Wikipedia:More seasoning doesn't mean more flavor
 | This is an essay on what makes a source "good", and why less information doesn't always mean worse information (and vice versa). It contains the advice or opinions of one or more Wikipedia contributors. This page is not an encyclopedia article, nor is it one of Wikipedia's policies or guidelines, as it has not been thoroughly vetted by the community. Some essays represent widespread norms; others only represent minority viewpoints. |
 | This page contains material that is kept because it is considered humorous. Such material is not meant to be taken seriously. |
 | This page in a nutshell: Topic usually trumps the level of detail, but too little detail can ruin the information |
Most of the time, adding more seasoning to a dish doesn't mean the dish has more flavor, and adding less seasoning doesn't mean it has less flavor. Regardless of how intricate the meal may be, the seasoning is but one element of the dish. The same can be said for sources you may choose to reference, too: Just because a source has more detail doesn't mean it's better. What really matters is the source's topic, just as the main appeal of a meal is its main ingredient. You wouldn't buy an expensive steak just for the salt![citation needed]
An Example
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Let's say you're starting a brand new article on, say, Hydrochloric Acid (which already exists and has a few good examples of "simpler" references, such as 35, just to name one). You've found two sources that talk about vastly different aspects of the substance. The first one, by, let's say, Dr. Stupidhead, goes into extreme, intricate detail about the basic properties: color, odor, refraction, density, pH — you get the idea. This is an example of an excellent source! It goes over many common details of the acid, and goes into great detail and depth about each topic. The second one, by Sir Bitesalot B.S.Chem, M.Phys, M.S.C.S., goes through extremely obscure points of interest about the acid, such as uses in medicine, reactions with particular metals (e.g. copper, stainless steel, or gold), and conductivity of electricity — but wait, this one doesnt go into anywhere near the same level of detail as the first one! Despite this, though, it is still an excellent source. Although it is true that it's far less detailed than the first source, Source 2 has one glaring advantage over Source 1: it goes over topics that Source 1 does not. Just because Source 2 is simpler than Source 1 does not mean Source 2's topics aren't notable, it just means you won't be able to explain Source 2's topics as clearly as Source 1 — and that's perfectly fine! Complexity and Notability are two different concepts, and while they may interact occasionally, they serve completely different roles.
You still need a little seasoning
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Of course, too little seasoning can still be an issue, just as a source with too little detail can be nearly useless. Going back to our example, let's say the sources only have one thing in common: both describe how the acid reacts with silver. Let's say Source 2, in this case, says something like "Hydrochloric acid reacts with Silver very uniquely, forming compounds with the metal as it corrodes the metal at a rapid rate.[2]" (which (probably) isn't what actually happens, as this is just an example) Meanwhile, Source 1 states "Hydrochloric acid corrodes silver very rapidly, and dissolves 1 gram of pure silver in approximately 1 second.[1]" Source 2, while it lacks as much detail as Source 1, is still a better source, as it describes exactly what happens to the dissolved silver. Source 1 only describes how fast the acid can dissolve a gram of silver, lacking the details of what happens to the dissolved silver.
People mix Onion and Garlic for a reason
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But let's say that they both have the same level of detail, but describe different aspects of the same topic!
Source 1 states "2 liters of Hydrochloric acid can dissolve approximately 0.34 kilograms of stainless steel in approximately 6.44 seconds, forming a thick, golden brown-colored gas as it dissolves, however this reaction occurs at a slower rate at higher ambient temperatures, ceasing at an ambient temperature of approximately 143°F (62°C).[1]" while Source 2 states "When Hydrochloric acid dissolves stainless steel, it creates a large amount of heat and forms a highly poisonous, golden-brown gas that sticks to fabrics as a metallic dust that can lead to skin irritation, or, if inhaled, can lead to lung cancer, extremely high risk of cardiac arrest, kidney failure, or even total organ failure unless treated within 15 minutes.[2]"
This is an example of a good time to mix your seasonings together, mixing both Source 1 and Source 2. They both talk about the same thing with the same level of detail, but if you look carefully, you'll notice that Source 1 talks more about speed while Source 2 talks more about the results. Just like you'd mix Garlic and Onion, you can mix the two sources to make a single section of a page that uses both sources, such as something along the lines of
2 liters of Hydrochloric acid can dissolve approximately 0.34 kilograms of stainless steel in approximately 6.44 seconds,however this reaction occurs at a slower rate at higher ambient temperatures, ceasing at an ambient temperature of approximately 143°F (62°C). When this reaction occurs, it creates a large amount of heat and forms a highly poisonous, golden-brown gas that sticks to fabrics as a metallic dust that can lead to skin irritation, or, if inhaled, can lead to lung cancer, extremely high risk of cardiac arrest, kidney failure, or even total organ failure unless treated within 15 minutes.[1][2]
or, alternatively,
2 liters of Hydrochloric acid can dissolve approximately 0.34 kilograms of stainless steel in approximately 6.44 seconds,however this reaction occurs at a slower rate at higher ambient temperatures, ceasing at an ambient temperature of approximately 143°F (62°C).[1] When this reaction occurs, it creates a large amount of heat and forms a highly poisonous, golden-brown gas that sticks to fabrics as a metallic dust that can lead to skin irritation, or, if inhaled, can lead to lung cancer, extremely high risk of cardiac arrest, kidney failure, or even total organ failure unless treated within 15 minutes.[2]
As you can see, both sources were merged into one, more detailed piece of information, just like you'd mix Garlic and Onions together to make a new, more complex flavor.
Summary: The meal matters more than the seasoning, but you should still add seasoning, but sometimes it's a better idea to mix them all up to make a new one.
