

• Wikipedia's Verifiability Policy
• SEC.gov - Securities and Exchange Commission