Posting Policy
Feb 19, 2012 13:08:41 GMT -5
Post by us4-he2-gal2 on Feb 19, 2012 13:08:41 GMT -5
E n e n u r u Posting Policy
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On Feb. 2 2011, I sent around to the group the following notice about updated posting policy:
"Change B) Academic policy : From the start enenuru has been a board tolerating all views, while determinedly championing the academic one and the field of Assyriology in particular. My inclination not to set boundaries for board discussion has stemmed from the fact that I have been a layman working my way in - who am I to call any sort of academic high ground? And yet, members have given me their opinions and desires for the board in this last year and I will acknowledge this input: we may not all be in the field but we *do* come to share and learn what we can from it; and this *is* an academic board in spirit. Henceforth, for the first time enenuru has an official policy which will direct content going forward - posts are to be of an academic nature to the best ability of the poster, whatever that is. To discuss the findings and learn the methods of the field of Assyriology is the aim of the board for student and layman alike. I will be available to help any persons struggling with these intellectual challenges, but again, struggle is the point."
Interpreting the academic posting policy:
- The biggest concern about this policy is likely to come from our layman members who are outside of the university. This policy does *not* mean that you must post as if you were in the field. The policy does ask you to post *at your level* whatever that may be - but with reference to a) academic commentaries and resources or b) primary sources, that is the textual or archaeological data itself. Helping lay persons gain access and skill with these resources is really one of the big reasons for this board to exist. And it's now a policy that persons making use of it proceed along these lines as well.
* If you don't know where to start, email me at bill.mcgrath@mail.utoronto.ca for assistance and some initial resources.
- Posting in an academic manner does not mean that you must cite every opinion you give. Generally speaking, if something is being explained to the board, primary or secondary sources should be given so that information can be placed, weighed, and possibly countered - but countering someones information should only be done if its in the name of overall progress. If you choose to counter someone's information, you should definitely cite sources that justify an objection .. "in my opinion, that's probably not right" is not a justifiably weighty objection. Don't object unless there is a positive reason to.
- Lastly, posting in an academic manner means the exclusion of non-academic viewpoints. For this reason, alternative history theories, such as those of Sitchin, pagan views including personal perspectives of or from gods, and occult topics such as the Necronomicon should not be entered into discussion at enenuru.
***Note: As the organizer at enenuru, I don't hold anything against those with these sort of perspectives on Mesopotamia, it's really a matter of keeping the board dedicated to the subject matter the membership is really interested in. Should you want assistance in finding academic material which would help to qualify your pagan or occult material etc., please contact me directly: bill.mcgrath@mail.utoronto.ca