When You Are Reading a Numismatic Article, Do You Look at the Footnotes First?

Coinosaurus

I admit it, I am a snob. I look at the endnotes first and then decide if the article is worth reading based on the sources they used. If the only thing cited is the Redbook, it probably won't pass the sniff test. Conversely, if they cite sources I've never heard of, I get interested fast.

Longacre

Like a lawyer friend of mine told me in law school-- only fools read the footnotes in a legal opinion because it is was important, the judge would have put the information in the body of the text.

I am sure that guy is some big Federal Circuit judge some where, and I am here toiling away for The Man.

ahooka454

I read the material first then the footnotes.

ricko

Perhaps not first - but usually after the first questionable statement or citation... then, if noteworthy, I continue. The passage then would be marked for further research. Cheers, RickO

MrHalfDime

I can't actually say that I've done that (read the footnotes first), but you make a good point, and I will likely think of that the next time I read an article. However, one should not confuse the footnotes with a bibliography. It is possible to cite a mediocre reference in the footnotes, yet contain many quality, even primary sources in the bibliography.

Athena

Original research might not have high-powered footnotes, but is often worth reading.

firstmint

Most footnotes seen in American numismatic literature are usually referencing some earlier citation, which may or may not prove to be accurate.

The comment about original research not having "high-powered" footnotes is right on. In many cases, there are citations from other sources that are not always in print.

If it's an article which needs validation for the text, then footnotes are useful. However, if it's a story, that's another subject altogether.

BECOKA

Can't say that I do. I usually try to asses if an article is legit based on what I have in my noggin and then check to see if I was right.

Patches

Generally I read the title of the article first, then if it's in English...I continue to the body.

DaveG

When I read something on financial/economic history, I always like to look at the bibliography/footnotes - mostly so I can "steal" the original source, though.

It's also a lot of fun to find a source that no one else has used before, too.

I found one a great one a while ago that really provided some contemporary illumination regarding what happened to a lot of US silver coins just after the Civil War - now I just need to write the article!

RWB

I usually cut back and forth, depending on whether a passage raises questions. With a book, I’ll scan the bibliography (if there is one) and quickly skim the text to see if there’s more than might first be apparent.

A numismatic book or article might be very good and lack endnotes/sources depending on the publisher and whether the work involves examining varieties, or is completely new.