Skip to content

How we cite

This site makes strong claims, so we cite in a way that lets you verify them. Footnotes are how we keep that standard: claims you can trace, sources you can open, and arguments you do not have to take on trust.

In the text

Put a superscript number next to the claim or quote, and define it later in the same file:

One formulation holds that whatever begins to exist has a cause[^1].

[^1]: See, e.g., discussion in standard cosmological literature; full reference below.

For a direct quote, keep it short and place the number right after the quotation:

As one author puts it, "contingency points beyond the series"[^2].

[^2]: Author Name, *Title* (Year), p. 00—verify against the original.

Not legal advice. When unsure, quote less, paraphrase more, and cite the source.

  • Credit: Ideas and wording that are not ours get a footnote and enough detail to find the source.
  • Length: Prefer one or two short sentences (about ≤ 60 words in one block) for ordinary prose. Longer passages should be summarized in your own words plus a citation, not copied wholesale.
  • Paraphrase: Most of an article should be our synthesis, with footnotes anchoring claims rather than copied blocks of prose.
  • Licensed or public-domain sources: Follow that license’s attribution rules.
  • Images: Do not reproduce copyrighted figures without permission or a clear open license; link to the original or redraw simply with credit.

References at the bottom

Add a ## References section with everything needed to retrieve each source:

  • Stable URL (or DOI / catalog entry)
  • Title and author (or institution)
  • Access date for web pages

Example:

## References

[^1]: Philosopher A, "Paper title," *Journal* vol. (year), https://example.org/paper — accessed 2026-03-27.

[^2]: Organization B, "Page title," https://example.org/page — accessed 2026-03-27.

Footnote numbers in the text must match these definitions. The site renders footnotes at the bottom of the article automatically.

Minimum standard: every factual claim that matters should lead the reader to a source they can actually retrieve. If we want readers to trust our argument, we need to show our work.

See also