A lot of the comments here focus on claims made in bad faith. But the biggest value of citations is when one is trying to make or check a claim in good faith. M

A lot of the comments here focus on claims made in bad faith. But the biggest value of citations is when one is trying to make or check a claim in good faith. Many times I find that my own long-held beliefs turn out to be incorrect or partially incorrect or misunderstandings when I fact-check them with a reliable expert source. As for claims made in bad faith? Don't trust these whether they have citations or not. Because there are a variety of primary sources on every topic and most things in life are uncertain, it is frequently possible to cherry pick an expert opinion that aligns with yours if you look hard enough. This makes fact the servant of opinion rather than the other way around.