Listing sources that had nothing to do with the creation of my Hub

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   Michael Kismetposted 7 years ago

   So, I received another email from Hubpages telling me they're moving another one of my hubs to a niche site, a hub I published a few days ago.
   
       http://hubpages.com/health/10-Foods-tha … eth-Strong
   
   But the editorial notes stated I should list references or sources for all 10 of the foods I featured in my hub, before they can move it.  But a few of the foods I listed I did not glean from anywhere, but my own brain..such as the Calcium, Vitamin D, Water..you know the common sense stuff.
   
   So, I have to find sources and give credit to sites that had nothing to do with my article.  This seemed silly to me, backwards, and dare I say..even unethical.  I don't mind listing sources that I did use in my research, but I feel irked that I have to list and credit sites that had nothing to do with the hub..
   
   Thoughts?  Opinions?

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      TessSchlesingerposted 7 years agoin reply to this

      I believe that it's warranted. I do research and provide links in all my articles. Everything is backed up. Even in making comments on social networking sites, I back everything up. One cannot be too careful. As someone who grew up in a time when there were far more rigorous standards in journalism than there are today, I have no issue with this. I think it's imperative.

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      kenneth averyposted 7 years agoin reply to this

      Listing sources/links for me is close to being top priority. It is better said this way: If I remember to do it, fine. If I  don't, fine.

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   DzyMsLizzyposted 7 years ago

   I agree with you; some of these new requirements are getting a bit too fussy!

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      TIMETRAVELER2posted 7 years agoin reply to this

      Not really,  Writers should bear in mind that people read their articles and often follow their advice.  Since most of us are not doctors, we should support our statements by using credible sources.

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   Marisa Wrightposted 7 years ago

   It may be common sense stuff to you, but you are making health recommendations so they are asking you to provide references. 
   
   I think what they really want is for you to find clinical studies or a medical site that provides evidence to back up each of your claims.

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      Michael Kismetposted 7 years agoin reply to this

      I hear what you're saying, but it still leaves a bad taste in my mouth. Like if I wrote a hub on how drinking water keeps you hydrated, I would have to dig up a clinical study for it.  But, I guess I'll have to adapt, and dance to the tune of their fifth.
      
      As always, your subtle, yet direct words demand obedience!

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         Marisa Wrightposted 7 years agoin reply to this

         I've just had a similar problem.  I submitted a Hub about using Lysine for cold sores, and got back a request to add references to clinical studies.
         
         The trouble is, most clinical studies found it wasn't that effective!   However, my own experience was the opposite (and I notice most of the studies used a lower dose so no wonder they didn't work).  That's why I was reluctant to include them in the first place.  I've now added a paragraph admitting the science doesn't back up my recommendation but explaining why, with links - it'll be interesting to see what they make of it. 
         
         As for your water story - actually I think that's a good illustration of why they want you to cite your sources, because it means you have to check them and that way, you might discover some of your "common sense" facts are actually misconceptions. I'm not saying that applies to you, but I've seen too many Hubs from people who think water is somehow magically better than any other source for hydration (it isn't) or that you have to drink two litres of water a day (you don't) etc.

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            DzyMsLizzyposted 7 years agoin reply to this

            Agreed on water--but I know I don't drink enough of it.  I rationalize to myself that water is the base ingredient for everything I drink, whether it be coffee, tea, or sodapop. 

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               Marisa Wrightposted 7 years agoin reply to this

               And so you should!   There is NOTHING  magic about water.   It's important to drink enough FLUID during the day, but there is no minimum requirement for water.
               
               There have been studies done where people drank NO water at all, just coffee and tea, and at the end of the day they were equally as hydrated as another group which drank only water. 
               
               In fact, there is a good reason to limit fluids when you get older, in case you have unsuspected heart trouble.   My sister had a heart attack last year.  She was advised to drink plenty of fluids, BUT never to drink more than two litres (four pints) per day.   And that was fluids from all sources - coffee, tea, soup, soda etc.
               
               The reason is that apparently, the heart has to work hard to rid the body of fluid.  Once you get over two litres in a day, it puts too much strain on the heart muscle.
               
               Now, this was my sister's second heart attack. It turns out she had one before, but didn't know about it. Apparently it's not uncommon to have a silent heart attack, especially in women. So she should've been limiting her fluids long ago.

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                  DzyMsLizzyposted 7 years agoin reply to this

                  I know what you are talking about, Marisa; my husband is a heart patient, and he is limited to 2 liters of fluid per day,  That was a challenge for me to figure out, as I don't do metrics.  However, I did learn that it counts anything and everything that even was once a liquid, including such desserts as ice cream and pudding, or the gravy you put on your dinner plate.  It was hard going for a while, since we are not accustomed to measuring our foods prior to eating.
                  I did make it a bit easier by putting ounce labels on the shelf with the drinking glasses, so I know which ones hold how much.  So, if we indulge in a milkshake, that's a 20 ounce mug, and then have to cut back somewhere else. 
                  (As far as the tea goes, I've had medical professionals tell me it doesn't count because the caffeine is a diuretic..so you're defeating the purpose.  Hmmm..)

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                     TIMETRAVELER2posted 7 years agoin reply to this

                     Is this also true of decaf tea and coffee?

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                        Marisa Wrightposted 7 years agoin reply to this

                        If it's a liquid, it needs to be counted.

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                     Marisa Wrightposted 7 years agoin reply to this

                     The jury is out on coffee and tea.   It used to be thought that because the caffeine is a diuretic, it didn't count. However, it's only a very mild diuretic - which means the amount of caffeine in a cup of coffee isn't enough to cause the body to expel the whole cup of coffee.  So it should be counted.
                     
                     There have been a couple of studies where they gave cyclists coffee instead of water in their workout bottles, and at the end of the day, they were just as hydrated as the control group who'd been drinking water.
                     
                     I confess I didn't know it had to include things like puddings, though.

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   Robinposted 7 years ago

   Articles that are on YMYL (Your Money or Your Life) topics are held to a higher standard.   If you are giving medical advice you should be adding references.  Marisa, it's always a good idea to show both sides of the argument.  If studies disagree with you, I would include those.  You can always say that your personal experience is different, but readers will appreciate your honesty and knowledge. 
   
   We are working on Editorial Policies for each site that should be out in the near future that will give more structure around each site's standards.

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      DzyMsLizzyposted 7 years agoin reply to this

      What about articles for handy, helpful household tips, tricks and work-arounds which you have used and/or discovered or figured out on your own, without looking up any references??

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         Robinposted 7 years agoin reply to this

         That's fine.  We are more concerned with articles that have to do with your health or finances that could harm you.  While references are always nice, they aren't necessary in everything you write.  Here are some examples from Google on YMYL content:
         Google gives examples of what they see as types of YMYL pages:
         
         - Pages used for monetary transactions, on which users might give their credit account or bank account information; for example any page that allows you to buy something.
         - Pages offering medical or health information that could impact your physical well being.
         - Pages offering advice on major life decisions, such as pages on parenting, purchasing a home, a vehicle, etc.
         - Pages offering advice on major life issues that could impact your future happiness and finances, such as pages giving legal or financial advice.
         - Pages soliciting personal information, such as personal identification numbers, bank account numbers, driver’s license numbers, etc., which could be used for identify theft.
         
         More info can be found here:  https://searchenginewatch.com/sew/how-t … ed-to-know

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   Tricia Deedposted 7 years ago

   Michael,
   Thanks for posting your concerns for references to common sense. The responses were very informative and an eye-opener to rules governing issues which should be referenced by facts or professional research.

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