Talk:Tourette Syndrome Foundation of Canada

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[edit] Establish notability

Hi, Mt Valley. Welcome to Wikipedia! I wanted to call your attention to the need to establish notability in Wikipedia. This policy is to prevent, basically, every Tom, Dick and Harry from having a Wiki entry. You and I know that TSFC is "notable" but the burden is on the editor adding the information to *establish* notability in the article, according to Wiki criteria. This must be via links to independent, published sources (that is, it can't be information from press releases from the TSFC, or newspaper articles about support group meetings, etc. -- it has to be independent, reliable sources mentioning the importance of the TSFC.) See Tourette Syndrome Association for the four independent published mentions of the notability of the TSA, and look for similar press or journal or literature reports about the TSFC. (I've been through the A/N books, and all the books I have, and haven't found a notable mention of TSFC, but you can probably locate one.) If you don't do that, the article can be speedy deleted for not having established notability. As soon as you add the article to categories, other editors may see it, and speedy delete it. As soon as you've established notability, I'll add you to the template and categories. Let me know if you need help, but you first need to find published accounts establishing notability. Welcome, again ! Sandy 14:39, 18 July 2006 (UTC)

Here's the example for you from the TSA: notice that references are provided to establish notability. If you can list your references, I can help you with the formatting:

The TSA "has been the major drving force in scientific and clinical progress relevant to TS", using its resources to encourage research and scientific initiatives,[3] and working tirelessly to promote information about TS.[4] The TSA has worked for recognition of Tourette syndrome as an organic disorder, lobbying the public, the government, and physicians. They have become adept at winning grants and shaping media treatment of the condition.[1] Since its inception, research spurred by the TSA has grown in volume and sophistication, including controlled treatment studies and studies of pathophysiology and etiology.[5]

Sandy 14:53, 18 July 2006 (UTC)

Hi Sandy! Thanks for your help in improving the TSFC page. I am a volunteer at the TSFC head office (I'm there right now) and had planned on expanding the entry eventually, but was under the impression that it was already sufficiently notable on three cumulative grounds:

• 1) TSFC is already explicitly mentioned in the TS Wikipedia entry in connection with Dr. Roger Freeman's TS blog (who is a chief advisor on the TSFC board of directors).
• 2) It is already mentioned and linked to in the Neve Campbell Wikipedia entry.
• 3) It is a link in the list of international TS organizations linked to in the main TS Wikipedia entry.

It's unfortunate that Wikipedia does not itself constitute a significant external source. I will look for mention of the organization elsewhere. Hopefully it will not be speedily deleted when this is read.

Ken 16:26, 18 July 2006

Hi, Ken. Yes, you've accurately noted the dilemma: Wiki can't be used as a source for Wiki -- circular reasoning :-) It needs outside sourcing. Once you come up with something, I can help. Since it's a national organization, the burden is not high: just try to find one or two things in a book, newspaper, journal article, whatever, so that you can make the case. Again, remember that the problem is not TSFC: it's the "every other Tom, Dick and Harry" factor :-) I don't think it will get speedy deleted while you're working on it, since we've got a talk page discussion indicating that you're working on it, and I don't think anyone will object or notice. Sandy 20:33, 18 July 2006 (UTC)

Ken, I removed the template, now that I know you've seen it, so it wouldn't attract AfD attention while you're gathering sources. Let me know if you need help, Sandy 17:20, 20 July 2006 (UTC)

I added TSFC to the template, but notability would be established more strongly via independent sources; that is, not sources that refer to publications of and by the TSFC, rather independent mentions of the TSFC. Sandy 20:40, 21 July 2006 (UTC)