Wikipedia:List of guidelines

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This page is not always up-to-date and does not necessarily list all guidelines. For an accurate automated list, see Category:Wikipedia guidelines and its subcategories. If you find a discrepancy, please update this page.

This list of Wikipedia guidelines is a comprehensive summary of all guidelines that are in use and have the current consensus of Wikipedia editors. Unlike policies, guidelines are usually more flexible and more likely to have exceptions and could be changed and improved more easily.

Shortcut: WP:GUIDELINES

See Wikipedia:Policies and guidelines for a general overview of what policies and guidelines are about, how they are made, and why we have them.

There are a vast number of guidelines on Wikipedia. It is recommended to review these guidelines whenever in doubt on Wikipedia. This list attempts to be comprehensive, but currently is far from it. You can also access all guidelines, without descriptions, at Category:Wikipedia guidelines.

1 Guidelines
2 See also

[edit] Guidelines

[edit] General

Article size: Article size is limited by technical issues and considerations of readability and organization. It's useful to split long articles and combine small pages.
Be bold in updating pages: Wikis develop faster when people fix problems, correct grammar, add facts, make sure the language is precise, and so on. We expect everyone to be bold. It's okay.
Build consensus: It is assumed that editors working toward consensus are pursuing a consensus that is consistent with Wikipedia's basic policies and principles - especially the neutral point of view (NPOV).
Build the web: Connect relevant topics throughout an article since all articles in the encyclopedia are nodes in a hypertext system.
Provide an edit summary: Providing an edit summary, even if the edit is minor, makes Wikipedia work better by quickly explaining to other users what your change was about.

For other useful tips, see avoiding common mistakes.

[edit] Content

3D Illustrations: 3D Illustrations which use a method or technique to simulate depth such as Anaglyph images and Stereograms should not be used as general inline illustrations in articles.
Abundance and redundancy: it is preferred to have abundance and redundancy of content rather than to exclude it to resolve an edit war.
Autobiography: Avoid writing or editing articles about yourself, since most of us find objectivity especially difficult when we ourselves are concerned. Contribute on the talk page instead. Feel free to correct mistaken or out-of-date facts about yourself.
Disambiguation: If an article's name is very similar to another, make a note at the top. If many articles share a name, create a disambiguation page.
Don't include copies of primary sources: Don't copy lengthy poems, speeches or other source text into Wikipedia. Consider placing them in Wikisource if you need to.
Guide to writing better articles
Patent nonsense: Patent nonsense (Text or random characters that have no assignable meaning at all and completely and irredeemably confused texts) should be dealt with appropriately.
Cite sources: point the reader to authoritative references (and list them properly), so that facts can be verified.
Avoid statements that will date quickly
Warn readers about spoilers
Check your facts
Guidelines for using Talk pages
Avoid inappropriate expressions

[edit] Classification

Subpages: Don't use slashes (/) in the names of articles to create subpages.
Choosing appropriate grouping technique(s): Categories, lists, and series boxes
By grouping technique

Lists
Categories, and other articles in Category:Wikipedia categorization
Series boxes (or: navigational templates)
Namespaces

[edit] Editing

Build the web: Link articles sideways to neighbours, and upwards to categories and contexts to create a useful web of information.
Edit summary: Always type at least a brief summary of the change that you made in the Edit Summary box. Avoid misleading summaries.

[edit] Discussion

Talk page guidelines
Sign your posts on talk pages: Sign all your posts on Wikipedia talk pages by typing ~~~~ to be accountable and to help others understand the conversation.
Discuss and draft graphical layout overhauls: When redesigning a few select pages, such as the Community Portal, take your time and get consensus before implementing a new design.

[edit] Behavior

Don't disrupt Wikipedia to illustrate a point: By all means state your point. But don't spam Wikipedia, disingenously nominate articles for deletion, push rules to their limits or otherwise create work for other people just to "prove your point".
Etiquette: Contributors have different views, perspectives, and backgrounds, sometimes varying widely. Treating others with respect is key to collaborating effectively in building an encyclopedia.
Please do not bite the newcomers: Many new contributors lack knowledge about Wikipedia policies. But always understand that new contributors are prospective "members" and are therefore our most valuable resource.
Profanity: Words and images that might be considered offensive, profane, or obscene by other Wikipedia readers should be used if and only if their omission would cause the article to be less informative, relevant, or accurate, and no equally suitable alternatives are available.
User page: You can use your user page to add a little information about yourself or to help you to use Wikipedia more effectively. But remember that Wikipedia is not a blog, webspace provider, or social networking site.