How are unsourced claims attended?

Question

There are times we (at least I) remember something we heard long time ago in part of our lives which is an historical fact, or better said, claim. However we cannot be sure whether the fact is actually accurate or a new-age invention (most of the stuff about mayan and incan culture floating everywhere is tainted by new-age) or another pseudo-science (which is OT here) topic. Perhaps we cannot even find a source right at the moment (perhaps we don't know how to word the search appropriately or, under our wording, nothing was found). So under this second case the question remains... unsourced.

Is this the appropriate site for questions like this? How do we distinguish in this case whether such questions are on-topic or they should be asked in skeptics.stackexchange.com?

Answer 1

I would recommend reading the meta post Why did I get a downvote?, particularly this answer Someone once said..., which addresses your question directly.

As an observer of this stack's behavior, I can say that any question that starts that way is probably going to get a close vote or two. If you get the rest required for closure will be based on your execution of the question.

What I'd suggest if you have such a question would be to spend a few minutes with Dr. Google first. Top priority should be finding someone else out there saying that. At least that way you can show that this is something that's out there, rather than something that might have come to you in a dream after the pink teddy-bears quit beating on you with their herrings.

Next explain in detail, preferably with links or references, why you think this may be valid, and/or why you are suspicious it might not be.