Question

Why do you allow unsourced entries?

Comments

I can't answer the question, but I can point you to this page: https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Help:Sources_FAQ.

That FAQ says, in part:

We have a low bar for creating modern profiles because we want to encourage all our cousins to share their family history information. As long as they also share where their information came from, we have a starting point for collaboration and we can work together to improve our shared tree. Our cousins may not be wiki genealogists, or genealogists at all.

And:

Here are examples of source citations that would be sufficiently specific:

• "Find-A-Grave Memorial #1234"
• "FamilySearch profile ABCD-123"
• "Unsourced family tree handed down to X"
• "Family Bible owned by X currently in the possession of Y"

If I'm not mistaken, some of these elements changed in conjunction with the recent modification in membership types and registration procedures. I believe it's intended to be more inviting for people who are new to genealogy to sign-up and experiment with creating post-1700 profiles. How well this is furthering WikiTree's mission statement "to grow an accurate single family tree" may not, as yet, be known.

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But Edison, you have answered the question!

Answer 1

Good question!!

Answer 2

See https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Help:Sources_FAQ

Sourcing is a requirement, as part of the honor code. 

Comments

Some of the older created profiles, especially in the days when GEDCOMS were imported willy nilly,  don't have sources,  I was once descended from Attila the Hun here, as well as Cleopatra Queen of Egypt. I did not actually believe that.   Those profiles have since been disconnected from my ancestry. But  there are still many such profiles hanging around, unsourced.

 As far as new profiles go,  they should be sourced.

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I found a tree on familysearch for my wifes family that went all the way back through kings of Troy and thence to Zeus and Chaos. That one is my favorite!

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LOL LOL (I had to put two LOL's in because I had to have at least 5 Characters)

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One of my favorite “non-sources” is somebody having witnessed events many, many years before they were born.

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I fully agree that primary sources have to be added, but the rules are clear: it is allowed for create post 1700 profiles, as Edison says, without primary sources.

This is especially true for Family Members. They have a cap of 300 edits.

Answer 3

There are still profiles being added with ‘sources will be added by xxx by date’ or ‘from family records’ but no actual sources.