Guest article by Heike Baller
A lot of the information I deal with comes from social media - sometimes just a reference to an event, sometimes an expression of opinion followed by a discussion. When I deal with a topic, scientifically or otherwise as an author, in such a way that I have to prove where I got the information from, I cannot avoid using citations. And there are a number of rules for this.
When it comes to citations in scientific texts, a distinction is usually made between knowledge sources and information or data sources. Knowledge sources are usually texts that reflect the current state of research - i.e. journal articles or books that meet scientific standards.
Information or data sources, on the other hand, are more diverse. These can be:
statistics
interviews
brochures
publications by authorities
And also: statements on social media.
Of course, I can use such sources. I just have to consider beforehand how relevant and how reliable they are. If I quote in a context other than a scientific one, the whole thing is a little more relaxed. But all quotes must always be correct and understandable.
Here's how: Quoting from social media
If it is clear that this statement or information bitcoin data that I found on Twitter or in a blog should be included in my text, I have to ensure one thing above all else: people who read the text must be able to check the quote. To do this, I have to indicate the source. Simply "Twitter.de" is not enough. It must also be clear who wrote it. The questions are:
Who said what I want to quote here?
Where did he say that?
When did he say it?
What is the address where the statement can be found?
When did I last see the post?
Quotes from blogs
Here I can usually see who wrote the text, because most blogs are either "owner-run" or name the author. For the article " Working out loud " the bibliography might look like this:
Lohrmann, Christiane [Blog entry] (2018): Working Out Loud in the company: The new way of working?, [Blog Zukunft Personal of spring Messe Management GmbH ], published on November 9, 2018, online at: https://blog.zukunft-personal.com/de/20 ... -arbeiten/ (accessed: September 27, 2019)