Key Wikipedia policies and guidelines

Overview	Five pillars Policies and guidelines List of policies and guidelines List of policies List of guidelines

Project-wide principles	What Wikipedia is not Editing policy Consensus Dispute resolution Ignore all rules

Core content policies	Neutral point of view No original research Verifiability

Other content policies	Article titles Biographies of living persons Deletion

Content guidelines	Citing sources Disambiguation Do not create hoaxes Do not include copies of primary sources Identifying reliable sources Notability Map conventions Patent nonsense

Behavioural policies	Child protection Civility Edit warring Harassment No legal threats No personal attacks Ownership of articles Sock puppetry

Behavioural guidelines	Assume good faith Conflict of interest Do not disrupt Wikipedia to illustrate a point Etiquette Gaming the system Please do not bite the newcomers

Editing guidelines	Article size Be bold Hatnotes Signatures Talk page guidelines Subpages User pages WikiProjects

Style conventions	Manual of Style Accessibility Dates and numbers Layout Lead section Lists Linking

Classification guidelines	Categories, lists, and navigation templates Categorization Template namespace

Wikimedia Foundation	Privacy Licensing and copyright (List of policies)

Policies Guidelines

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Editing Wikipedia

To learn how to keep track of your edits (or other people's), see keeping track of changes.
For lists of stub types, categories and infoboxes, etc., see resources and lists.
To use an image, see images and media.
To learn the rules of Wikipedia, see policies and guidelines.

Introduction to the project.

Contributing to Wikipedia – For a guide on ways to get involved on Wikipedia.

Tutorial – For a tutorial on how to edit Wikipedia

Cheatsheet – An editing reference card. Basic Wiki markup.

Simplified ruleset – Essential information to understand when editing articles (for new editors).

Basic editing

Experiment with editing pages in the sandbox. You can also carry out editing experiments "in situ" by editing the page itself and using the Show preview button. Be careful not to accidentally save the page though! If you do, then revert your changes.

Editing tips – For the most common tasks.

Use easy timeline syntax

Valid HTML codes in wikitext

"Magic words" and variables – These allow you to change default behaviour or automate text. For example, you can disable a Table of Contents, move its position or insert constants and timestamps.

Saving your edits

"Show preview" – Always use this to avoid errors.

Edit summary – To explain your edits.

Minor edits – Check this for typos and small corrections.

Edit conflict – How to handle one.

Article objects

Mathematical formulas

Footnotes and references

New pages

Article Wizard – A guide for starting a new article.

Name a page

Naming conventions in general – (full list of specific naming conventions)

Disambiguation, create pages for topics with several different definitions

Starting a new page – for creating pages other than articles

Create subpages

How to write an article

Your first article

Writing guides

Starting an article Getting started	Layout Visual structure of articles	The perfect article A checklist of components
Article development Suggested stages of an article	Manual of Style Comprehensive style guide	Writing better articles A collection of advice

Article standards

Be bold!

Biographies of living persons

Include only verifiable information

Deletion

Manual of Style

Neutral point of view

What Wikipedia is not

Article maintenance

Use talk pages (discussion pages)

Archive a talk page

Tagging pages for problems

Merge two or more pages

Move or rename a page

Requested moves

Delete pages/images/categories

Stub articles

List of stub types

Revert a page to an earlier version

Dealing with vandalism

Protect and unprotect pages (Administrators only)

Link together Wikipedia articles in different languages

Link words in articles to Wikimedia sister projects

Use page names

Use namespaces

Use headings as anchors to link to

Translate articles

Do a purge

Editing with a text editor

Test edits and other things

Editing shortcuts

Style

Style and formatting

Manual of Style and its subpages

Manual of Style	Abbreviations Accessibility Anime & manga articles Biographies Capital letters Chemistry Command-line examples Dates and numbers Disambiguation pages Icons (e.g., flags, logos, etc.) Infoboxes Legal Linking Lists of works Mathematics Medicine Military history Music Pronunciation Spelling Text formatting Titles Trademarks Words to watch Writing about fiction

Guidelines

MOS-affiliated	Captions Explain jargon Lead section Trivia sections

Editing guidelines	Categorization Categorization of people Make technical articles accessible Summary style

Style guidelines	Citing sources External links Film guidelines Footnotes Layout Lists Music samples Proper names Technical terms Writing better articles Wikimedia sister projects Words to avoid Stubs Orphans

Policies	Article titles

Related help, tutorials, and proposals

General	Glossary Editing Picture tutorial Alternative text for images Sections

Related to specific cultures

Language specific	Arabic-related articles Hebrew transliteration Romanisation of Russian

Country specific	Canada-related articles Chinese language Chinese history Ethiopia-related articles France & French-related India-related articles Ireland-related articles Japan-related articles Korea-related articles Philippine-related articles Poland-related articles Portugal-related articles Singapore-related articles Thailand-related articles Wikipedia:Naming conventions (Assyrian/Chaldean/Syriac) United Kingdom nationalities U.S. highways

Religion specific	Islam-related articles Latter Day Saints

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Keeping track of changes

Special pages

Recent changes (and the recent changes patrol)

Enhanced recent changes

Vandalism

Reverting a page to undo vandalism (and the Three-revert rule)

Reporting vandalism to administrators (urgent cases only)

How and when to report to administrators

Current vandalism

Persistent vandals

The Counter Vandalism Unit

Most vandalized pages

Don't provoke the vandals!

Fighting vandalism

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Account settings

Customize your Wikipedia experience

Change your preferences

Change your signature

Change your username

Confirm your email address

Delete your account

User page help

User page design

Customizing your display with CSS (advanced web design knowledge required)

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Links and references

References

How | Why | What is a reliable source?, info on citing sources

Category:Wikipedia resources for researchers

Wikipedia:Public domain resources

Wikipedia:WikiProject Resource Exchange

Wikipedia:Example requests for permission

Wikipedia:Citation tools

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Images and media

Overview of images

Creation and usage of media files

Upload an image to Commons (preferred) or to English Wikipedia.

Find

Finding images tutorial

Requested pictures

Graphic Lab

Image copyright tags

Help

File description pages

How to upload files to Wikipedia

Images and other uploaded files

Preparing images for upload

Visual file markup

How to insert and use pictures in Wikipedia articles

Use the Extended image syntax to place an image in an article

Sound file markup

Graphics tutorials

How to request images or media for deletion

Category:Wikipedia image help

Media copyright questions

Policy and guidelines

Image use policy

Guide to captions

Guide to use of logos

Guide to use of alternative text for images

Other

Featured pictures

Featured picture candidates

Public domain image resources

Wikipedia:Requesting copyright permission

Wikipedia:Example requests for permission

Wikipedia:Moving images to the Commons

Category:Wikipedia images

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Communication methods

Asking questions

Searching is the fastest and easiest way to find answers for factual questions.

Reference desk – For requesting articles or information you can't find. See also Requested articles

Help desk – For users with questions about Wikipedia or editing.

New contributors' help page – For new users who don't know what to do or how to do it.

Adopt-a-User – Experienced Wikipedians can "adopt" new users, mentoring them along the way as they learn about Wikipedia.

Talk page – At the top of every article is a "Talk" tab. Click on it to discuss the article.

Village pumps – To discuss the technical issues, policies, and operations of Wikipedia.

Requests for administrator attention – To get help from an administrator.

Requests department – For all other requests.

Feedback

Live help

User pages

How to report a bug

Wikipedia Email listings

In person meetings

Wikipedians

Babel – Multi-lingual Wikipedians

Surveys

Expressing thanks

Community support

Harmonious editing club - keep the peace, peacefully.

Kindness Campaign - spread kindness and recognition of users.

Adopt-a-User - experienced editors can "adopt" newer editors, helping to mentor them along the way as they learn about Wikipedia.

Voting and consensus

Feedback by editors, to editors.

Administrator nominations

Discussing

Deleting pages

Deleting articles (full policy)

Deleting categories

Deleting Templates (or a stub type)

Deleting files

Moving/Merging a page (and how to actually do it)

Protecting pages (full policy)

Resolving disputes

Keeping informed: News

Community Portal – Bulletin board collaborations and updates – Wikipedia's hub of activity.

The Signpost – Wikipedia's newspaper

Wikipedia in the media

Wikipedia milestone announcements

Wikizine – news letter about the Wikimedia projects

Press releases

Stats

Milestones

Regional notice boards

Administrators

Administrator nominations

List of administrators

Administration FAQ

Administrator's reading list

Bureaucrats

Elections

Wikipedian culture

Wikipedians: the people who contribute to Wikipedia

List of Wikipedians

WikiProjects: where people interested in specific topics work together

List of WikiProjects

WikiProjects category

Collaborations: Wikipedians focusing on one article for a set amount of time

List of collaborations

Wikipedia essays

User essays

Wikipedian humor

Bad jokes and other deleted nonsense

Department of Fun

Wikipediholism

Unusual articles

Editcountitis: a condition that can be fatal

Wikipedian games

Awards and Barnstars

More about Wikipedia

Overview of Wikipedia (All about Wikipedia)

Category:Wikipedia

Category-based access to pages about Wikipedia

Another way to browse help topics

Category:Wikipedia how-to (a full list of help topics)

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Resources and lists

List of wiki markup

Lists

General

Help

Help:List
Help:Table. External links section has free HTML-to-wiki converters.
User:Hyacinth/How to use tables
Wikipedia:When to use tables
Help:Sorting. All about automatic sorting of table rows.

Rejected proposals

Essays

Wikipedia:Lists in Wikipedia
Wikipedia:Listcruft
Wikipedia:Write the Article First - one solution to cruft-y red links in lists
Creating A Better List - A User Essay
Wikipedia:Lists within articles

List of "magic words" - Magic words can be used to automate text or change the display of pages.

Other resources

Cleanup resources

List of Resources for researchers

Public domain resources

Wikipedia:Free online resources

Wikipedia:Free or semi-free non-Public-Domain information resources

Wikipedia:Public domain image resources

Wikipedia:Free sound resources

WikiProject Resource Exchange

Web Browser tools - Tools for your Web browser

Web colors

Administration

Mailing lists

List of protected pages

Links to disambiguating pages

List of controversial issues

Administrators

List of administrators

Requests for administrator attention

Copyright

Sample letters requesting content be made available to Wikipedia

Sample letters for violations of Wikipedia's licence (GFDL)

New user greetings

Standard user greeting

Welcome templates

Essays

Essays on Wikipedia civility

The basics	How to be civil Compromise Accepting other users Duty Enjoy yourself Honor system Thank you Apology Truce Forgive and forget No vested contributors Staying cool when the editing gets hot Overzealous deletion Content removal Divisiveness

Philosophy	An uncivil environment is a poor environment How many legs does a horse have? You can't squeeze blood from a turnip Wikipedia is not about winning The Last Word The grey zone You are probably not a lexicologist or a lexicographer Writing for the opponent There is no common sense Not everyone who disagrees with you is a vandal Walls of text Nobody cares Witchhunt Shadowless Fists of Death! You don't own Wikipedia

Dos	Adopt a quiet role Assume good faith Assume the assumption of good faith Assume no clue Assume clue Avoid personal remarks Avoid rancor Avoid the word "vandal" Award barnstars Call a spade a spade Candor Drop the stick and back slowly away from the horse carcass Deny recognition Encourage full discussions In praise of 1RR Revert only when necessary Get over it How to lose Mind your own business Discussing cruft Keep it down to earth Revert, block, ignore

Don'ts	Arguments to avoid in edit wars Don't be inconsiderate Please do not bite the newcomers Don't call a spade a spade Don't call the kettle black Don't take the bait Do not insult the vandals Just drop it Don't edit war over the colour of templates Don't be ashamed Don't drink the consensus Kool-Aid Don't feed the divas Don't stuff beans up your nose Don't spite your face Don't revert due to "no consensus" Don't call things cruft No angry mastodons Don't be an ostrich Don't template the regulars Don't be a fanatic Don't accuse someone of a personal attack for accusing of a personal attack Don't fight fire with fire Don't be prejudiced Don't remind others of past misdeeds

Wiki relations	WikiLove WikiHate WikiCrime WikiBullying WikiPeace WikiLawyering WikiHarassment We live in Wikiville

About essays	The value of essays The difference between policies, guidelines and essays Essays are not policy Don't cite essays as if they were policy Quote your own essay

Essays

Essays on building Wikipedia

Philosophy	Articles must be written Be a reliable source Cohesion Concede lost arguments 8 simple rules for editing our encyclopedia Explanationism Here to build an encyclopedia Paradoxes Product, process, policy Purpose The role of policies in collaborative anarchy Ten Simple Rules for Editing Wikipedia Trifecta Wikipedia in brief Wikipedia is an encyclopedia Avoid vague introductions

Inclusion	Alternative outlets Articles with a single source Avoid template creep Bare notability Bombardment But it's true! Citation overkill Clones Coatrack Discriminate vs indiscriminate information Every snowflake is unique Existence ≠ Notability Explanationism Google searches and numbers High Schools Inaccuracy Inclusion is not an indicator of notability Independent sources Inherent notability Insignificant Masking the lack of notability Make stubs No amount of editing can overcome a lack of notability No big loss No one cares about your garage band No one really cares Notability/Historical/Arguments Notability is not a matter of opinion Notability means impact Obscurity ≠ Lack of notability Offline sources Notability sub-pages One sentence does not an article make Other stuff exists Perennial websites Pokémon test Run-of-the-mill Solutions are mixtures and nothing else Subjective importance Third-party sources Video links What notability is not Wikipedia is not here to tell the world about your noble cause

Construction	100K featured articles A navbox on every page Alternatives to the "Expand" template Amnesia test An unfinished house is a real problem Avoid mission statements Bare URLs Be neutral in form Beef up that first revision Concept cloud Don't demolish the house while it's still being built Don't hope the house will build itself Don't leave giant breaks between sections Don't panic Editing on iPhones, iPads, etc. Editors are not mindreaders Featured articles may have problems Give an article a chance Inaccuracies in Wikipedia namespace Link rot Not everything needs a navbox Not everything needs a WikiProject Nothing is in stone Over explained Permastub Potential, not just current state Put a little effort into it Pruning article revisions Restoring part of a reverted edit Robotic editing Temporary versions of articles The world will not end tomorrow There is a deadline There is no deadline Wikipedia is a volunteer service Wikipedia is a work in progress Wikipedia is not being written in an organized fashion Write the article first Writing better articles

Deletion	Adjectives in your recommendations AfD is not a war zone Arguments to avoid in deletion discussions Arguments to avoid in deletion reviews Arguments to avoid in image deletion discussions Arguments to make in deletion discussions Avoid repeated arguments Before commenting in a deletion discussion But there must be sources! Content removal Delete the junk Does deletion help Don't overuse shortcuts to policy and guidelines to win your argument Follow the leader How to save an article proposed for deletion I just don't like it Immunity Liar Liar Pants on Fire Nothing Overzealous deletion Relisting can be abusive Wikipedia is not Whack-A-Mole Why was my page deleted? What to do if your article gets tagged for speedy deletion

About essays	Value of essays Difference between policies, guidelines and essays Essays are not policy Don't cite essays as if they were policy Finding an essay Quote your own essay

Essays

Humorous essays

Humorous material	Assume bad faith · Assume good wraith · Assume stupidity · Assume that everyone's assuming good faith, assuming that you are assuming good faith · Avoid using preview button · Avoid using wikilinks · BOLD, revert, revert, revert · Boston Tea Party · Barnstaritis · Don't-give-a-Fuckism · Edits Per Day · Hotties are always notable · Go ahead, vandalize · Lamest edit wars · Newcomers are delicious, so go ahead and bite them · Please bite the newbies

Inactive historical references	Bad Jokes and Other Deleted Unblock Emails

About essays	The value of essays · The difference between policies, guidelines and essays · Essays are not policy · Don't cite essays as if they were policy · Quote your own essay

Essays

Essays on Notability

Alternative outlets · Arguments to avoid in deletion discussions · Articles with a single source · Bare notability · Bombardment · Every snowflake is unique · Existence ≠ Notability · Inclusion is not an indicator of notability · Inherent notability · Insignificant · No one cares about your garage band · No one really cares · Notability/Historical/Arguments · Notability sub-pages · Wikipedia:Other stuff exists · Pokémon test · Run-of-the-mill · What notability is not

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Technical information

About Wikimedia

Tools to make Wikipedia work better.

Catalogue of CSS classes used on the English Wikipedia

Editing articles of such length that you can't edit them

Computer help desk - Help with software related to Wikipedia.

The MediaWiki software

MediaWiki User hub - help with installation and configuration of the MediaWiki software that runs Wikipedia, for those looking to set up their own wiki.

MediaWiki User's Guide - help with general use of the MediaWiki software that runs Wikipedia

Wikipedia:Village pump (technical)

Requests and bug reports

Browser notes

Bots

Download Wikipedia content - how to download Wikipedia and Wikimedia content

Export page(s) in XML

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Personal tools

Interaction

Toolbox

What links here
Related changes
Upload file
Special pages
Permanent link

Print/export

Disable book creator
Download as PDF
Printable version

Help:Contents/Site map