From: bookmarch_at_aol.com
Date: Wed, 20 Oct 2010 09:41:06 -0400 (EDT)

Anyone who doubts that citations matter, or thinks that in books for young people they are not necessary, should look up this article in today's Washi ngton Post

7974.html?hpid=topnews

"Virginia 4th-grade textbook criticized over claims on black Confederate soldiers"

By Kevin Sieff

A 4th grade textbook supposedly vetted and completely approved for use in the state of Virginia claims that thousands of blacks fought for the South during the war -- yet when scholars checked the author's sources it turned out she had merely used websites created by Sons of the Confederacy who are determined to show that the slavery was not a central issue in the war.

Sources and citations matter. And I have to admit in some of my books I've used net sources only to have an expert reader show me that those were date d or inaccurate views -- so the very fact that it is so easy for us to find information makes it all the more important that we get real experts to re view our work before we share it.

Marc Aronson
Received on Wed 20 Oct 2010 09:41:06 AM CDT