Wikipedia Editorial Guidelines
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Wikipedia:Five pillars
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| The fundamental principles of Wikipedia may be summarized in five “pillars”: | Shortcuts:
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| Wikipedia is an encyclopedia | ||
| It combines many features of general and specialized encyclopedias, almanacs, and gazetteers. Wikipedia is not a soapbox, an advertising platform, a vanity press, an experiment in anarchy or democracy, an indiscriminate collection of information, or a web directory. It is not a dictionary, a newspaper, or a collection of source documents, although some of its fellow Wikimedia projects are. | ||
| Wikipedia is written from a neutral point of view | Shortcut:
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| We strive for articles that document and explain major points of view, giving due weight with respect to their prominence in an impartial tone. We avoid advocacy and we characterize information and issues rather than debate them. In some areas there may be just one well-recognized point of view; in others, we describe multiple points of view, presenting each accurately and in context rather than as “the truth” or “the best view”. All articles must strive for verifiable accuracy, citing reliable, authoritative sources, especially when the topic is controversial or is on living persons. Editors' personal experiences, interpretations, or opinions do not belong. | ||
| Wikipedia is free content that anyone can use, edit, and distribute | Shortcut:
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| Since all editors freely license their work to the public, no editor owns an article and any contributions can and will be mercilessly edited and redistributed. Respect copyright laws, and never plagiarize from sources. Borrowing non-free media is sometimes allowed as fair use, but strive to find free alternatives first. | ||
| Editors should treat each other with respect and civility | Shortcut:
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| Respect your fellow Wikipedians, even when you disagree. Apply Wikipedia etiquette, and don't engage in personal attacks. Seek consensus, avoid edit wars, and never disrupt Wikipedia to illustrate a point. Act in good faith, and assume good faith on the part of others. Be open and welcoming to newcomers. Should conflicts arise, discuss them calmly on the appropriate talk pages, follow dispute resolution procedures, and consider that there are 5,405,859 other articles on the English Wikipedia to improve and discuss. | ||
| Wikipedia has no firm rules | Shortcut:
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| Wikipedia has policies and guidelines, but they are not carved in stone; their content and interpretation can evolve over time. The principles and spirit matter more than literal wording, and sometimes improving Wikipedia requires making exceptions. Be bold but not reckless in updating articles. And do not agonize over making mistakes: every past version of a page is saved | ||
Wikipedia Conflict of Interest Policy
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
- Be transparent about your conflict of interest.
- Do not edit articles about yourself, your family or friends, your organization, your clients, oryour competitors.
- Post suggestions and sources on the article's talk page, or in your user space.
- The role of editors is to summarize, inform, and reference, not promote, whitewash, or sell.
- Subjects require significant coverage in independent reliable sources.
- State facts and statistics; don't be vague or general.
- Take time to get sources and policy right.
- Get neutral, uninvolved, disinterested editors to review your suggestions.
- Respect the volunteer community's time and avoid making protracted or repeated requests.
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Verification history
2,297 days ago- View all verifications
