Is inserting suppositions without sources into the biography appropriate?

Question

Simply should assumptions be in the body of the biography or as a research note with supporting source/reference?

Answer 1

You've got it! Theories and 'maybes' should be put in a ==Research Notes== section.  They should never go into the main ==Biography== section, especially without sources.

Comments

I would say that if they are supported by reasonable evidence, it is entirely appropriate to discuss them in the bio - eg, "Based on the inclusion in the inventory of Joe's estate of blacksmithing equipment, Joe may have been a blacksmith." I agree, however, that if no reasonable evidence for them is provided/presented, they belong in the Research Notes section (if anywhere). (I found the original question confusing since it talked both about suppositions without sources and about putting them in the Research Notes section with supporting evidence/research.)

Answer 2

A supposition is different from an assumption. A supposition is an unproven hypothesis, which may be more or less supported by evidence or purely speculative. Assumptions are a set of facts or circumstances that are assumed (rather than established by direct evidence) on which conclusions or suppositions have been based.

A supposition that is presented with no supporting evidence should go in the Research Notes section. However, a supposition that is supported by reasonable evidence/argument can, and probably should, go in the bio, so long as the basis for that supposition is presented/discussed and the discussion indicates that it is a supposition (eg uses "may") rather than a proven conclusion.

Any assumptions on which statements, conclusions, hypotheses discussed a bio are based, belong in the discussion in the bio rather than in the Research Notes section.