Chalo Chatu:Reliable sources
This policy defines what types of sources are considered reliable for use on Chalo Chatu, especially in article references and citations.
Chalo Chatu aims to document Zambia’s past and present using sources that are factual, verifiable, and rooted in community or institutional authority. We accept both written and oral forms of knowledge, provided they meet standards of accuracy and transparency.
Core Principles
- All information must be verifiable by a reliable source.
- Preference is given to secondary sources that interpret or analyse primary data.
- Oral history is valid when documented and editorially reviewed.
- Developing events must be attributed to a real-time, credible source.
Acceptable Source Types
Academic and Institutional Publications
- Peer-reviewed journals
- Books by university presses or reputable Zambian publishers
- Government white papers, national plans, census data
Government and State Sources
- Ministry reports and official gazettes
- Statements issued by national bodies (e.g. ECZ, BOZ, NAZ)
- **Verified social media posts by government institutions and officials**
(e.g. Ministry Facebook Pages, State House Twitter)
News Media
- Reputable Zambian newspapers: Times of Zambia, Zambia Daily Mail, News Diggers
- International outlets reporting on Zambian affairs: BBC, Al Jazeera, Reuters
- ZNBC or licensed private broadcasters (TV and radio transcripts)
Institutional Reports
- UN agencies (e.g. UNESCO, UNICEF), African Union
- INGOs (e.g. Amnesty International, Transparency International)
- Academic NGOs and local think tanks
Oral History (with editorial validation)
- Narratives and interviews collected by field researchers or trusted contributors
- Must be reviewed by the editorial team and recorded with location, date, and storyteller
- Especially relevant for pre-independence events or undocumented cultural knowledge
→ Use: {{Oral history}}
Ongoing or Developing Events
- Use real-time posts from **verified institutional pages** or press releases
- Clearly mark the article with
{{Developing article}} - Add citation timestamps (e.g. "As of 30 July 2025…")
Media as Source Material
Chalo Chatu permits the use of images, videos, and audio if:
- They are from official **government social media** and marked for public use
- Licensed under Creative Commons or Public Domain
- Submitted by trusted contributors or partner institutions
→ Tag with source details and licensing (see: Chalo Chatu:File Upload and Metadata Policy)
Example: ```wikitext Source: Ministry of Tourism – Official Facebook Page Date: 15 June 2025 License: Public-use social media image under attribution Description: Independence Day parade in Mongu
Prohibited and Unreliable Sources
- Anonymous blogs or opinion forums
- Wikipedia articles (but not their sources)
- WhatsApp forwards or unverified Facebook posts
- Heavily edited media lacking context or attribution
- Satirical or parody sites (e.g. Watchdog, Zambian Observer)
Citation Standards
Always cite using templates: {{cite web}}, {{cite news}}, {{cite book}}
Use <ref>…</ref> to enclose citations inline
Include author, date, title, publisher, and access date
→ Example:
<ref>{{cite news |title=Government Launches ICT Policy |url=https://www.daily-mail.co.zm/article/launch |date=2025-06-14 |publisher=Zambia Daily Mail |access-date=2025-08-01}}</ref>
