Wikipedia:Cruft multiple
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The cruft multiple encapsulates how many hits a potential article subject is likely to generate on Google. It is defined by:
- C = G / N
where
- N = notability of a potential article subject
- G = the number of Google hits that result from searching for the subject.
Factors which affect the cruft multiple include:
- language of native country: English = high C, other language = medium C, other non-Roman language = low C)
- popular interest in subject: Sportsperson = high C, businessman = medium C, quantum physicist = low C
- technoliteracy of subject and subjects' fans: emo = high C, classical music = medium C, qawali (Islamic worship music) = low C
It is trivial to demonstrate that
- G = NC
or that the number of Google hits generated by a subject is equal to notability multiplied by the cruft multiple.
When using Google hits to gauge a subject's notability, editors should bear in mind that, assuming an equally (non-)notable blog author and website designer, an American college football player, and a Sri Lankan folk singer,
- the folk singer will have a cruft multiple equal or close to 0;
- the college player will have a fairly average cruft multiple;
- the blog author's cruft multiple will be sky-high due to blog posts, plugs on other blogs and reprinted press releases.
Therefore the number of Google hits will vary hugely between the three, despite their assumed equal notability. This has implications for use of the 'Google test' during deletion debates, as N might be indicator of notability but G is not.
