Wikipedia:Notability

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This page is considered a guideline on Wikipedia. It is generally accepted among editors and is considered a standard that all users should follow. However, it is not set in stone and should be treated with common sense and the occasional exception. When editing this page, please ensure that your revision reflects consensus. When in doubt, discuss first on the talk page.

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Notability and inclusion guidelines
Notability guidelines
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All topics should meet a minimum threshold of notability for an article on that topic to be included in Wikipedia. Notable is defined as "worthy of being noted" or "attracting notice"; it is not synonymous with "fame" or "importance". Notability guidelines pertain to the suitability of article topics but do not directly limit the content of articles.

A topic is generally notable if it has been the subject of coverage that is independent of the subject, reliable, and attributable. The depth of coverage and quality of sources must be considered in determining the number of sources required and whether the coverage establishes notability.

The table to the right lists further guidelines which have been accepted, or are being considered, to more precisely determine the encyclopedic suitability of a subject.

Contents 1 The primary notability criterion 2 Dealing with non-notable topics 2.1 Merging 2.2 Deletion 3 Rationale for requiring a level of notability 4 Notability is not subjective 5 Notability is generally permanent 6 Notability is not popularity 7 Notability guidelines do not directly limit article-content 8 See also 9 Notes 10 References

[edit] The primary notability criterion

The following section's wording or inclusion in this policy/guideline is disputed. Please see the relevant discussion on the talk page.

The primary criterion for notability, and one shared by many of the subject-specific notability guidelines and Wikipedia:What Wikipedia is not¹ is that:

A topic is notable if it has been the subject of non-trivial coverage by two or more published works, though this is not the only definition. Such sources should be reliable and independent of the subject. The depth of coverage of the subject by the source should be considered in determining the number of sources needed. Further definition of this concept is provided at the notability guideline.

• "Substantial" means that the source material covers the topic in sufficient detail. It is generally preferable to have multiple sources. In the absence of multiple sources, it must be possible to verify that the source reflects a neutral point of view and is credible. Lack of multiple sources suggests that the topic is more suitable for inclusion in an article on a broader topic.
• "Multiple" sources should be intellectually independent, and the number needed varies depending on the quality of the sources.²
• "Non-trivial" means the source addresses the subject directly, and no original research is needed to extract the content.
• "Published source material" has broad meaning and encompasses published works in all forms, and various media.³
• "Reliable" means sources need editorial integrity to allow attributable evaluation of notability, per the reliable source guideline.
• "Independence" excludes works affiliated with the subject including: self-publicity, advertising, self-published material, autobiographies, press releases, etc.⁴

This is the primary, but not the sole criterion, so the converse is not necessarily true. Alternative tests are used in some cases to establish notability. The subject-specific notability guidelines expand on these descriptions, and include subject-specific details and interpretations. Some provide specific alternative criteria that still ensure an encyclopedic article may be written about the topic.

This criterion does not deal in the number of sources currently cited in an article, but in the number of published works that actually exist. Obtaining sources for an article that doesn't cite any sources is an improvement to that article. But the lack of citations in an article does not demonstrate that published works do not exist. Conversely, the existence of one strong source indicates that other published works are very likely to exist, but multiple works are still required.

[edit] Dealing with non-notable topics

Topics that do not satisfy notability criteria are dealt with in two ways: merging and deletion. The most appropriate route depends on how the topic fails to satisfy the criteria, mainly how it fails to satisfy the primary criterion. Articles that may not meet thie notablity guidelines should be marked with the {{notability}} template to make other editors aware of the problem, and give them a chance to address the issues.

[edit] Merging

A topic can fail to satisfy the criteria because, though it may be found in published works that are not simple directories and that are from sources that are independent of the subject, it is mentioned trivially rather than being an in-depth subject of the works. Information which is given only superficial treatment or which is tangentially mentioned in discussions surrounding the actual focus of a work, is not sufficient to build a full, sourced encyclopedia article that stands independent of the main subject.

One common recommendation across all notability guidelines is not to nominate articles on such subjects for deletion but to rename, refactor, or merge them into articles with broader scopes, or into the articles that discuss the main subject, which may be created if they do not already exist.⁵

For related issues, see Wikipedia:Neutral point of view#Undue weight, Wikipedia:Content forking, and Wikipedia:Summary style.

[edit] Deletion

A topic can fail to satisfy the criteria because there are insufficient published works from reliable sources that are independent of the subject.⁶ Without such sources, a proper encyclopedia article cannot be built at all. Such articles are usually nominated for deletion, via one of the Wikipedia deletion processes.⁷

Similarly, a topic may lack multiple published works. Again, such a subject can be renamed, refactored, or merged into an article whose scope is broad enough that it is the subject of other published works.

For related issues see Wikipedia:Autobiography and Wikipedia:Independent sources.

Topics that cannot be substantiated in any published works at all are simply unattributable and should be deleted.

For an indication on what is likely to be kept or deleted in a deletion debate, please see Common outcomes of deletion debates. Note however that outcomes of prior deletion debates do not supersede the primary notability criterion or the ancillary notability guidelines listed in the box above.

[edit] Rationale for requiring a level of notability

• In order to have an attributable article, a topic should be notable enough that the information about it will have been researched, checked, and evaluated through publication in independent reliable sources.
• In order to have a neutral article, a topic should be notable enough that the information about it will be from unbiased and unaffiliated sources; and that those interested in the article will not be exclusively partisan or fanatic editors.
• Wikipedia is not an indiscriminate directory of businesses, websites, persons, etc. Wikipedia is an encyclopedia.

[edit] Notability is not subjective

Subjective evaluations are not relevant for determining whether a topic warrants inclusion in Wikipedia. Notability criteria do not equate to personal or biased considerations, such as: "never heard of this", "an interesting article", "topic deserves attention", "not famous enough", "very important issue", "popular", "I like it", "only of interest to [some group]", etc.

General notability is not judged by Wikipedia editors directly. The inclusion of topics on Wikipedia is a reflection of whether those topics have been included in reliable published works. Other authors, scholars, or journalists have decided whether to give attention to a topic, and in their expertise have researched and checked the information about it. Thus, the primary notability criterion is a way to determine whether "the world" has judged a topic to be notable. This is unrelated to whether a Wikipedia editor personally finds the subject remarkable or worthy.

[edit] Notability is generally permanent

If a topic has multiple independent reliable published sources, this is not changed by the frequency of coverage decreasing. Thus, if a topic once satisfied the primary notability criterion, it continues to satisfy it over time. The reverse is not true; subjects may acquire notability as time passes. However, articles should not be written based on speculation that the subject may be notable in the future.

Other factors that may influence the notability of topics in the context of Wikipedia include the fact that policy and guidelines and consensus can change over time.

[edit] Notability is not popularity

Popularity does not ipso facto render a subject notable, nor does lack of popularity render it non-notable. For example, popular Internet fads may be the subject of few or no reliable sources and fail to be notable, but a rather obscure seventeenth-century poet may have substantial coverage in reliable histories qualifying it as notable. Secondary source availability and depth of coverage, not popularity or fame, establishes notability.

[edit] Notability guidelines do not directly limit article-content

These and all the notability guidelines are for allowable article topics within Wikipedia, not for allowable content within a legitimate Wikipedia article. That is, not all material included in an article must, in itself, meet these criteria. For issues of article content, see especially the guidelines on reliable sources and trivia. Note also, though, that other Wikipedia guidelines refer in places to "notability", meaning notability as defined by the notability guidelines.

[edit] See also

Essays related to notability:

• Wikipedia:Arguments to avoid in deletion discussions - An essay arguing against the use of subjective criteria such as "I like it" and "I don't like it"
• Wikipedia:Articles for deletion/Common outcomes - Summary of common outcomes from AfD discussions giving context to precedents.
• Wikipedia:Independent sources - An essay explaining further why independent sources are needed to write an encyclopedia article.
• Wikipedia:Notability/Arguments - A list of arguments for both application and non-application of notability.

[edit] Notes

[edit] References