From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Circular reporting
Circular reporting
References
[1] Sergeant Marcus Sterzer, CD, B.A.; Master Corporal
Patrick McDuff B.A., M.A.; and Corporal Jacek Flasz
(Summer 2008). "The Challenge of Centralized
Control Faced by the Intelligence Function in
Afghanistan". Canadian Army Journal.
http://www.army.forces.gc.ca/caj/documents/
vol_11/iss_2/CAJ_Vol11.2_12_e.pdf.
[2] ^ "The Cocktail Napkin Plan for Regime Change in
Iran". Mother Jones. 2008-06.
http://www.motherjones.com/mojoblog/
archives/2008/06/8595_three_days_in_r.html.
Two basic ways that circular reporting can happen. Dashed [3] Micheal T. Hurley, Kenton V. Smith. "8". I Solemnly
lines indicate sourcing that isn’t visible to the final reviewer. In Swear. p. 128. ISBN 0595299474. "Pan Am would
both cases, one original source (top) appears to the final re- eventually try to play that game by trying to
viewer (bottom) as two independent sources introduce into court news reports that they
themselves had a hand in producing." Google Book
In source criticism, circular reporting or false confir- search, retrieved on 23 July 2009.
mation is a situation where a piece of information ap- [4] Timmer, John (2009-05). "Wikipedia hoax points to
pears to come from multiple independent sources, but in the limits of journalists’ research". Ars Technica.
fact is coming from only one source.[1][2] In most cases, http://arstechnica.com/media/news/2009/05/
the problem happens mistakenly through sloppy intelli- wikipedia-hoax-reveals-limits-of-journalists-
gence gathering practices, but in a few cases, the situa- research.ars.
tion was believed to have been intentionally caused by [5] Drogin, Bob; Hamburger, Tom (2006-02-17).
the original source.[3] "2006-02-17". Los Angeles Times.
This problem occurs in variety of fields, including http://articles.latimes.com/2006/feb/17/nation/
intelligence gathering[2], journalism, and scholarly re- na-niger17.
search. [6] "Wie ich Freiherr von Guttenberg zu Wilhelm
Wikipedia is sometimes criticized for being used as a machte" (in German). BildBlog.de. 2009-02-10.
source of circular reporting.[4] Wikipedia advises all re- http://www.bildblog.de/5704/.
searchers and journalists to be wary of using Wikipedia "False Fact On Wikipedia Proves Itself" (in English).
as a direct source, and instead focus on verifiable infor- Slashdot. 2009-02-11. http://tech.slashdot.org/
mation found in an article’s cited references. article.pl?sid=09/02/10/2211220.
[7] "Wikipedia Article creates Circular references".
Specific examples Tech Debug blog. 2009-01-14.
http://techdebug.com/blog/2008/04/19/
• the 2002 Niger uranium forgeries [5]
wikipedia-article-creates-circular-references/.
• Wikipedia and Der Spiegel in 2009, regarding Karl-
Theodor Freiherr von und zu Guttenberg [6]
• Wikipedia and The Independent in 2007, propagating
the false information that Sacha Baron Cohen
worked at Goldman Sachs[7]
See also
• Media echo chamber
Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Circular_reporting&oldid=461155451"
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From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Circular reporting
Categories:
• Causal fallacies
• Communication of falsehoods
• Criticism of journalism
• Literary criticism
• Philosophical logic
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