Wikipedia:Requests for mediation/Guide to filing a case

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[edit] Step 1: Nature of dispute

Ensure the dispute is about content.

The Mediation Committee only deals with content disputes. Due to limitations of the mediation model and our general scope, we will refuse to intervene in user conduct disputes.

Therefore, all issues listed in a request for mediation (below; step 5) should about content, and none about conduct. Conduct issues will be summarily removed by a member of the Committee, usually the Chair, and if there's no substantial issues left after this is done then the request will most likely be rejected.

Furthermore, ensure that the prior dispute resolution steps (below; step 2) relate to content only, and not conduct.

[edit] Step 2: Prior dispute resolution

Ensure prior dispute resolution has been tried.

The Mediation Committee and requests for mediation is the second-last step in the dispute resolution chain on Wikipedia. Wikipedia:Resolving disputes lists the various types of dispute resolution available. They include:-

It is generally expected that at least one of the third party input options has been attempted, and informal mediation has been tried, before a request for mediation will be accepted. Discussion on the talk page, whilst required for any form of dispute resolution to be considered, does not fufill the requirement of 'prior dispute resolution'.

  • If you feel there has been insufficient prior dispute resolution attempted: please try and resolve your dispute in good faith via the avenues listed above.
  • If you feel there has been sufficient prior dispute resolution attempted: move to step 3.

[edit] Step 3: Creating request

File the request for mediation.

Firstly, identify the main article in the dispute. If there's only one article, that's easy enough; however, for disputes spanning a number of articles on the same subject area, please choose the most practical one. For example, if it is a dispute involving the articles [[Topic]], [[Topic in popular culture]], [[Controversies about Topic]], and [[:Category:Topic]], the main article would obviously be Topic.

Once this has been identified, go to Wikipedia:Requests for mediation#Instructions. Insert the name of the main article in the dispute at the end of the "Wikipedia:Requests for mediation/" in the input box. For example, if the dispute is about the article Swimming, the text in the input box should now read:

Wikipedia:Requests for mediation/Swimming

Now, click the "file request" button.

  • If you couldn't get this step to work or need assistance in creating the case page: contact the Chair of the Committee, WJBscribe, on his talk page.
  • If you get to a screen where the first line of text in the edit box is "=={{subst:SUBPAGENAME}}==": move to step 4.

[edit] Step 4: Filling in details, part one

Provide details about the involved parties and articles, as well as prior dispute resolution.

By this stage you should have a page on it with a large amount of text, starting with "=={{subst:SUBPAGENAME}}==" on the first line and finishing with "<noinclude>[[Category:Mediation Committee pending cases|Sample]]</noinclude>" on the bottom line.

Now you need to provide some basic details. First up, go down to the line "===Involved parties===". Below it you'll see the {{user}} template being used. Replace "Example" with the usernames of everyone involved substantially in the dispute. If you have more than two, create copies of the template and place them below the two originals and fill in the usernames.

Next up is the "===Articles involved===" line. This is the same as the username process detailed above, except this uses the {{la}} template. The articles you identified as under dispute (above; step 3) should be listed using the {{la}} template in a similar manner to the {{user}} templates were; copy and paste as required, but try to keep the list as concise and specific as possible.

Finally, the "===Other steps in [[Wikipedia:Resolving disputes|dispute resolution]] that have been attempted===" step. The prior dispute resolution that you identified previously (above; step 2) should be listed here, with direct links to the Mediation Cabal case/requests for comment section on the article talk/third opinion response etc.

  • If you need help with any of the above three points of information: click "save page" (the request can be blank while you ask for assistance), and contact the Chair of the Committee, WJBscribe, on his talk page.
  • If you've filled in these three points of information with no dramas, queries or confusion: click "save page" and move to step 5.

[edit] Step 5: Filling in details, part two

To come.

[edit] Step 6: Submitting and notifications

To come.

[edit] Step 7: Response on case page

To come.