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It should not necessarily be considered factual or authoritative.</td> </tr> </table> <p><b>This is not the current policy. That is here: <a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:NPOV" title="Wikipedia:NPOV" class="mw-redirect">WP:NPOV</a>, <a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:NOR" title="Wikipedia:NOR" class="mw-redirect">WP:NOR</a>, and <a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:V" title="Wikipedia:V" class="mw-redirect">WP:V</a>. This is a draft. If you have a question about it, ask on my talk page. <a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User_talk:Ocaasi" title="User talk:Ocaasi">Ocaasi</a> <sup><a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:Contributions/Ocaasi" title="Special:Contributions/Ocaasi">c</a></sup> 08:33, 22 April 2011 (UTC)</b></p> <p><br/></p> <p><br/></p> <div class="hatnote">To raise issues with bias in specific articles, see the <a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:NPOVN" title="Wikipedia:NPOVN" class="mw-redirect">NPOV noticeboard</a>. For advice on applying NPOV, see the <a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:NPOV_tutorial" title="Wikipedia:NPOV tutorial">NPOV tutorial</a>. For frequent critiques and responses, see the <a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Neutral_point_of_view/FAQ" title="Wikipedia:Neutral point of view/FAQ">NPOV FAQ</a>. To discuss particular sources, see the <a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Reliable_sources/Noticeboard" title="Wikipedia:Reliable sources/Noticeboard">reliable sources noticeboard</a>. For vandalism, see <a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:VAND" title="Wikipedia:VAND" class="mw-redirect">WP:VAND</a>. To raise issues with original research at specific articles, see the <a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:No_original_research/noticeboard" title="Wikipedia:No original research/noticeboard" class="mw-redirect">No original research noticeboard</a></div> <table class="plainlinks ombox ombox-notice" role="presentation"> <tr> <td class="mbox-image"><img alt="" src="//web.archive.org/web/20151227204638im_/https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/f6/Walnut.png/30px-Walnut.png" width="30" height="30" srcset="//web.archive.org/web/20151227204638im_/https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/f6/Walnut.png/45px-Walnut.png 1.5x, //web.archive.org/web/20151227204638im_/https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/f6/Walnut.png/60px-Walnut.png 2x" data-file-width="192" data-file-height="192"/></td> <td class="mbox-text"><b>This page in a nutshell:</b> Editors must write articles from a <i>neutral point of view</i>, representing all significant views fairly, proportionately, and without bias. All material in Wikipedia must be <i>verifiable in a reliable, published source</i>. All quotations and any material challenged or likely to be challenged must be attributed using an inline citation. Wikipedia <i>does not publish original research</i>. Articles also may not contain any new analysis or synthesis of published material that serves to advance a position.</td> </tr> </table> <table class="vertical-navbox nowraplinks plainlist" style="float:right;clear:right;width:22.0em;margin:0 0 1.0em 1.0em;background:#f9f9f9;border:1px solid #aaa;padding:0.2em;border-spacing:0.4em 0;text-align:center;line-height:1.4em;font-size:88%;width:auto;background:#f5faff;font-size:90%;line-height:1.6em; width:200px;clear:right"> <tr> <th style="padding:0.1em;background:#cee0f2;;padding:0.1em 0.25em 0.15em;"><span style="font-size: 120%;"><a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Core_content_policies" title="Wikipedia:Core content policies">Core content policies</a></span></th> </tr> <tr> <td style="padding:0 0.1em 0.4em;padding-top:0.15em;"> <ul> <li><a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Neutral_point_of_view" title="Wikipedia:Neutral point of view">Neutral point of view</a></li> <li><a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:No_original_research" title="Wikipedia:No original research">No original research</a></li> <li><a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Verifiability" title="Wikipedia:Verifiability">Verifiability</a></li> </ul> </td> </tr> <tr> <th style="padding:0.1em;background:#cee0f2;;padding:0.1em 0.25em 0.15em;"><span style="font-size: 120%;">Other <a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Content_policies" title="Wikipedia:Content policies" class="mw-redirect">content policies</a></span></th> </tr> <tr> <td style="padding:0 0.1em 0.4em;padding-top:0.15em;"> <ul> <li><a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Article_titles" title="Wikipedia:Article titles">Article titles</a></li> <li><a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Biographies_of_living_persons" title="Wikipedia:Biographies of living persons">Biographies of living persons</a></li> <li><a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Image_use_policy" title="Wikipedia:Image use policy">Image use policy</a></li> <li><a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:What_Wikipedia_is_not" title="Wikipedia:What Wikipedia is not">What Wikipedia is not</a></li> </ul> </td> </tr> <tr> <td style="text-align:right;font-size:115%"> <div class="plainlinks hlist navbar mini"> <ul> <li class="nv-view"><a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Template:Content_policy_list" title="Template:Content policy list"><abbr title="View this template">v</abbr></a></li> <li class="nv-talk"><a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Template_talk:Content_policy_list" title="Template talk:Content policy list"><abbr title="Discuss this template">t</abbr></a></li> <li class="nv-edit"><a class="external text" href="//web.archive.org/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Template:Content_policy_list&action=edit"><abbr title="Edit this template">e</abbr></a></li> </ul> </div> </td> </tr> </table> <p>The core policies jointly determine the type and quality of material that is acceptable in Wikipedia articles. These policies work in harmony: they should not be interpreted in isolation from one another, and editors should try to familiarize themselves with all of them.</p> <p><b>All Wikipedia articles and other encyclopedic content must be written from a <a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Objectivity_(journalism)" title="Objectivity (journalism)" class="mw-redirect">neutral</a> point of view</b>. Editing from a neutral point of view (<b>NPOV</b>) means representing fairly, proportionately, and as far as possible without bias, all significant views that have been <a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Verifiability" title="Wikipedia:Verifiability">published by reliable sources</a>. NPOV is a <a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:5P" title="Wikipedia:5P" class="mw-redirect">fundamental principle of Wikipedia</a> and of <a href="//web.archive.org/web/20151227204638/https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Foundation_issues" class="extiw" title="meta:Foundation issues">other Wikimedia projects</a>. The fundamental <a href="#History_of_NPOV">principles</a> of neutrality upon which our policies are based cannot be superseded by other policies or guidelines, or by editors' consensus.</p> <p><b>Articles should represent majority and significant-minority viewpoints published by reliable sources in <a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:UNDUE" title="Wikipedia:UNDUE" class="mw-redirect">proportion</a> to the prominence of each view.</b> Tiny-minority views need not be included, except in articles devoted to them. Where there is disagreement between sources, <a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:INTEXT" title="Wikipedia:INTEXT" class="mw-redirect">in-text attribution</a> is used: "John Smith argues that X, while Paul Jones maintains that Y," followed by an <a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citing_sources#Inline_citations" title="Wikipedia:Citing sources">inline citation</a>. Sources themselves do not need to maintain a neutral point of view; indeed most reliable sources are <i>not</i> neutral. Our job as editors is simply to present what the reliable sources say.</p> <p><b>The threshold for inclusion in Wikipedia is verifiability, not truth: whether readers can check that material in Wikipedia has already been published by a reliable source, not whether editors think it is true.</b> Material must be attributable to a source with a reputation for fact-checking and accuracy, which is appropriate for the claim being made. In practice you do not need to attribute everything; only quotations and material challenged or likely to be challenged must be attributed, through an inline citation which directly supports the material in question. This applies to all material in the mainspace—articles, lists, sections of articles, and captions—without exception, and in particular to material about living people. Anything that requires but lacks a source may be removed, and unsourced contentious material about living people must be removed immediately.</p> <p><b>Wikipedia does not publish original research</b>. The term "original research" refers to material—such as facts, allegations, ideas, and stories—not already published by reliable sources. It also refers to any analysis or synthesis of published material that serves to advance a position not advanced by the sources. This means that all material added to articles must be attributable to a reliable published source, even if not actually attributed. Despite the need to attribute content to reliable sources, you should also not plagiarize them. Articles should be written in your own words while substantially retaining the meaning of the source material.</p> <p></p> <div id="toc" class="toc"> <div id="toctitle"> <h2>Contents</h2> </div> <ul> <li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-1"><a href="#Neutral_point_of_view_.28NPOV.29"><span class="tocnumber">1</span> <span class="toctext">Neutral point of view (NPOV)</span></a> <ul> <li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-2"><a href="#Explanation_of_NPOV"><span class="tocnumber">1.1</span> <span class="toctext">Explanation of NPOV </span></a></li> <li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-3"><a href="#Achieving_neutrality"><span class="tocnumber">1.2</span> <span class="toctext">Achieving neutrality</span></a> <ul> <li class="toclevel-3 tocsection-4"><a href="#Naming"><span class="tocnumber">1.2.1</span> <span class="toctext">Naming</span></a></li> <li class="toclevel-3 tocsection-5"><a href="#Article_structure"><span class="tocnumber">1.2.2</span> <span class="toctext">Article structure</span></a></li> <li class="toclevel-3 tocsection-6"><a href="#Due_and_undue_weight"><span class="tocnumber">1.2.3</span> <span class="toctext">Due and undue weight</span></a></li> <li class="toclevel-3 tocsection-7"><a href="#Giving_.22equal_validity.22"><span class="tocnumber">1.2.4</span> <span class="toctext">Giving "equal validity"</span></a></li> <li class="toclevel-3 tocsection-8"><a href="#Good_research"><span class="tocnumber">1.2.5</span> <span class="toctext">Good research</span></a></li> <li class="toclevel-3 tocsection-9"><a href="#Balance"><span class="tocnumber">1.2.6</span> <span class="toctext">Balance</span></a></li> <li class="toclevel-3 tocsection-10"><a href="#Impartial_tone"><span class="tocnumber">1.2.7</span> <span class="toctext">Impartial tone</span></a></li> <li class="toclevel-3 tocsection-11"><a href="#Characterizing_opinions_of_people.27s_work"><span class="tocnumber">1.2.8</span> <span class="toctext">Characterizing opinions of people's work</span></a></li> <li class="toclevel-3 tocsection-12"><a href="#Words_to_watch"><span class="tocnumber">1.2.9</span> <span class="toctext">Words to watch</span></a></li> </ul> </li> <li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-13"><a href="#Handling_neutrality_disputes"><span class="tocnumber">1.3</span> <span class="toctext">Handling neutrality disputes</span></a> <ul> <li class="toclevel-3 tocsection-14"><a href="#Attributing_and_specifying_biased_statements"><span class="tocnumber">1.3.1</span> <span class="toctext">Attributing and specifying biased statements</span></a></li> <li class="toclevel-3 tocsection-15"><a href="#Point_of_view_forks"><span class="tocnumber">1.3.2</span> <span class="toctext">Point of view forks</span></a></li> <li class="toclevel-3 tocsection-16"><a href="#Making_necessary_assumptions"><span class="tocnumber">1.3.3</span> <span class="toctext">Making necessary assumptions</span></a></li> <li class="toclevel-3 tocsection-17"><a href="#Objections"><span class="tocnumber">1.3.4</span> <span class="toctext">Objections</span></a></li> </ul> </li> <li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-18"><a href="#Controversial_subjects"><span class="tocnumber">1.4</span> <span class="toctext">Controversial subjects</span></a> <ul> <li class="toclevel-3 tocsection-19"><a href="#Pseudoscience_and_related_fringe_theories"><span class="tocnumber">1.4.1</span> <span class="toctext">Pseudoscience and related fringe theories</span></a></li> <li class="toclevel-3 tocsection-20"><a href="#Religion"><span class="tocnumber">1.4.2</span> <span class="toctext">Religion</span></a></li> </ul> </li> <li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-21"><a href="#History_of_NPOV"><span class="tocnumber">1.5</span> <span class="toctext">History of NPOV</span></a></li> </ul> </li> <li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-22"><a href="#Verifiability"><span class="tocnumber">2</span> <span class="toctext">Verifiability</span></a> <ul> <li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-23"><a href="#When_a_reliable_source_is_required"><span class="tocnumber">2.1</span> <span class="toctext">When a reliable source is required</span></a> <ul> <li class="toclevel-3 tocsection-24"><a href="#Anything_challenged_or_likely_to_be_challenged"><span class="tocnumber">2.1.1</span> <span class="toctext">Anything challenged or likely to be challenged</span></a></li> <li class="toclevel-3 tocsection-25"><a href="#Burden_of_evidence"><span class="tocnumber">2.1.2</span> <span class="toctext">Burden of evidence</span></a></li> <li class="toclevel-3 tocsection-26"><a href="#Notability"><span class="tocnumber">2.1.3</span> <span class="toctext">Notability</span></a></li> <li class="toclevel-3 tocsection-27"><a href="#Exceptional_claims_require_exceptional_sources"><span class="tocnumber">2.1.4</span> <span class="toctext">Exceptional claims require exceptional sources</span></a></li> </ul> </li> <li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-28"><a href="#What_counts_as_a_reliable_source"><span class="tocnumber">2.2</span> <span class="toctext">What counts as a reliable source</span></a> <ul> <li class="toclevel-3 tocsection-29"><a href="#Primary.2C_secondary_and_tertiary_sources"><span class="tocnumber">2.2.1</span> <span class="toctext">Primary, secondary and tertiary sources</span></a></li> </ul> </li> <li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-30"><a href="#Sources_that_are_usually_not_reliable"><span class="tocnumber">2.3</span> <span class="toctext">Sources that are usually not reliable</span></a> <ul> <li class="toclevel-3 tocsection-31"><a href="#Questionable_sources"><span class="tocnumber">2.3.1</span> <span class="toctext">Questionable sources</span></a></li> <li class="toclevel-3 tocsection-32"><a href="#Newspaper_and_magazine_blogs"><span class="tocnumber">2.3.2</span> <span class="toctext">Newspaper and magazine blogs</span></a></li> <li class="toclevel-3 tocsection-33"><a href="#Self-published_sources"><span class="tocnumber">2.3.3</span> <span class="toctext">Self-published sources</span></a></li> <li class="toclevel-3 tocsection-34"><a href="#Self-published_or_questionable_sources_as_sources_on_themselves"><span class="tocnumber">2.3.4</span> <span class="toctext">Self-published or questionable sources as sources on themselves</span></a></li> </ul> </li> <li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-35"><a href="#Using_sources"><span class="tocnumber">2.4</span> <span class="toctext">Using sources</span></a> <ul> <li class="toclevel-3 tocsection-36"><a href="#Tagging_a_sentence.2C_section.2C_or_article"><span class="tocnumber">2.4.1</span> <span class="toctext">Tagging a sentence, section, or article</span></a></li> <li class="toclevel-3 tocsection-37"><a href="#Wikipedia_and_sources_that_mirror_or_use_it"><span class="tocnumber">2.4.2</span> <span class="toctext">Wikipedia and sources that mirror or use it</span></a></li> <li class="toclevel-3 tocsection-38"><a href="#Accessibility_of_sources"><span class="tocnumber">2.4.3</span> <span class="toctext">Accessibility of sources</span></a></li> <li class="toclevel-3 tocsection-39"><a href="#Non-English_sources"><span class="tocnumber">2.4.4</span> <span class="toctext">Non-English sources</span></a></li> <li class="toclevel-3 tocsection-40"><a href="#Reliable_sources_noticeboard_and_WP:IRS"><span class="tocnumber">2.4.5</span> <span class="toctext">Reliable sources noticeboard and WP:IRS</span></a></li> </ul> </li> </ul> </li> <li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-41"><a href="#Original_research"><span class="tocnumber">3</span> <span class="toctext">Original research</span></a> <ul> <li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-42"><a href="#Synthesis_that_advances_a_position"><span class="tocnumber">3.1</span> <span class="toctext">Synthesis that advances a position</span></a></li> <li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-43"><a href="#Original_images"><span class="tocnumber">3.2</span> <span class="toctext">Original images</span></a></li> <li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-44"><a href="#Translations_and_transcriptions"><span class="tocnumber">3.3</span> <span class="toctext">Translations and transcriptions</span></a></li> <li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-45"><a href="#Routine_calculations"><span class="tocnumber">3.4</span> <span class="toctext">Routine calculations</span></a></li> </ul> </li> <li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-46"><a href="#See_also"><span class="tocnumber">4</span> <span class="toctext">See also</span></a> <ul> <li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-47"><a href="#Templates"><span class="tocnumber">4.1</span> <span class="toctext">Templates</span></a></li> <li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-48"><a href="#Wikiprojects"><span class="tocnumber">4.2</span> <span class="toctext">Wikiprojects</span></a></li> <li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-49"><a href="#Noticeboards"><span class="tocnumber">4.3</span> <span class="toctext">Noticeboards</span></a></li> </ul> </li> <li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-50"><a href="#Notes"><span class="tocnumber">5</span> <span class="toctext">Notes</span></a></li> <li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-51"><a href="#Further_reading"><span class="tocnumber">6</span> <span class="toctext">Further reading</span></a></li> <li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-52"><a href="#Related_information"><span class="tocnumber">7</span> <span class="toctext">Related information</span></a></li> </ul> </div> <p></p> <h2><span class="mw-headline" id="Neutral_point_of_view_.28NPOV.29">Neutral point of view (NPOV)</span><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=User:Ocaasi/POL&action=edit&section=1" title="Edit section: Neutral point of view (NPOV)">edit</a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></h2> <h3><span class="mw-headline" id="Explanation_of_NPOV">Explanation of NPOV <span id="ASF"></span><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=User:Ocaasi/POL&action=edit&section=2" title="Edit section: Explanation of NPOV">edit</a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></span></h3> <p>In general, achieving what the Wikipedia community understands as "neutrality" means carefully and critically analyzing a variety of sources, then attempting to convey the results to the reader clearly and accurately. Wikipedia aims to <b>describe disputes, but not engage in them.</b> There are few hard-and-fast rules for doing this—much depends on the good faith of editors, who should be striving to provide information, not promote a particular cause. However, observing the following principles, together with those of <a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:V" title="Wikipedia:V" class="mw-redirect">verifiability</a>, will help to achieve the level of neutrality which is appropriate for an encyclopedia.</p> <ul> <li><b>Avoid stating opinions as facts.</b> Usually, articles will contain information about the significant opinions that have been expressed about their subjects. However, these opinions should not be stated in Wikipedia's voice. Rather, they should be attributed in the text to particular sources, or where justified, described as "widespread views", etc. For example, an article should not state that "genocide is an evil action", but it may state that "genocide has been described by John X as the epitome of human evil."</li> <li><b>Avoid stating seriously contested assertions as facts.</b> If different reliable sources make conflicting assertions about a matter, treat these assertions as opinions rather than facts, and do not present them as direct statements.</li> <li><b>Avoid presenting uncontested assertions as mere opinion.</b> Uncontested and uncontroversial factual assertions made by reliable sources should normally be directly stated in Wikipedia's voice. Unless a topic specifically deals with a disagreement over otherwise uncontested information, there is no need for specific attribution for the assertion, although it is helpful to add a reference link to the source in support of <a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:V" title="Wikipedia:V" class="mw-redirect">verifiability</a>. Further, the passage should not be worded in any way that makes it appear to be contested.</li> <li><b>Prefer non-judgmental language.</b> A neutral point of view neither sympathizes with nor disparages its subject (or what reliable sources say about the subject), although this must sometimes be balanced against clarity. Present opinions and conflicting findings in a disinterested tone.</li> <li><b>Accurately indicate the relative prominence of opposing views.</b> Ensure that the reporting of different views on a subject adequately reflects the relative levels of support for those views, and that it does not give a false impression of <a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:PARITY" title="Wikipedia:PARITY" class="mw-redirect">parity</a>, or give <a href="#Undue_weight">undue weight</a> to a particular view. For example, to state that "According to <a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Simon_Wiesenthal" title="Simon Wiesenthal">Simon Wiesenthal</a>, the Holocaust was a program of extermination of the Jewish people in Germany, but <a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Irving" title="David Irving">David Irving</a> disputes this analysis" would be to give apparent parity between the supermajority view and a tiny minority view by assigning each to a single activist in the field.</li> </ul> <h3><span class="mw-headline" id="Achieving_neutrality">Achieving neutrality</span><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=User:Ocaasi/POL&action=edit&section=3" title="Edit section: Achieving neutrality">edit</a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></h3> <dl> <dd><i>See <a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:NPOV_tutorial" title="Wikipedia:NPOV tutorial">Wikipedia:NPOV tutorial</a> and <a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Neutral_point_of_view/Examples" title="Wikipedia:Neutral point of view/Examples">Wikipedia:Neutral point of view/Examples</a></i></dd> </dl> <p>As a general rule, do not remove sourced information from the encyclopedia solely on the grounds that it seems <a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Confirmation_bias" title="Confirmation bias">biased</a>. Instead, try to rewrite the passage or section to achieve a more neutral tone. Biased information can usually be balanced with material cited to other sources to produce a more neutral perspective, so such problems should be <a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:EP" title="Wikipedia:EP" class="mw-redirect">fixed when possible</a> through the normal editing process. Remove material only where you have good reason to believe it misinforms or misleads readers in ways that cannot be addressed by rewriting the passage. The sections below offer specific guidance on common problems.</p> <h4><span class="mw-headline" id="Naming">Naming</span><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=User:Ocaasi/POL&action=edit&section=4" title="Edit section: Naming">edit</a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></h4> <dl> <dd><i>See <a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Article_titles" title="Wikipedia:Article titles">Wikipedia:Article titles</a> for more on choosing an appropriate title for an article.</i></dd> </dl> <p>In some cases, the choice of name used for something can give an appearance of bias. While neutral terms are generally preferable, this must be balanced against clarity. If a name is widely used in reliable sources (particularly those written in English), and is therefore likely to be well recognized by readers, it may be used even though some may regard it as biased. For example, the widely used names <a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boston_massacre" title="Boston massacre" class="mw-redirect">Boston massacre</a>, <a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tea_Pot_Dome_scandal" title="Tea Pot Dome scandal" class="mw-redirect">Tea Pot Dome scandal</a> and <a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jack_the_Ripper" title="Jack the Ripper">Jack the Ripper</a> are legitimate ways of referring to the subjects in question, even though they may appear to pass judgement. The best name to use for something may depend on the context in which it is mentioned; it may be appropriate to mention alternative names and the controversies over their use, particularly when the thing in question is the main topic being discussed.</p> <p>This advice especially applies to article titles. Although multiple terms may be in common usage, a single name should be chosen as the article title, in line with the <a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Article_titles" title="Wikipedia:Article titles">article titling policy</a> (and other relevant guidelines such as <a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Naming_conventions_(geographic_names)" title="Wikipedia:Naming conventions (geographic names)">geographical names</a>). Article titles which combine alternative names are discouraged. For example, <i>Derry/Londonderry</i>, <i>Aluminium/Aluminum</i> or <i>Flat Earth (Round Earth)</i> should not be used. Instead, alternative names should be given due prominence within the article itself, and <a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Redirect" title="Wikipedia:Redirect">redirects</a> created as appropriate.</p> <p>Some article titles are descriptive, rather than being the name of something. Descriptive titles should be worded neutrally, so as not to suggest a viewpoint "for" or "against" something, or to confine the content of the article to views on a particular side of an issue (for example, an article titled <i>"Criticisms of X"</i> might be better renamed <i>"Societal views on X"</i>). Neutral titles encourage multiple viewpoints and responsible article writing.</p> <h4><span class="mw-headline" id="Article_structure">Article structure</span><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=User:Ocaasi/POL&action=edit&section=5" title="Edit section: Article structure">edit</a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></h4> <table class="shortcutbox shortcutbox-policy noprint" style="float: right; margin: .3em .3em .3em 1em; border: 1px solid #aaa; background: #fff; padding: 3px; text-align: center; font-size:80%"> <tr> <th style="border: none; background: transparent;" class="plainlist"><span id="WP:STRUCTURE"></span><a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Policies_and_guidelines" title="Wikipedia:Policies and guidelines">Policy</a> <a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Shortcut" title="Wikipedia:Shortcut">shortcut</a>: <ul> <li><span class="plainlinks"><a class="external text" href="//web.archive.org/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Wikipedia:STRUCTURE&redirect=no">WP:STRUCTURE</a></span></li> </ul> </th> </tr> </table> <dl> <dd><i>See the guideline <a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Manual_of_Style" title="Wikipedia:Manual of Style">Wikipedia:Manual of Style</a> for clarification on the issues raised in this section.</i></dd> </dl> <p>The internal structure of an article may require additional attention, to protect neutrality, and to avoid problems like <i>POV forking</i> and <i>undue weight</i>. Although specific article structures are not, as a rule, prohibited, care must be taken to ensure that the overall presentation is broadly neutral.</p> <p>Segregation of text or other content into different regions or subsections, based solely on the apparent POV of the content itself, may result in an unencyclopedic structure, such as a back-and-forth dialogue between proponents and opponents.<sup id="cite_ref-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-1"><span>[</span>1<span>]</span></a></sup> It may also create an apparent hierarchy of fact where details in the main passage appear "true" and "undisputed", whereas other, segregated material is deemed "controversial", and therefore more likely to be false. Try to achieve a more neutral text by folding debates into the narrative, rather than isolating them into sections that ignore or fight against each other.</p> <p>Pay attention to headers, footnotes, or other formatting elements that might unduly favor one point of view, and watch out for structural or stylistic aspects that make it difficult for a reader to fairly and equally assess the credibility of all relevant and related viewpoints.<sup id="cite_ref-2" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-2"><span>[</span>2<span>]</span></a></sup></p> <h4><span class="mw-headline" id="Due_and_undue_weight">Due and undue weight</span><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=User:Ocaasi/POL&action=edit&section=6" title="Edit section: Due and undue weight">edit</a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></h4> <table class="shortcutbox shortcutbox-policy noprint" style="float: right; margin: .3em .3em .3em 1em; border: 1px solid #aaa; background: #fff; padding: 3px; text-align: center; font-size:80%"> <tr> <th style="border: none; background: transparent;" class="plainlist"><span id="WP:UNDUE"></span><span id="WP:WEIGHT"></span><span id="WP:DUE"></span><a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Policies_and_guidelines" title="Wikipedia:Policies and guidelines">Policy</a> <a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Shortcut" title="Wikipedia:Shortcut">shortcuts</a>: <ul> <li><span class="plainlinks"><a class="external text" href="//web.archive.org/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Wikipedia:UNDUE&redirect=no">WP:UNDUE</a></span></li> <li><span class="plainlinks"><a class="external text" href="//web.archive.org/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Wikipedia:WEIGHT&redirect=no">WP:WEIGHT</a></span></li> <li><span class="plainlinks"><a class="external text" href="//web.archive.org/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Wikipedia:DUE&redirect=no">WP:DUE</a></span></li> </ul> </th> </tr> </table> <p>Neutrality requires that each article or other page in the mainspace fairly represents all significant viewpoints that have been published by <a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Verifiability" title="Wikipedia:Verifiability">reliable sources</a>, in proportion to the prominence of each viewpoint. Giving due weight and avoiding giving undue weight means that articles should not give minority views as much of or as detailed a description as more widely held views. Generally, the views of tiny minorities should not be included at all. For example, the article on the <a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Earth" title="Earth">Earth</a> does not directly mention modern support for the <a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flat_Earth" title="Flat Earth">Flat Earth</a> concept, the view of a distinct minority; to do so would give "undue weight" to the <a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flat_Earth_Society" title="Flat Earth Society" class="mw-redirect">Flat Earth</a> belief.</p> <p>In articles specifically about a minority viewpoint, such views may receive more attention and space. However, these pages should still make appropriate reference to the majority viewpoint wherever relevant and must not represent content strictly from the perspective of the minority view. Specifically, it should always be clear which parts of the text describe the minority view. In addition, the majority view should be explained in sufficient detail that the reader can understand how the minority view differs from it, and controversies regarding aspects of the minority view should be clearly identified and explained. How much detail is required depends on the subject. For instance, articles on historical views such as <a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flat_Earth" title="Flat Earth">Flat Earth</a>, with few or no modern proponents, may briefly state the modern position, and then go on to discuss the history of the idea in great detail, neutrally presenting the history of a now-discredited belief. Other minority views may require much more extensive description of the majority view to avoid misleading the reader. <a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Fringe_theories" title="Wikipedia:Fringe theories">Wikipedia:Fringe theories</a> and the <a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:NPOV/FAQ" title="Wikipedia:NPOV/FAQ" class="mw-redirect">NPOV FAQs</a> provide additional guidance.</p> <p>Wikipedia should not present a dispute as if a view held by a small minority deserved as much attention overall as the majority view. Views that are held by a tiny minority should not be represented except in articles devoted to those views. To give undue weight to the view of a significant minority, or to include that of a tiny minority, might be misleading as to the shape of the dispute. Wikipedia aims to present competing views <i>in proportion to their representation in reliable sources</i> on the subject. This applies not only to article text, but to images, wikilinks, external links, categories, and all other material as well.</p> <p>An article should not give undue weight to any aspects of the subject but should strive to treat each aspect with a weight appropriate to its significance to the subject. For example, discussion of isolated events, criticisms, or news reports about a subject may be <a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:V" title="Wikipedia:V" class="mw-redirect">verifiable</a> and <a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:NPOV" title="Wikipedia:NPOV" class="mw-redirect">neutral</a>, but still be disproportionate to their overall significance to the article topic. This is a concern especially in relation to <a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:RECENT" title="Wikipedia:RECENT" class="mw-redirect">recent events</a> that may be in the <a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:NOTNEWS" title="Wikipedia:NOTNEWS" class="mw-redirect">news</a>. Note that undue weight can be given in several ways, including, but not limited to, depth of detail, quantity of text, prominence of placement, and juxtaposition of statements.</p> <dl> <dd>From <a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jimbo_Wales" title="Jimbo Wales" class="mw-redirect">Jimbo Wales</a>, paraphrased from <a class="external text" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20151227204638/http://mail.wikipedia.org/pipermail/wikien-l/2003-September/006715.html">this post from September 2003 on the WikiEN-l mailing list</a>: <ul> <li>If a viewpoint is in the majority, then it should be easy to substantiate it with reference to commonly accepted reference texts;</li> <li>If a viewpoint is held by a significant minority, then it should be easy to name <i><a href="//web.archive.org/web/20151227204638/https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/prominent" class="extiw" title="wikt:prominent">prominent</a></i> adherents;</li> <li>If a viewpoint is held by an extremely small (or vastly limited) minority, it does not belong in Wikipedia regardless of whether it is true or not and regardless of whether you can prove it or not, except perhaps in some ancillary article.</li> </ul> </dd> </dl> <p>Keep in mind that, in determining proper weight, we consider a viewpoint's prevalence in reliable sources, <i>not</i> its prevalence among Wikipedia editors or the general public.</p> <p>Also, if you are able to prove something that few or none currently believe, Wikipedia is not the place to present such a proof. Once it has been presented and discussed in <a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Reliable_Sources" title="Wikipedia:Reliable Sources" class="mw-redirect">reliable sources</a>, it may be appropriately included. See: <a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:No_original_research" title="Wikipedia:No original research">Wikipedia:No original research</a> and <a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Verifiability" title="Wikipedia:Verifiability">Wikipedia:Verifiability</a>.</p> <h4><span class="mw-headline" id="Giving_.22equal_validity.22">Giving "equal validity"</span><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=User:Ocaasi/POL&action=edit&section=7" title="Edit section: Giving "equal validity"">edit</a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></h4> <table class="shortcutbox shortcutbox-policy noprint" style="float: right; margin: .3em .3em .3em 1em; border: 1px solid #aaa; background: #fff; padding: 3px; text-align: center; font-size:80%"> <tr> <th style="border: none; background: transparent;" class="plainlist"><span id="WP:GEVAL"></span><span id="WP:VALID"></span><a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Policies_and_guidelines" title="Wikipedia:Policies and guidelines">Policy</a> <a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Shortcut" title="Wikipedia:Shortcut">shortcuts</a>: <ul> <li><span class="plainlinks"><a class="external text" href="//web.archive.org/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Wikipedia:GEVAL&redirect=no">WP:GEVAL</a></span></li> <li><span class="plainlinks"><a class="external text" href="//web.archive.org/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Wikipedia:VALID&redirect=no">WP:VALID</a></span></li> </ul> </th> </tr> </table> <p>While it is important to account for all significant viewpoints on any topic, Wikipedia policy does not state or imply that every minority view or extraordinary claim needs to be presented along with commonly accepted mainstream scholarship. There are many such beliefs in the world, some popular and some little-known: claims that the Earth is flat, that the Knights Templar possessed the Holy Grail, that the Apollo moon landings were a hoax, and similar. Conspiracy theories, pseudoscience, speculative history, or even plausible but currently unaccepted theories should not be legitimized through comparison to accepted academic scholarship. We do not take a stand on these issues as encyclopedia writers, for or against; we merely omit them where including them would unduly legitimize them, and otherwise describe them in their proper context with respect to established scholarship and the beliefs of the greater world.</p> <h4><span class="mw-headline" id="Good_research">Good research</span><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=User:Ocaasi/POL&action=edit&section=8" title="Edit section: Good research">edit</a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></h4> <p>Good and unbiased research, based upon the <a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Reliable_sources" title="Wikipedia:Reliable sources" class="mw-redirect">best and most reputable authoritative sources</a> available, helps prevent NPOV disagreements. Try the library for reputable books and journal articles, and look for the most reliable online resources. If you need help finding high-quality sources for something, ask other editors on the <a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Help:Using_talk_pages" title="Help:Using talk pages">talk page</a> of the article you are working on, or ask at <a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Reference_desk" title="Wikipedia:Reference desk">Wikipedia:Reference desk</a>.</p> <h4><span class="mw-headline" id="Balance">Balance</span><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=User:Ocaasi/POL&action=edit&section=9" title="Edit section: Balance">edit</a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></h4> <p>Neutrality assigns <a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:WEIGHT" title="Wikipedia:WEIGHT" class="mw-redirect">weight</a> to viewpoints in proportion to their prominence. However, when reputable sources contradict one another and <i>are</i> relatively equal in prominence, describe both approaches and work for balance. This involves describing the opposing views clearly, drawing on secondary or tertiary sources that describe the disagreement from a disinterested viewpoint.</p> <h4><span class="mw-headline" id="Impartial_tone">Impartial tone</span><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=User:Ocaasi/POL&action=edit&section=10" title="Edit section: Impartial tone">edit</a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></h4> <p>Wikipedia <i>describes</i> disputes. Wikipedia does not <i>engage</i> in disputes. A neutral characterization of disputes requires presenting viewpoints with a consistently impartial tone, otherwise articles end up as partisan commentaries <i>even while</i> presenting all relevant points of view. Even where a topic is presented in terms of facts rather than opinions, inappropriate tone can be introduced through the way in which facts are selected, presented, or organized. Neutral articles are written with a tone that provides an unbiased, accurate, and proportionate representation of all positions included in the article.</p> <p>The tone of Wikipedia articles should be impartial, neither endorsing nor rejecting a particular point of view. Try not to quote directly from participants engaged in a heated dispute; instead, summarize and present the arguments in an impartial tone.</p> <h4><span class="mw-headline" id="Characterizing_opinions_of_people.27s_work">Characterizing opinions of people's work</span><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=User:Ocaasi/POL&action=edit&section=11" title="Edit section: Characterizing opinions of people's work">edit</a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></h4> <p>A special case is the expression of aesthetic opinions. Some Wikipedia articles about art, artists, and other creative topics (e.g. musicians, actors, books, etc.) have tended toward the effusive. This is out of place in an encyclopedia; we might not be able to agree that so-and-so is the greatest guitar player in history. But it is important indeed to note how some artist or some work has been received by the general public or by prominent experts. Providing an overview of the common interpretations of a creative work, preferably with citations or references to notable individuals holding that interpretation, is appropriate. For instance, that Shakespeare is widely considered one of the greatest authors of the English language is a piece of knowledge that one should learn from an encyclopedia. Public and scholarly critique of an artist or work, when well-researched and verifiable, helps to put the work into context and enhances the credibility of the article; idiosyncratic opinions of individual Wikipedia contributors, however, do not.</p> <h4><span class="mw-headline" id="Words_to_watch">Words to watch</span><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=User:Ocaasi/POL&action=edit&section=12" title="Edit section: Words to watch">edit</a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></h4> <div class="hatnote">See also: <a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Words_to_watch" title="Wikipedia:Words to watch" class="mw-redirect">Wikipedia:Words to watch</a></div> <p>There are no forbidden words or expressions on Wikipedia, but certain expressions should be used with care, because they may introduce bias. For example, the word <i>claim</i> can imply that a statement is incorrect, such as <i>John claimed he had not eaten the pie.</i> Using <a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Loaded_language" title="Loaded language">loaded words</a> such as these may make an article appear to favor one position over another. Try to state the facts more simply without using these words: for example <i>John said, "I did not eat the pie."</i> Strive to eliminate expressions that are flattering, disparaging, vague, or clichéd, or that endorse a particular point of view (unless those expressions are part of a quote from a noteworthy source).</p> <h3><span class="mw-headline" id="Handling_neutrality_disputes">Handling neutrality disputes</span><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=User:Ocaasi/POL&action=edit&section=13" title="Edit section: Handling neutrality disputes">edit</a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></h3> <h4><span class="mw-headline" id="Attributing_and_specifying_biased_statements">Attributing and specifying biased statements</span><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=User:Ocaasi/POL&action=edit&section=14" title="Edit section: Attributing and specifying biased statements">edit</a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></h4> <table class="shortcutbox shortcutbox-policy noprint" style="float: right; margin: .3em .3em .3em 1em; border: 1px solid #aaa; background: #fff; padding: 3px; text-align: center; font-size:80%"> <tr> <th style="border: none; background: transparent;" class="plainlist"><span id="WP:SUBSTANTIATE"></span><span id="WP:ATTRIBUTEPOV"></span><a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Policies_and_guidelines" title="Wikipedia:Policies and guidelines">Policy</a> <a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Shortcut" title="Wikipedia:Shortcut">shortcuts</a>: <ul> <li><span class="plainlinks"><a class="external text" href="//web.archive.org/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Wikipedia:SUBSTANTIATE&redirect=no">WP:SUBSTANTIATE</a></span></li> <li><span class="plainlinks"><a class="external text" href="//web.archive.org/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Wikipedia:ATTRIBUTEPOV&redirect=no">WP:ATTRIBUTEPOV</a></span></li> </ul> </th> </tr> </table> <p>Biased statements of opinion can only be presented with attribution. For instance, "John Doe is the best baseball player" expresses an opinion and cannot be asserted in Wikipedia as if it were a fact. It can be included as a factual statement about the opinion: "John Doe's baseball skills have been praised by baseball insiders such as Al Kaline and Joe Torre." Opinions must still be <a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Verifiability" title="Wikipedia:Verifiability">verifiable</a> and appropriately <a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citing_sources" title="Wikipedia:Citing sources">cited</a>.</p> <p>Another approach is to <i>specify</i> or <i>substantiate</i> the statement, by giving those details that actually are factual. For example: "John Doe had the highest batting average in the major leagues from 2003 through 2006." People may still argue over whether he was the best baseball player. But they will not argue over this.</p> <p>Avoid the temptation to rephrase biased or opinion statements with <a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Weasel_words" title="Weasel words" class="mw-redirect">weasel words</a>, for example, "Many people think John Doe is the best baseball player." But <i>Who?</i>, and <i>How many?</i> are natural objections. An exception is situations where a phrase such as "Most people think" can be supported by a reliable source.</p> <h4><span class="mw-headline" id="Point_of_view_forks">Point of view forks</span><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=User:Ocaasi/POL&action=edit&section=15" title="Edit section: Point of view forks">edit</a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></h4> <dl> <dd><i>See the guideline <a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Content_forking" title="Wikipedia:Content forking">Wikipedia:Content forking</a> for clarification on the issues raised in this section.</i></dd> </dl> <p>A <i>point of view fork</i> is an attempt to evade the neutrality policy by creating a new article about a subject that is already treated in an article, often to avoid or highlight negative or positive viewpoints or facts. POV forks are not permitted in Wikipedia.</p> <p>All facts and significant points of view on a given subject should be treated in one article except in the case of an <a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Content_forking#Article_spinouts.C2.A0.E2.80.93_.22Summary_style.22_articles" title="Wikipedia:Content forking">article spinout</a>. Some topics are so large that one article cannot reasonably cover all facets of the topic. For example, <a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Evolution" title="Evolution">Evolution</a>, <a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Evolution_as_theory_and_fact" title="Evolution as theory and fact" class="mw-redirect">Evolution as theory and fact</a>, <a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Creationism" title="Creationism">Creationism</a>, and <a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Creationism-evolution_controversy" title="Creationism-evolution controversy" class="mw-redirect">Creationism-evolution controversy</a> are separate articles. This type of split is permissible only if written from a neutral point of view and must not be an attempt to evade the consensus process at another article.</p> <h4><span class="mw-headline" id="Making_necessary_assumptions">Making necessary assumptions</span><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=User:Ocaasi/POL&action=edit&section=16" title="Edit section: Making necessary assumptions">edit</a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></h4> <table class="shortcutbox shortcutbox-policy noprint" style="float: right; margin: .3em .3em .3em 1em; border: 1px solid #aaa; background: #fff; padding: 3px; text-align: center; font-size:80%"> <tr> <th style="border: none; background: transparent;" class="plainlist"><span id="WP:MNA"></span><a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Policies_and_guidelines" title="Wikipedia:Policies and guidelines">Policy</a> <a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Shortcut" title="Wikipedia:Shortcut">shortcut</a>: <ul> <li><span class="plainlinks"><a class="external text" href="//web.archive.org/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Wikipedia:MNA&redirect=no">WP:MNA</a></span></li> </ul> </th> </tr> </table> <p>When writing articles, there may be cases where making some assumptions is necessary to get through a topic. For example, in writing about evolution, it is not helpful to hash out the evolution-vs-creationism debate on every page. There are virtually no topics that could proceed without making some assumptions that <i>someone</i> would find controversial. This is true not only in evolutionary biology, but also in philosophy, history, physics, etc.</p> <p>It is difficult to draw up a rule but the following principle may help: there is probably not a good reason to discuss some assumption on a given page, if that assumption is best discussed in depth on some <i>other</i> page. A brief, unobtrusive pointer might be appropriate, however.</p> <h4><span class="mw-headline" id="Objections">Objections</span><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=User:Ocaasi/POL&action=edit&section=17" title="Edit section: Objections">edit</a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></h4> <dl> <dd><i>See <a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Neutral_point_of_view/FAQ" title="Wikipedia:Neutral point of view/FAQ">Wikipedia:Neutral point of view/FAQ</a> for answers and clarifications on the issues raised in this section.</i></dd> </dl> <p>Since the neutral-point-of-view policy is often unfamiliar to newcomers—and is so central to Wikipedia's approach—many issues surrounding the neutrality policy have been covered before very extensively. If you have some new contribution to make to the debate, you could try <a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Talk:Neutral_point_of_view" title="Talk:Neutral point of view">Talk:Neutral point of view</a>, or bring it up on the <a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Mailing_lists" title="Wikipedia:Mailing lists">Wikipedia-l</a> mailing list. Before asking it, please review the links below.</p> <h3><span class="mw-headline" id="Controversial_subjects">Controversial subjects</span><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=User:Ocaasi/POL&action=edit&section=18" title="Edit section: Controversial subjects">edit</a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></h3> <p>Wikipedia deals with numerous areas which are frequently subjects of intense debate both in the real world and among editors of the encyclopedia. A proper understanding and application of NPOV is sought in all areas of Wikipedia, but it is often needed most in these.</p> <h4><span class="mw-headline" id="Pseudoscience_and_related_fringe_theories">Pseudoscience and related fringe theories</span><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=User:Ocaasi/POL&action=edit&section=19" title="Edit section: Pseudoscience and related fringe theories">edit</a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></h4> <div style="position:relative;top:-3em"><span id="WP:PSCI"></span></div> <table class="shortcutbox noprint" style="float:right;border:1px solid #aaa;background:#fff;margin:.3em .3em .3em 1em;padding:3px;text-align:center"> <tr> <th class="plainlist" style="border:none;background:transparent"><small><a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Shortcut" title="Wikipedia:Shortcut">Shortcut</a>:</small> <ul> <li><small><a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:PSCI" title="Wikipedia:PSCI" class="mw-redirect">WP:PSCI</a></small></li> </ul> </th> </tr> </table> <div class="hatnote">Further information: <a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:UNDUE" title="Wikipedia:UNDUE" class="mw-redirect">WP:UNDUE</a> and <a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:FRINGE" title="Wikipedia:FRINGE" class="mw-redirect">WP:FRINGE</a></div> <p><a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pseudoscience" title="Pseudoscience">Pseudoscientific</a> theories are presented by proponents as science, but characteristically fail to adhere to <a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scientific_method" title="Scientific method">scientific standards and methods</a>. Conversely, by its very nature, <a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scientific_consensus" title="Scientific consensus">scientific consensus</a> is the majority viewpoint of scientists towards a topic. Thus, when talking about <a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Pseudoscience" title="Category:Pseudoscience">pseudoscientific topics</a>, we should not describe these two opposing viewpoints as being equal to each other. While pseudoscience may in some cases be significant to an article, it should not <a href="//web.archive.org/web/20151227204638/https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/obfuscate#Verb" class="extiw" title="wiktionary:obfuscate">obfuscate</a> the description of the mainstream views of the <a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scientific_community" title="Scientific community">scientific community</a>. Any inclusion of pseudoscientific views should be proportionate with the scientific view. Likewise, the pseudoscientific view should be clearly described as such. An explanation of how scientists have received pseudoscientific theories should be prominently included. This helps us to describe differing views fairly. This also applies to other fringe subjects, for instance, forms of <a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Historical_revisionism" title="Historical revisionism">historical revisionism</a> that are considered by <a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:RS" title="Wikipedia:RS" class="mw-redirect">more reliable sources</a> to either lack evidence or actively ignore evidence, such as <a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holocaust_denial" title="Holocaust denial">Holocaust denial</a>, or <a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apollo_moon_landing_hoax_conspiracy_theories" title="Apollo moon landing hoax conspiracy theories" class="mw-redirect">claims the Apollo moon landing was faked</a>.</p> <p>See <a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Fringe_theories#Pseudoscience" title="Wikipedia:Fringe theories">Wikipedia:Fringe theories#Pseudoscience</a> for Wikipedia's established guidelines to help with deciding whether something is appropriately classified as pseudoscience.</p> <h4><span class="mw-headline" id="Religion">Religion</span><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=User:Ocaasi/POL&action=edit&section=20" title="Edit section: Religion">edit</a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></h4> <div style="position:relative;top:-3em"><span id="WP:RNPOV"></span></div> <table class="shortcutbox noprint" style="float:right;border:1px solid #aaa;background:#fff;margin:.3em .3em .3em 1em;padding:3px;text-align:center"> <tr> <th class="plainlist" style="border:none;background:transparent"><small><a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Shortcut" title="Wikipedia:Shortcut">Shortcut</a>:</small> <ul> <li><small><a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:RNPOV" title="Wikipedia:RNPOV" class="mw-redirect">WP:RNPOV</a></small></li> </ul> </th> </tr> </table> <p>In the case of human beliefs and practices, Wikipedia content should not only encompass what motivates individuals who hold these beliefs and practices, but also account for how such beliefs and practices developed. Wikipedia articles on history and religion draw from a religion's sacred texts as well as from modern archaeological, historical, and scientific sources.</p> <p>Some adherents of a religion might object to a critical historical treatment of their own faith because in their view such analysis discriminates against their religious beliefs. Their point of view must be mentioned if it can be documented by notable, reliable sources, yet note that there is no contradiction. NPOV policy means that Wikipedia editors ought to try to write sentences like this: "Certain adherents of this faith (say which) believe X, and also believe that they have always believed X; however, due to the findings (say which) of modern historians and archaeologists (say which), other adherents (say which) of this faith now believe Z."</p> <p>Several words that have very specific meanings in studies of religion have different meanings in less formal contexts, e.g. <a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fundamentalism" title="Fundamentalism">fundamentalism</a> and <a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mythology" title="Mythology">mythology</a>. Wikipedia articles about religious topics should take care to use these words only in their formal senses to avoid causing unnecessary offense or misleading the reader. Conversely, editors should not avoid using terminology that has been established by the majority of the current reliable and notable sources on a topic out of sympathy for a particular point of view, or concern that readers may confuse the formal and informal meanings. Details about particular terms can be found at <a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:WTA" title="Wikipedia:WTA" class="mw-redirect">words to avoid</a>.</p> <h3><span class="mw-headline" id="History_of_NPOV">History of NPOV</span><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=User:Ocaasi/POL&action=edit&section=21" title="Edit section: History of NPOV">edit</a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></h3> <p>NPOV is one of the oldest policies on Wikipedia. <a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nupedia" title="Nupedia">Nupedia</a>'s "<a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20151227204638/http://web.archive.org/web/20001205000200/http://www.nupedia.com/policy.shtml#III">Non-bias policy</a>" was drafted by <a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Larry_Sanger" title="Larry Sanger">Larry Sanger</a> in spring or summer of 2000. Wikipedia's first NPOV policy goes back to at least <a class="external text" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20151227204638/http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Wikipedia:Neutral_point_of_view&oldid=270453">December 2001</a>. "Avoid bias" was one of the first of Wikipedia's <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20151227204638/http://web.archive.org/web/20010416035716/www.wikipedia.com/wiki/RulesToConsider">"rules to consider"</a> proposed by Sanger. <a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jimbo_Wales" title="Jimbo Wales" class="mw-redirect">Jimbo Wales</a> elaborated the "avoid bias" rule with a statement about "neutral point of view" in the early months of Wikipedia: see <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20151227204638/http://web.archive.org/web/20010416035757/http://www.wikipedia.com/wiki/NeutralPointOfView">copy in web archive</a> (note: that page also contains comments by other Wikipedians up to 12 April 2001) – in subsequent versions of the NPOV page, Jimbo's statement was known as the "original formulation" of the NPOV policy.</p> <p>A more elaborate version of the NPOV policy was written by <a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Larry_Sanger" title="Larry Sanger">Larry Sanger</a>, at <a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meta-Wiki" title="Meta-Wiki" class="mw-redirect">Meta-Wiki</a> in December 2001: see <a class="external text" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20151227204638/http://meta.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Neutral_point_of_view--draft&oldid=729">"Neutral point of view--draft," Larry Sanger's version of 20 December 2001</a>. After several transformations (see <a class="external text" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20151227204638/http://meta.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Neutral_point_of_view--draft&limit=100&action=history">edit history of "draft" at Meta</a>) the version by Larry Sanger et al. was moved to <a class="external text" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20151227204638/http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Wikipedia:Neutral_point_of_view&oldid=34843">this page</a> on 25 February 2002, and was further edited (see <a class="external text" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20151227204638/http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Wikipedia:Neutral_point_of_view&limit=500&action=history">edit history of this page</a>), resulting in the current version. Another short formulation was introduced by Brion Vibber in meta, 17 March 2003: see <a class="external text" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20151227204638/http://meta.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Neutral_point_of_view&oldid=31163">Meta's "Neutral point of view," version of 17 March 2003</a>. Development of the <a href="#Undue_weight">Undue weight</a> section started in 2003, for which a mailing list post by Jimbo Wales on <a class="external text" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20151227204638/http://mail.wikipedia.org/pipermail/wikien-l/2003-September/006715.html">29 September 2003</a> was instrumental.</p> <p>Jimbo Wales qualified NPOV as "non-negotiable", consistently, throughout various discussions: <a class="external text" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20151227204638/http://lists.wikimedia.org/pipermail/wikien-l/2003-November/008096.html">November 2003</a>, <a class="external text" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20151227204638/http://lists.wikimedia.org/pipermail/wikien-l/2006-April/044386.html">April 2006</a>, <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20151227204638/http://www.gossamer-threads.com/lists/wiki/foundation/123928#123928">March 2008</a> (compare also <a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:Jimbo_Wales/Statement_of_principles" title="User:Jimbo Wales/Statement of principles">User:Jimbo Wales/Statement of principles</a> #1).</p> <h2><span class="mw-headline" id="Verifiability">Verifiability</span><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=User:Ocaasi/POL&action=edit&section=22" title="Edit section: Verifiability">edit</a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></h2> <p>The threshold for inclusion in Wikipedia is <b>verifiability, not truth</b>: whether readers can check that material in Wikipedia has already been published by a reliable source, not whether editors think it is true.</p> <p>Material must be attributable to <a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:RS" title="Wikipedia:RS" class="mw-redirect">a source with a reputation for fact-checking and accuracy</a>, which is appropriate for the claim being made. In practice you do not need to attribute everything; only quotations and material <b>challenged or likely to be challenged</b> must be attributed, through an <a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:CITE#Inline_citations" title="Wikipedia:CITE" class="mw-redirect">inline citation</a> which directly supports the material in question.<sup id="cite_ref-3" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-3"><span>[</span>3<span>]</span></a></sup> For how to write citations, see <a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citing_sources" title="Wikipedia:Citing sources">Citing sources</a>.</p> <p>This policy applies to all material in the mainspace—articles, lists, sections of articles, and captions—without exception, and in particular to material about <a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:BLP" title="Wikipedia:BLP" class="mw-redirect">living people</a>. Anything that requires but lacks a source may be removed, and unsourced contentious material about living people must be removed immediately.</p> <p>Despite the need to attribute content to reliable sources, you <b>must not <a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Plagiarism" title="Wikipedia:Plagiarism">plagiarize</a> them.</b> Articles should be written in your own words while substantially retaining the meaning of the source material.</p> <h3><span class="mw-headline" id="When_a_reliable_source_is_required">When a reliable source is required</span><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=User:Ocaasi/POL&action=edit&section=23" title="Edit section: When a reliable source is required">edit</a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></h3> <p><span id="Sources"></span></p> <h4><span class="mw-headline" id="Anything_challenged_or_likely_to_be_challenged">Anything challenged or likely to be challenged</span><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=User:Ocaasi/POL&action=edit&section=24" title="Edit section: Anything challenged or likely to be challenged">edit</a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></h4> <table class="shortcutbox shortcutbox-policy noprint" style="float: right; margin: .3em .3em .3em 1em; border: 1px solid #aaa; background: #fff; padding: 3px; text-align: center; font-size:80%"> <tr> <th style="border: none; background: transparent;" class="plainlist"><span id="WP:CHALLENGE"></span><span id="WP:CHALLENGED"></span><a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Policies_and_guidelines" title="Wikipedia:Policies and guidelines">Policy</a> <a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Shortcut" title="Wikipedia:Shortcut">shortcuts</a>: <ul> <li><span class="plainlinks"><a class="external text" href="//web.archive.org/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Wikipedia:CHALLENGE&redirect=no">WP:CHALLENGE</a></span></li> <li><span class="plainlinks"><a class="external text" href="//web.archive.org/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Wikipedia:CHALLENGED&redirect=no">WP:CHALLENGED</a></span></li> </ul> </th> </tr> </table> <p>This policy requires that all quotations and any material <b>challenged or likely to be challenged</b> be attributed to a reliable published source using an <a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citing_sources#Inline_citations" title="Wikipedia:Citing sources">inline citation</a>. Cite the source clearly and precisely, with page numbers where appropriate. Be mindful of <a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Copyright" title="Wikipedia:Copyright" class="mw-redirect">copyright</a>. Read the sources, understand them, internalize them, then summarize what they say in your own words. When <a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Close_paraphrasing" title="Wikipedia:Close paraphrasing">paraphrasing closely</a> or quoting, use <a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:INTEXT" title="Wikipedia:INTEXT" class="mw-redirect">in-text attribution</a>.</p> <h4><span class="mw-headline" id="Burden_of_evidence">Burden of evidence</span><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=User:Ocaasi/POL&action=edit&section=25" title="Edit section: Burden of evidence">edit</a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></h4> <table class="shortcutbox shortcutbox-policy noprint" style="float: right; margin: .3em .3em .3em 1em; border: 1px solid #aaa; background: #fff; padding: 3px; text-align: center; font-size:80%"> <tr> <th style="border: none; background: transparent;" class="plainlist"><span id="WP:BOP"></span><span id="WP:BURDEN"></span><span id="WP:ONUS"></span><span id="WP:PROVEIT"></span><span id="WP:UNSOURCED"></span><a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Policies_and_guidelines" title="Wikipedia:Policies and guidelines">Policy</a> <a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Shortcut" title="Wikipedia:Shortcut">shortcuts</a>: <ul> <li><span class="plainlinks"><a class="external text" href="//web.archive.org/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Wikipedia:BOP&redirect=no">WP:BOP</a></span></li> <li><span class="plainlinks"><a class="external text" href="//web.archive.org/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Wikipedia:BURDEN&redirect=no">WP:BURDEN</a></span></li> <li><span class="plainlinks"><a class="external text" href="//web.archive.org/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Wikipedia:ONUS&redirect=no">WP:ONUS</a></span></li> <li><span class="plainlinks"><a class="external text" href="//web.archive.org/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Wikipedia:PROVEIT&redirect=no">WP:PROVEIT</a></span></li> <li><span class="plainlinks"><a class="external text" href="//web.archive.org/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Wikipedia:UNSOURCED&redirect=no">WP:UNSOURCED</a></span></li> </ul> </th> </tr> </table> <p>The <b>burden of evidence lies with the editor who adds or restores material</b>. You may remove any material lacking a reliable source that directly supports it. How quickly this should happen depends on the material and the overall state of the article. Editors might object if you remove material without giving them time to provide references. It has always been <a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:PRESERVE" title="Wikipedia:PRESERVE" class="mw-redirect">good practice</a> to make reasonable efforts to find supporting sources yourself and cite them. Do <i>not</i> leave unsourced or poorly sourced material in an article if it might damage the reputation of <a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:BLP" title="Wikipedia:BLP" class="mw-redirect">living people</a> or organizations, and do not move it to the talk page.<sup id="cite_ref-4" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-4"><span>[</span>4<span>]</span></a></sup></p> <h4><span class="mw-headline" id="Notability">Notability</span><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=User:Ocaasi/POL&action=edit&section=26" title="Edit section: Notability">edit</a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></h4> <div class="hatnote">Further information: <a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Notability" title="Wikipedia:Notability">Wikipedia:Notability</a></div> <p>If no reliable <a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Third-party_sources" title="Wikipedia:Third-party sources">third-party sources</a> can be found on a topic, Wikipedia should not have an article on it.</p> <h4><span class="mw-headline" id="Exceptional_claims_require_exceptional_sources">Exceptional claims require exceptional sources</span><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=User:Ocaasi/POL&action=edit&section=27" title="Edit section: Exceptional claims require exceptional sources">edit</a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></h4> <table class="shortcutbox shortcutbox-policy noprint" style="float: right; margin: .3em .3em .3em 1em; border: 1px solid #aaa; background: #fff; padding: 3px; text-align: center; font-size:80%"> <tr> <th style="border: none; background: transparent;" class="plainlist"><span id="WP:REDFLAG"></span><a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Policies_and_guidelines" title="Wikipedia:Policies and guidelines">Policy</a> <a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Shortcut" title="Wikipedia:Shortcut">shortcut</a>: <ul> <li><span class="plainlinks"><a class="external text" href="//web.archive.org/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Wikipedia:REDFLAG&redirect=no">WP:REDFLAG</a></span></li> </ul> </th> </tr> </table> <div class="hatnote">See also: <a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Fringe_theories" title="Wikipedia:Fringe theories">Wikipedia:Fringe theories</a></div> <p>Exceptional claims require high-quality sources.<sup id="cite_ref-5" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-5"><span>[</span>5<span>]</span></a></sup> <a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_flag_(signal)" title="Red flag (signal)" class="mw-redirect">Red flags</a> that should prompt extra caution include:</p> <ul> <li>surprising or apparently important claims not covered by mainstream sources;</li> <li>reports of a statement by someone that seems out of character, or against an interest they had previously defended;</li> <li>claims that are contradicted by the prevailing view within the relevant community, or that would significantly alter mainstream assumptions, especially in science, medicine, history, politics, and biographies of living people. This is especially true when proponents say there is a <a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conspiracy_theory" title="Conspiracy theory">conspiracy</a> to silence them.</li> </ul> <h3><span class="mw-headline" id="What_counts_as_a_reliable_source">What counts as a reliable source</span><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=User:Ocaasi/POL&action=edit&section=28" title="Edit section: What counts as a reliable source">edit</a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></h3> <p>The word "source" in Wikipedia has three meanings: the piece of work itself (a document, article, paper, or book), the creator of the work (for example, the writer), and the publisher of the work (for example, <i>The New York Times</i>). All three can affect reliability.</p> <p>Base articles on reliable, third-party, published sources with a reputation for fact-checking and accuracy. Sources should directly support the material presented in an article and should be appropriate to the claims made. The appropriateness of any source depends on the context. In general, the best sources have a professional structure in place for checking or analyzing facts, legal issues, evidence, and arguments; as a rule of thumb, the greater the degree of scrutiny given to these issues, the more reliable the source.</p> <p>Where available, academic and peer-reviewed publications are usually the most reliable sources, such as in history, medicine, and science. But they are not the only reliable sources in such areas. Material from reliable non-academic sources may also be used, particularly if it appears in respected mainstream publications. Other reliable sources include university-level textbooks, books published by respected publishing houses, magazines, journals, and mainstream newspapers. Electronic media may also be used, subject to the same criteria.</p> <p>In general, the most reliable sources are: peer-reviewed journals; books published by university presses; university-level textbooks; magazines, journals, and books published by respected publishing houses; and mainstream newspapers. As a rule of thumb, the more people engaged in checking facts, analyzing legal issues, and scrutinizing the writing, the more reliable the publication. Self-published material, whether on paper or online, is generally not regarded as reliable, but see <a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:SPS" title="Wikipedia:SPS" class="mw-redirect">self-published sources</a> for exceptions.</p> <h4><span class="mw-headline" id="Primary.2C_secondary_and_tertiary_sources">Primary, secondary and tertiary sources</span><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=User:Ocaasi/POL&action=edit&section=29" title="Edit section: Primary, secondary and tertiary sources">edit</a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></h4> <div class="hatnote">"WP:PRIMARY" redirects here. For the article naming guideline, see <a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:PRIMARYTOPIC" title="Wikipedia:PRIMARYTOPIC" class="mw-redirect">WP:PRIMARYTOPIC</a>.</div> <table class="shortcutbox shortcutbox-policy noprint" style="float: right; margin: .3em .3em .3em 1em; border: 1px solid #aaa; background: #fff; padding: 3px; text-align: center; font-size:80%"> <tr> <th style="border: none; background: transparent;" class="plainlist"><span id="WP:PSTS"></span><span id="WP:PRIMARY"></span><span id="WP:SECONDARY"></span><a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Policies_and_guidelines" title="Wikipedia:Policies and guidelines">Policy</a> <a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Shortcut" title="Wikipedia:Shortcut">shortcuts</a>: <ul> <li><span class="plainlinks"><a class="external text" href="//web.archive.org/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Wikipedia:PSTS&redirect=no">WP:PSTS</a></span></li> <li><span class="plainlinks"><a class="external text" href="//web.archive.org/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Wikipedia:PRIMARY&redirect=no">WP:PRIMARY</a></span></li> <li><span class="plainlinks"><a class="external text" href="//web.archive.org/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Wikipedia:SECONDARY&redirect=no">WP:SECONDARY</a></span></li> </ul> </th> </tr> </table> <p>Wikipedia articles should be based on reliable, published <a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Secondary_sources" title="Secondary sources" class="mw-redirect">secondary sources</a> and, to a lesser extent, on <a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tertiary_sources" title="Tertiary sources" class="mw-redirect">tertiary sources</a>. Secondary or tertiary sources are needed to establish the topic's notability and to avoid novel interpretations of primary sources, though primary sources are permitted if used carefully. All interpretive claims, analyses, or synthetic claims about <a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Primary_sources" title="Primary sources" class="mw-redirect">primary sources</a> must be referenced to a secondary source, rather than original analysis of the primary-source material by Wikipedia editors.</p> <p>Appropriate sourcing can be a complicated issue, and these are general rules. Deciding whether primary, secondary or tertiary sources are appropriate on any given occasion is a matter of <a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:COMMON" title="Wikipedia:COMMON" class="mw-redirect">common sense</a> and good editorial judgment, and should be discussed on article talk pages. For the purposes of this policy, primary, secondary and tertiary sources are defined as follows:<sup id="cite_ref-6" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-6"><span>[</span>6<span>]</span></a></sup></p> <ul> <li><b><a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Primary_source" title="Primary source">Primary sources</a></b> are very close to an event, often accounts written by people who are directly involved, offering an insider's view of an event, a period of history, a work of art, a political decision, and so on. An account of a traffic accident written by a witness is a primary source of information about the accident; similarly, a scientific paper documenting a new experiment is a primary source on the outcome of that experiment. Historical documents such as diaries are primary sources.<sup id="cite_ref-7" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-7"><span>[</span>7<span>]</span></a></sup></li> </ul> <dl> <dd> <dl> <dd><span style="color:maroon;"><i><b>Policy</b></i></span>: Unless restricted by another policy, primary sources that have been reliably published may be used in Wikipedia, but only with care, because it is easy to misuse them. Any interpretation of primary source material requires a reliable secondary source for that interpretation. A primary source may only be used on Wikipedia to make straightforward, descriptive statements that any educated person, with access to the source but without specialist knowledge, will be able to verify are supported by the source. For example, an article about a novel may cite passages to describe the plot, but any interpretation needs a secondary source. <b>Do not</b> analyze, synthesize, interpret, or evaluate material found in a primary source yourself; instead, refer to reliable secondary sources that do so. <b>Do not</b> base articles entirely on primary sources. <b>Do not</b> add unsourced material from your personal experience, because that would make Wikipedia a primary source of that material. Use extra caution when handling primary sources about living people; see <a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:BLPPRIMARY" title="Wikipedia:BLPPRIMARY" class="mw-redirect">WP:BLPPRIMARY</a>, which is policy.</dd> </dl> </dd> </dl> <ul> <li><b><a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Secondary_source" title="Secondary source">Secondary sources</a></b> are second-hand accounts, at least one step removed from an event. They rely on primary sources for their material, often making analytic or evaluative claims about them.<sup id="cite_ref-8" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-8"><span>[</span>8<span>]</span></a></sup> For example, a review article that analyzes research papers in a field is a secondary source for the research.<sup id="cite_ref-9" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-9"><span>[</span>9<span>]</span></a></sup> Whether a source is primary or secondary depends on context. A book by a military historian about the Second World War might be a secondary source about the war, but if it includes details of the author's own war experiences, it would be a primary source about those experiences.</li> </ul> <dl> <dd> <dl> <dd><span style="color:maroon;"><i><b>Policy</b></i></span>: Wikipedia articles usually rely on material from secondary sources. Articles may make analytic or evaluative claims only if these have been published by a reliable secondary source.</dd> </dl> </dd> </dl> <ul> <li><b><a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tertiary_source" title="Tertiary source">Tertiary sources</a></b> are publications such as encyclopedias or other <a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Compendium" title="Compendium">compendia</a> that mainly summarize secondary sources. Wikipedia is a tertiary source. Many introductory undergraduate-level textbooks are regarded as tertiary sources because they sum up multiple secondary sources.</li> </ul> <dl> <dd> <dl> <dd><span style="color:maroon;"><i><b>Policy</b></i></span>: Reliably published tertiary sources can be helpful in providing broad summaries of topics that involve many primary and secondary sources, especially when those sources contradict each other. Some tertiary sources are more reliable than others, and within any given tertiary source, some articles may be more reliable than others. Wikipedia articles may not be used as tertiary sources in other Wikipedia articles, but are sometimes used as primary sources in articles about Wikipedia itself.</dd> </dl> </dd> </dl> <h3><span class="mw-headline" id="Sources_that_are_usually_not_reliable">Sources that are usually not reliable</span><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=User:Ocaasi/POL&action=edit&section=30" title="Edit section: Sources that are usually not reliable">edit</a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></h3> <table class="shortcutbox shortcutbox-policy noprint" style="float: right; margin: .3em .3em .3em 1em; border: 1px solid #aaa; background: #fff; padding: 3px; text-align: center; font-size:80%"> <tr> <th style="border: none; background: transparent;" class="plainlist"><span id="WP:NOTRELIABLE"></span><span id="WP:NOTRS"></span><span id="WP:QS"></span><a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Policies_and_guidelines" title="Wikipedia:Policies and guidelines">Policy</a> <a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Shortcut" title="Wikipedia:Shortcut">shortcuts</a>: <ul> <li><span class="plainlinks"><a class="external text" href="//web.archive.org/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Wikipedia:NOTRELIABLE&redirect=no">WP:NOTRELIABLE</a></span></li> <li><span class="plainlinks"><a class="external text" href="//web.archive.org/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Wikipedia:NOTRS&redirect=no">WP:NOTRS</a></span></li> <li><span class="plainlinks"><a class="external text" href="//web.archive.org/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Wikipedia:QS&redirect=no">WP:QS</a></span></li> </ul> </th> </tr> </table> <h4><span class="mw-headline" id="Questionable_sources">Questionable sources</span><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=User:Ocaasi/POL&action=edit&section=31" title="Edit section: Questionable sources">edit</a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></h4> <p>Questionable sources are those with a poor reputation for checking the facts, or with no editorial oversight. Such sources include websites and publications expressing views that are widely acknowledged as extremist, or promotional, or which rely heavily on rumor and personal opinion. Questionable sources should be used only as sources of material on themselves, especially in articles about themselves; see <a href="#Self-published_and_questionable_sources_as_sources_on_themselves">below</a>. They are generally unsuitable for citing contentious claims about third parties. <span id="SELF"></span></p> <h4><span class="mw-headline" id="Newspaper_and_magazine_blogs">Newspaper and magazine blogs</span><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=User:Ocaasi/POL&action=edit&section=32" title="Edit section: Newspaper and magazine blogs">edit</a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></h4> <table class="shortcutbox shortcutbox-policy noprint" style="float: right; margin: .3em .3em .3em 1em; border: 1px solid #aaa; background: #fff; padding: 3px; text-align: center; font-size:80%"> <tr> <th style="border: none; background: transparent;" class="plainlist"><span id="WP:NEWSBLOG"></span><a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Policies_and_guidelines" title="Wikipedia:Policies and guidelines">Policy</a> <a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Shortcut" title="Wikipedia:Shortcut">shortcut</a>: <ul> <li><span class="plainlinks"><a class="external text" href="//web.archive.org/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Wikipedia:NEWSBLOG&redirect=no">WP:NEWSBLOG</a></span></li> </ul> </th> </tr> </table> <p>Several newspapers host columns that they call <a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blog" title="Blog">blogs</a>. These <i>are</i> acceptable as sources if the writers are professionals and the blog is subject to the newspaper's full editorial control. In March 2010, the Press Complaints Commission in the UK ruled that journalists' blogs hosted on the websites of newspapers or magazines are subject to the same standards expected of comment pieces in that organization's print editions.<sup id="cite_ref-10" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-10"><span>[</span>10<span>]</span></a></sup> Where a news organization publishes an opinion piece, attribute the writer (e.g. "Jane Smith has suggested..."). Never use posts left by readers as sources. For blogs that are not reliable sources, <a href="#Self-published_sources">see below</a>.</p> <p><span id="Self-published_sources_.28online_and_paper.29"></span></p> <h4><span class="mw-headline" id="Self-published_sources">Self-published sources</span><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=User:Ocaasi/POL&action=edit&section=33" title="Edit section: Self-published sources">edit</a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></h4> <table class="shortcutbox shortcutbox-policy noprint" style="float: right; margin: .3em .3em .3em 1em; border: 1px solid #aaa; background: #fff; padding: 3px; text-align: center; font-size:80%"> <tr> <th style="border: none; background: transparent;" class="plainlist"><span id="WP:SPS"></span><span id="WP:SELFPUBLISH"></span><span id="WP:BLOGS"></span><span id="WP:TWITTER"></span><a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Policies_and_guidelines" title="Wikipedia:Policies and guidelines">Policy</a> <a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Shortcut" title="Wikipedia:Shortcut">shortcuts</a>: <ul> <li><span class="plainlinks"><a class="external text" href="//web.archive.org/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Wikipedia:SPS&redirect=no">WP:SPS</a></span></li> <li><span class="plainlinks"><a class="external text" href="//web.archive.org/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Wikipedia:SELFPUBLISH&redirect=no">WP:SELFPUBLISH</a></span></li> <li><span class="plainlinks"><a class="external text" href="//web.archive.org/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Wikipedia:BLOGS&redirect=no">WP:BLOGS</a></span></li> <li><span class="plainlinks"><a class="external text" href="//web.archive.org/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Wikipedia:TWITTER&redirect=no">WP:TWITTER</a></span></li> </ul> </th> </tr> </table> <div class="hatnote">Further information: <a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Biographies_of_living_persons#Avoid_self-published_sources" title="Wikipedia:Biographies of living persons">Wikipedia:Biographies of living persons § Avoid self-published sources</a></div> <p>Anyone can create a <a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Personal_web_page" title="Personal web page">personal web page</a> or <a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vanity_press" title="Vanity press">pay to have a book published</a>, then claim to be an expert in a certain field. For that reason, self-published media, such as books, patents, newsletters, personal websites, open wikis, personal or group blogs, Internet forum postings, and tweets, are largely not acceptable as sources. Self-published expert sources may be considered reliable when produced by an established expert on the topic of the article whose work <b>in the relevant field</b> has previously been published by reliable third-party publications. Take care when using such sources: if the information in question is really worth reporting, someone else will probably have done so.</p> <p><b>Never</b> use self-published sources as third-party sources about living people, even if the author is an expert, well-known professional researcher, or writer.</p> <p><span id="Self-published_and_questionable_sources_as_sources_on_themselves"></span></p> <h4><span class="mw-headline" id="Self-published_or_questionable_sources_as_sources_on_themselves">Self-published or questionable sources as sources on themselves</span><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=User:Ocaasi/POL&action=edit&section=34" title="Edit section: Self-published or questionable sources as sources on themselves">edit</a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></h4> <table class="shortcutbox shortcutbox-policy noprint" style="float: right; margin: .3em .3em .3em 1em; border: 1px solid #aaa; background: #fff; padding: 3px; text-align: center; font-size:80%"> <tr> <th style="border: none; background: transparent;" class="plainlist"><span id="WP:ABOUTSELF"></span><span id="WP:SELFANDQUEST"></span><span id="WP:SELFPUB"></span><span id="WP:SELFQUEST"></span><a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Policies_and_guidelines" title="Wikipedia:Policies and guidelines">Policy</a> <a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Shortcut" title="Wikipedia:Shortcut">shortcuts</a>: <ul> <li><span class="plainlinks"><a class="external text" href="//web.archive.org/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Wikipedia:ABOUTSELF&redirect=no">WP:ABOUTSELF</a></span></li> <li><span class="plainlinks"><a class="external text" href="//web.archive.org/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Wikipedia:SELFANDQUEST&redirect=no">WP:SELFANDQUEST</a></span></li> <li><span class="plainlinks"><a class="external text" href="//web.archive.org/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Wikipedia:SELFPUB&redirect=no">WP:SELFPUB</a></span></li> <li><span class="plainlinks"><a class="external text" href="//web.archive.org/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Wikipedia:SELFQUEST&redirect=no">WP:SELFQUEST</a></span></li> </ul> </th> </tr> </table> <p>Self-published and questionable sources may be used as sources of information <b>about themselves</b>, usually in articles about themselves or their activities, without the requirement in the case of self-published sources that they be published experts in the field, so long as:</p> <ol> <li>the material is not unduly self-serving;</li> <li>it does not involve claims about third parties;</li> <li>it does not involve claims about events not directly related to the source;</li> <li>there is no reasonable doubt as to its authenticity;</li> <li>the article is not based primarily on such sources.</li> </ol> <h3><span class="mw-headline" id="Using_sources">Using sources</span><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=User:Ocaasi/POL&action=edit&section=35" title="Edit section: Using sources">edit</a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></h3> <p>Research that consists of collecting and organizing material from existing sources within the provisions of this and other content policies is fundamental to writing an encyclopedia. Best practice is to research the most reliable sources on the topic and summarize what they say in your own words, with each statement in the article attributable to a source that makes that statement explicitly. Source material should be carefully summarized or rephrased without changing its meaning or implication. Take care not to go beyond what is expressed in the sources, or to use them in ways inconsistent with the intention of the source, such as using material out of context. In short, <b>stick to the sources</b>.</p> <p>If no reliable third-party sources can be found on a topic, Wikipedia should not have an article about it. If you discover something new, Wikipedia is not the place to premiere such a discovery.</p> <p>Information in an article must be <a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Verifiability" title="Wikipedia:Verifiability">verifiable</a> in the references cited. In general, article statements should not rely on unclear or inconsistent passages, or on passing comments. Passages open to multiple interpretations should be precisely cited or avoided. A summary of extensive discussion should reflect the conclusions of the source. Drawing conclusions not evident in the reference is original research regardless of the type of source. It is important that references be cited in context and on topic.</p> <h4><span class="mw-headline" id="Tagging_a_sentence.2C_section.2C_or_article">Tagging a sentence, section, or article</span><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=User:Ocaasi/POL&action=edit&section=36" title="Edit section: Tagging a sentence, section, or article">edit</a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></h4> <div class="hatnote">Further information: <a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Template_messages/Sources_of_articles" title="Wikipedia:Template messages/Sources of articles">Wikipedia:Template messages/Sources of articles</a></div> <p>If you want to request a source for an unsourced statement, consider tagging a sentence with the {{<a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Template:Citation_needed" title="Template:Citation needed">citation needed</a>}} template by writing {{<a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Template:Cn" title="Template:Cn" class="mw-redirect">cn</a>}} or {{<a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Template:Fact" title="Template:Fact" class="mw-redirect">fact</a>}}. Other templates are available <a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Template_messages/Cleanup#Verifiability_and_sources" title="Wikipedia:Template messages/Cleanup" class="mw-disambig">here</a> for tagging sections or entire articles. Alternatively, leave a note on the <a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Help:Talk_page" title="Help:Talk page" class="mw-redirect">talk page</a> requesting a source, or move the material there. To request verification that a reference supports the text, tag it with {{<a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Template:Verification_needed" title="Template:Verification needed" class="mw-redirect">verification needed</a>}}. Material that fails verification may be tagged with {{<a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Template:Failed_verification" title="Template:Failed verification">failed verification</a>}} or removed. Unsourced or poorly sourced contentious material about <a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:BLP" title="Wikipedia:BLP" class="mw-redirect">living people</a> should be removed immediately and not tagged or moved to the talk page.</p> <h4><span class="mw-headline" id="Wikipedia_and_sources_that_mirror_or_use_it">Wikipedia and sources that mirror or use it</span><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=User:Ocaasi/POL&action=edit&section=37" title="Edit section: Wikipedia and sources that mirror or use it">edit</a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></h4> <table class="shortcutbox shortcutbox-policy noprint" style="float: right; margin: .3em .3em .3em 1em; border: 1px solid #aaa; background: #fff; padding: 3px; text-align: center; font-size:80%"> <tr> <th style="border: none; background: transparent;" class="plainlist"><span id="WP:CIRCULAR"></span><a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Policies_and_guidelines" title="Wikipedia:Policies and guidelines">Policy</a> <a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Shortcut" title="Wikipedia:Shortcut">shortcut</a>: <ul> <li><span class="plainlinks"><a class="external text" href="//web.archive.org/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Wikipedia:CIRCULAR&redirect=no">WP:CIRCULAR</a></span></li> </ul> </th> </tr> </table> <p>Articles on Wikipedia or on websites that <a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Mirrors_and_forks" title="Wikipedia:Mirrors and forks">mirror its content</a> should not be used as sources, because this would amount to self-reference. Similarly, editors should not use sources that present material originating <i>from</i> Wikipedia to support that same material <i>in</i> Wikipedia, as this would create <a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Circular_reference" title="Circular reference">circular sourcing</a>—Wikipedia citing a source that derives its material from Wikipedia. Wikipedia may be cited with caution as a <a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:NOR#Primary.2C_secondary_and_tertiary_sources" title="Wikipedia:NOR" class="mw-redirect">primary source</a> of information on itself, such as in articles about itself.</p> <h4><span class="mw-headline" id="Accessibility_of_sources">Accessibility of sources</span><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=User:Ocaasi/POL&action=edit&section=38" title="Edit section: Accessibility of sources">edit</a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></h4> <table class="shortcutbox shortcutbox-policy noprint" style="float: right; margin: .3em .3em .3em 1em; border: 1px solid #aaa; background: #fff; padding: 3px; text-align: center; font-size:80%"> <tr> <th style="border: none; background: transparent;" class="plainlist"><span id="WP:PAYWALL"></span><span id="WP:SOURCEACCESS"></span><a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Policies_and_guidelines" title="Wikipedia:Policies and guidelines">Policy</a> <a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Shortcut" title="Wikipedia:Shortcut">shortcuts</a>: <ul> <li><span class="plainlinks"><a class="external text" href="//web.archive.org/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Wikipedia:PAYWALL&redirect=no">WP:PAYWALL</a></span></li> <li><span class="plainlinks"><a class="external text" href="//web.archive.org/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Wikipedia:SOURCEACCESS&redirect=no">WP:SOURCEACCESS</a></span></li> </ul> </th> </tr> </table> <div class="hatnote">See also: <a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:WikiProject_Resource_Exchange" title="Wikipedia:WikiProject Resource Exchange">Wikipedia:WikiProject Resource Exchange</a></div> <p>Verifiability in this context means that anyone should be able to check that material in a Wikipedia article has already been published by a reliable source. The principle of verifiability implies nothing about ease of access to sources: some online sources may require payment, while some print sources may be available only in university libraries. <a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:WikiProject_Resource_Exchange" title="Wikipedia:WikiProject Resource Exchange">WikiProject Resource Exchange</a> may be able to assist in obtaining source material.</p> <h4><span class="mw-headline" id="Non-English_sources">Non-English sources</span><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=User:Ocaasi/POL&action=edit&section=39" title="Edit section: Non-English sources">edit</a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></h4> <table class="shortcutbox shortcutbox-policy noprint" style="float: right; margin: .3em .3em .3em 1em; border: 1px solid #aaa; background: #fff; padding: 3px; text-align: center; font-size:80%"> <tr> <th style="border: none; background: transparent;" class="plainlist"><span id="WP:NOENG"></span><span id="WP:NONENG"></span><span id="WP:RSUE"></span><span id="WP:VUE"></span><a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Policies_and_guidelines" title="Wikipedia:Policies and guidelines">Policy</a> <a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Shortcut" title="Wikipedia:Shortcut">shortcuts</a>: <ul> <li><span class="plainlinks"><a class="external text" href="//web.archive.org/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Wikipedia:NOENG&redirect=no">WP:NOENG</a></span></li> <li><span class="plainlinks"><a class="external text" href="//web.archive.org/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Wikipedia:NONENG&redirect=no">WP:NONENG</a></span></li> <li><span class="plainlinks"><a class="external text" href="//web.archive.org/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Wikipedia:RSUE&redirect=no">WP:RSUE</a></span></li> <li><span class="plainlinks"><a class="external text" href="//web.archive.org/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Wikipedia:VUE&redirect=no">WP:VUE</a></span></li> </ul> </th> </tr> </table> <p>Because this is the English Wikipedia, English-language sources are preferred over non-English ones, provided that English sources of equal quality and relevance are available. When quoting a source in a different language, provide both the original-language text and an English translation in the text or a footnote. Translations published by reliable sources are preferred over translations by Wikipedians, but translations by Wikipedians are preferred over machine translations. When citing such a source without quoting it, the original and its translation should be provided if requested by other editors: this can be added to a footnote or the talk page. When posting original source material, editors should be careful not to violate copyright; see the <a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Fair_use#Text" title="Wikipedia:Fair use" class="mw-redirect">fair-use guideline</a>.</p> <h4><span class="mw-headline" id="Reliable_sources_noticeboard_and_WP:IRS">Reliable sources noticeboard and WP:IRS <span id="Reliable_sources_noticeboard_and_WP:IRS_guideline"></span></span><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=User:Ocaasi/POL&action=edit&section=40" title="Edit section: Reliable sources noticeboard and WP:IRS">edit</a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></h4> <div class="hatnote">Further information: <a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Reliable_sources_noticeboard" title="Wikipedia:Reliable sources noticeboard" class="mw-redirect">Wikipedia:Reliable sources noticeboard</a> and <a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Identifying_reliable_sources" title="Wikipedia:Identifying reliable sources">Wikipedia:Identifying reliable sources</a></div> <p>To discuss the reliability of a specific source for a particular statement, consult the <a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Reliable_sources/Noticeboard" title="Wikipedia:Reliable sources/Noticeboard">reliable sources noticeboard</a>, which seeks to apply this policy to particular cases. For a guideline discussing the reliability of particular <i>types</i> of sources, see <a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Identifying_reliable_sources" title="Wikipedia:Identifying reliable sources">Wikipedia:Identifying reliable sources</a> (WP:IRS). In the case of inconsistency between this policy and the <a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:IRS" title="Wikipedia:IRS" class="mw-redirect">WP:IRS</a> guideline, or any other guideline related to sourcing, the policy has priority.</p> <h2><span class="mw-headline" id="Original_research">Original research</span><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=User:Ocaasi/POL&action=edit&section=41" title="Edit section: Original research">edit</a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></h2> <p><b>Wikipedia does not publish original research</b>. The term "original research" refers to material—such as facts, allegations, ideas, and stories—not already published by <a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:V#Sources" title="Wikipedia:V" class="mw-redirect">reliable sources</a>. It also refers to any analysis or synthesis of published material that serves to advance a position not advanced by the sources. If no source exists for something you want to add to Wikipedia, it is "original research". To demonstrate that you are not adding original research, you must be able to cite reliable published sources that are both <b>directly related</b> to the topic of the article, and that <b>directly support</b> the material as presented.</p> <h3><span class="mw-headline" id="Synthesis_that_advances_a_position">Synthesis that advances a position</span><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=User:Ocaasi/POL&action=edit&section=42" title="Edit section: Synthesis that advances a position">edit</a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></h3> <table class="shortcutbox shortcutbox-policy noprint" style="float: right; margin: .3em .3em .3em 1em; border: 1px solid #aaa; background: #fff; padding: 3px; text-align: center; font-size:80%"> <tr> <th style="border: none; background: transparent;" class="plainlist"><span id="WP:SYN"></span><span id="WP:SYNTH"></span><span id="WP:SYNTHESIS"></span><span id="WP:ORIGINAL_SYN"></span><a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Policies_and_guidelines" title="Wikipedia:Policies and guidelines">Policy</a> <a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Shortcut" title="Wikipedia:Shortcut">shortcuts</a>: <ul> <li><span class="plainlinks"><a class="external text" href="//web.archive.org/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Wikipedia:SYN&redirect=no">WP:SYN</a></span></li> <li><span class="plainlinks"><a class="external text" href="//web.archive.org/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Wikipedia:SYNTH&redirect=no">WP:SYNTH</a></span></li> <li><span class="plainlinks"><a class="external text" href="//web.archive.org/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Wikipedia:SYNTHESIS&redirect=no">WP:SYNTHESIS</a></span></li> <li><span class="plainlinks"><a class="external text" href="//web.archive.org/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Wikipedia:ORIGINAL_SYN&redirect=no">WP:ORIGINAL SYN</a></span></li> </ul> </th> </tr> </table> <p>Do not combine material from multiple sources to reach or imply a conclusion not explicitly stated by any of the sources. If one reliable source says A, and another reliable source says B, do not join A and B together to imply a conclusion C that is not mentioned by either of the sources. This would be a <i>synthesis</i> of published material to advance a new position, which is <b>original research</b>.<sup id="cite_ref-11" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-11"><span>[</span>11<span>]</span></a></sup> "A and B, therefore C" is acceptable <i>only if</i> a <a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:RS" title="Wikipedia:RS" class="mw-redirect">reliable source</a> has published the same argument in relation to the topic of the article.</p> <ul> <li>A simple example of original synthesis:</li> </ul> <div class="quotebox" style="margin: auto; width:70%; padding: 6px; border: 1px solid #aaa; font-size: 88%; background-color: #FFFFF0;"> <div class="" style="position: relative; text-align: left;"> <div> <p><img alt="" src="//web.archive.org/web/20151227204638im_/https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/a2/X_mark.svg/20px-X_mark.svg.png" width="20" height="23" srcset="//web.archive.org/web/20151227204638im_/https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/a2/X_mark.svg/30px-X_mark.svg.png 1.5x, //web.archive.org/web/20151227204638im_/https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/a2/X_mark.svg/40px-X_mark.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="525" data-file-height="600"/><span style="display:none">N</span> <b>The UN's stated objective is to maintain international peace and security, but since its creation there have been 160 wars throughout the world.</b></p> </div> </div> </div> <ul> <li>Both parts of the sentence may be reliably sourced, but here they have been combined to imply that the UN has failed to maintain world peace. <i>If no reliable source has combined the material in this way, it is original research.</i> It would be a simple matter to imply the opposite using the same material, illustrating how easily material can be manipulated when the sources are not adhered to:</li> </ul> <div class="quotebox" style="margin: auto; width:70%; padding: 6px; border: 1px solid #aaa; font-size: 88%; background-color: #FFFFF0;"> <div class="" style="position: relative; text-align: left;"> <div> <p><img alt="" src="//web.archive.org/web/20151227204638im_/https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/a2/X_mark.svg/20px-X_mark.svg.png" width="20" height="23" srcset="//web.archive.org/web/20151227204638im_/https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/a2/X_mark.svg/30px-X_mark.svg.png 1.5x, //web.archive.org/web/20151227204638im_/https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/a2/X_mark.svg/40px-X_mark.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="525" data-file-height="600"/><span style="display:none">N</span> <b>The UN's stated objective is to maintain international peace and security, and since its creation there have been only 160 wars throughout the world.</b></p> </div> </div> </div> <ul> <li>The following is a more complex example of original synthesis, based on an actual Wikipedia article about a dispute between two authors, here called Smith and Jones. The first paragraph is fine, because each of the sentences is carefully sourced, using a source that refers to this dispute:</li> </ul> <div class="quotebox" style="margin: auto; width:70%; padding: 6px; border: 1px solid #aaa; font-size: 88%; background-color: #FFFFF0;"> <div class="" style="position: relative; text-align: left;"> <div> <p><img alt="Yes" src="//web.archive.org/web/20151227204638im_/https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/f/fb/Yes_check.svg/20px-Yes_check.svg.png" width="20" height="20" srcset="//web.archive.org/web/20151227204638im_/https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/f/fb/Yes_check.svg/30px-Yes_check.svg.png 1.5x, //web.archive.org/web/20151227204638im_/https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/f/fb/Yes_check.svg/40px-Yes_check.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="600" data-file-height="600"/><span style="display:none">Y</span> <b>Smith claimed that Jones committed plagiarism by copying references from another author's book. Jones responded that it is acceptable scholarly practice to use other people's books to find new references.</b></p> </div> </div> </div> <ul> <li>Now comes the original synthesis:</li> </ul> <div class="quotebox" style="margin: auto; width:70%; padding: 6px; border: 1px solid #aaa; font-size: 88%; background-color: #FFFFF0;"> <div class="" style="position: relative; text-align: left;"> <div> <p><img alt="" src="//web.archive.org/web/20151227204638im_/https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/a2/X_mark.svg/20px-X_mark.svg.png" width="20" height="23" srcset="//web.archive.org/web/20151227204638im_/https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/a2/X_mark.svg/30px-X_mark.svg.png 1.5x, //web.archive.org/web/20151227204638im_/https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/a2/X_mark.svg/40px-X_mark.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="525" data-file-height="600"/><span style="display:none">N</span> <b>If Jones did not consult the original sources, this would be contrary to the practice recommended in the Harvard <i>Writing with Sources</i> manual, which requires citation of the source actually consulted. The Harvard manual does not call violating this rule "plagiarism". Instead, plagiarism is defined as using a source's information, ideas, words, or structure without citing them.</b></p> </div> </div> </div> <p>The second paragraph is original research because it expresses a Wikipedia editor's opinion that, given the Harvard manual's definition of plagiarism, Jones did not commit it. To make the second paragraph consistent with this policy, a reliable source would be needed that <i>specifically comments on the Smith and Jones dispute and makes the same point about the Harvard manual and plagiarism</i>. In other words, that precise analysis must have been published by a reliable source in relation to the topic before it can be published on Wikipedia.</p> <h3><span class="mw-headline" id="Original_images">Original images</span><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=User:Ocaasi/POL&action=edit&section=43" title="Edit section: Original images">edit</a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></h3> <table class="shortcutbox shortcutbox-policy noprint" style="float: right; margin: .3em .3em .3em 1em; border: 1px solid #aaa; background: #fff; padding: 3px; text-align: center; font-size:80%"> <tr> <th style="border: none; background: transparent;" class="plainlist"><span id="WP:OI"></span><a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Policies_and_guidelines" title="Wikipedia:Policies and guidelines">Policy</a> <a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Shortcut" title="Wikipedia:Shortcut">shortcut</a>: <ul> <li><span class="plainlinks"><a class="external text" href="//web.archive.org/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Wikipedia:OI&redirect=no">WP:OI</a></span></li> </ul> </th> </tr> </table> <p>Because of copyright laws in a number of countries, there are relatively few images available for use in Wikipedia. Editors are therefore encouraged to upload their own images, releasing them under the <a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GFDL" title="GFDL" class="mw-redirect">GFDL</a>, <a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CC-BY-SA" title="CC-BY-SA" class="mw-redirect">CC-BY-SA</a>, or other free licenses. Original images created by a Wikipedian are not considered original research, <i>so long as they do not illustrate or introduce unpublished ideas or arguments</i>, the core reason behind the NOR policy. Image captions are subject to this policy no less than statements in the body of the article. It is not acceptable for an editor to use <a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Photo_manipulation" title="Photo manipulation">photo manipulation</a> to distort the facts or position illustrated by an image. Manipulated images should be prominently noted as such. Any manipulated image where the encyclopedic value is materially affected should be posted to <a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Files_for_deletion" title="Wikipedia:Files for deletion" class="mw-redirect">Wikipedia:Files for deletion</a>. <a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Biographies_of_living_persons#Images" title="Wikipedia:Biographies of living persons">Images of living persons</a> must not present the subject in a false or disparaging light.</p> <h3><span class="mw-headline" id="Translations_and_transcriptions">Translations and transcriptions</span><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=User:Ocaasi/POL&action=edit&section=44" title="Edit section: Translations and transcriptions">edit</a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></h3> <p>Faithfully translating sourced material into English, or transcribing spoken words from audio or video sources, is not considered original research. For information on how to handle sources that require translation, see <a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Verifiability#Non-English_sources" title="Wikipedia:Verifiability">Wikipedia:Verifiability#Non-English sources</a>.</p> <h3><span class="mw-headline" id="Routine_calculations">Routine calculations</span><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=User:Ocaasi/POL&action=edit&section=45" title="Edit section: Routine calculations">edit</a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></h3> <table class="shortcutbox shortcutbox-policy noprint" style="float: right; margin: .3em .3em .3em 1em; border: 1px solid #aaa; background: #fff; padding: 3px; text-align: center; font-size:80%"> <tr> <th style="border: none; background: transparent;" class="plainlist"><span id="WP:CALC"></span><a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Policies_and_guidelines" title="Wikipedia:Policies and guidelines">Policy</a> <a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Shortcut" title="Wikipedia:Shortcut">shortcut</a>: <ul> <li><span class="plainlinks"><a class="external text" href="//web.archive.org/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Wikipedia:CALC&redirect=no">WP:CALC</a></span></li> </ul> </th> </tr> </table> <p>This policy allows routine mathematical calculations, such as adding numbers, converting units, or calculating a person's age, provided editors <a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Consensus" title="Wikipedia:Consensus">agree</a> that the arithmetic and its application correctly reflect the <a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Verifiability#Reliable_sources" title="Wikipedia:Verifiability">sources</a>. See also <a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Conversion_templates" title="Category:Conversion templates">Category:Conversion templates</a>.a</p> <h2><span class="mw-headline" id="See_also">See also</span><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=User:Ocaasi/POL&action=edit&section=46" title="Edit section: See also">edit</a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></h2> <div> <table style="width: 100%; background-color:transparent;table-layout:fixed; border:none; border-spacing:0;" role="presentation"> <tr style="vertical-align: top;"> <td> <div style="margin-right:20px;"> <dl> <dt>NPOV</dt> </dl> <div id="section_SpokenWikipedia" class="infobox sisterproject noprint"> <div style="text-align: center;"><b>Listen to this article (3 parts) </b>· <a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Neutral_point_of_view_Part_1.ogg" title="File:Neutral point of view Part 1.ogg">(info)</a></div> <div style="text-align:center; font-size:90%; margin-bottom:.4em;"><i><a href="//web.archive.org/web/20151227204638/https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/41/Neutral_point_of_view_Part_1.ogg" class="internal" title="Neutral point of view Part 1.ogg">Part 1</a> • <a href="//web.archive.org/web/20151227204638/https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c8/Neutral_point_of_view_Part_2.ogg" class="internal" title="Neutral point of view Part 2.ogg">Part 2</a> • <a href="//web.archive.org/web/20151227204638/https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/da/Neutral_point_of_view_Part_3.ogg" class="internal" title="Neutral point of view Part 3.ogg">Part 3</a></i></div> <div style="float: left; margin-left: 5px;"> <div class="floatnone"><img alt="" src="//web.archive.org/web/20151227204638im_/https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/47/Sound-icon.svg/45px-Sound-icon.svg.png" title="Spoken Wikipedia" width="45" height="34" srcset="//web.archive.org/web/20151227204638im_/https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/47/Sound-icon.svg/68px-Sound-icon.svg.png 1.5x, //web.archive.org/web/20151227204638im_/https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/47/Sound-icon.svg/90px-Sound-icon.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="128" data-file-height="96"/></div> </div> <div style="font-size: xx-small; line-height: 1.6em; margin-left: 60px;">This audio file was created from a revision of the "<span class="fn">Ocaasi/POL</span>" article dated 2006-05-15, and does not reflect subsequent edits to the page. (<a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Media_help" title="Wikipedia:Media help">Audio help</a>)</div> <div style="text-align: center; clear: both"><b><a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Spoken_articles" title="Wikipedia:Spoken articles">More spoken pages</a></b></div> </div> <p><i>Guidelines</i></p> <ul> <li><a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Article_size" title="Wikipedia:Article size">Article size</a></li> <li><a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Conflict_of_interest" title="Wikipedia:Conflict of interest">Conflict of interest</a></li> <li><a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Fringe_theories" title="Wikipedia:Fringe theories">Fringe theories</a></li> <li><a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Words_to_avoid" title="Wikipedia:Words to avoid" class="mw-redirect">Words to avoid</a></li> </ul> <p><i>Essays</i></p> <ul> <li><a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Avoid_peacock_terms" title="Wikipedia:Avoid peacock terms" class="mw-redirect">Avoid peacock terms</a></li> <li><a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Avoid_weasel_words" title="Wikipedia:Avoid weasel words" class="mw-redirect">Avoid weasel words</a></li> <li><a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Civil_POV_pushing" title="Wikipedia:Civil POV pushing">Civil POV pushing</a></li> <li><a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Coatrack" title="Wikipedia:Coatrack">Coatrack</a></li> <li><a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Controversial_articles" title="Wikipedia:Controversial articles">Controversial articles</a></li> <li><a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Describing_points_of_view" title="Wikipedia:Describing points of view">Describing points of view</a></li> <li><a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Guidelines_for_controversial_articles" title="Wikipedia:Guidelines for controversial articles" class="mw-redirect">Guidelines for controversial articles</a></li> <li><a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:KNOW" title="Wikipedia:KNOW" class="mw-redirect">Do not assert what you know</a></li> <li><a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Let_the_reader_decide" title="Wikipedia:Let the reader decide">Let the reader decide</a></li> <li><a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:List_of_controversial_issues" title="Wikipedia:List of controversial issues">List of controversial issues</a></li> <li><a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:NPOV_tutorial" title="Wikipedia:NPOV tutorial">NPOV tutorial</a></li> <li><a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Neutral_point_of_view/FAQ" title="Wikipedia:Neutral point of view/FAQ">NPOV FAQ</a></li> <li><a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=User:Ocaasi/POL/Examples&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="User:Ocaasi/POL/Examples (page does not exist)">NPOV Examples</a></li> <li><a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=User:Ocaasi/POL/Examples_Debate&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="User:Ocaasi/POL/Examples Debate (page does not exist)">NPOV Examples debate</a></li> <li><a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:NPOV_disputes" title="Category:NPOV disputes">NPOV Disputes</a></li> <li><a href="//web.archive.org/web/20151227204638/https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Positive_tone" class="extiw" title="meta:Positive tone">Positive tone</a> (meta, historical)</li> <li><a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Scientific_consensus" title="Wikipedia:Scientific consensus">Scientific consensus</a></li> <li><a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Systemic_bias" title="Wikipedia:Systemic bias">Systemic bias</a></li> <li><a href="//web.archive.org/web/20151227204638/https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Responses_to_How_to_Build_Wikipedia,_Understand_Bias" class="extiw" title="meta:Responses to How to Build Wikipedia, Understand Bias">Understand Bias</a> (meta, historical)</li> </ul> <p><i>Articles</i></p> <ul> <li><a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Objectivity_(journalism)" title="Objectivity (journalism)" class="mw-redirect">Objectivity (journalism)</a></li> <li><a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Consensus_reality" title="Consensus reality">Consensus reality</a></li> <li><a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/One-sided_argument" title="One-sided argument">One-sided argument</a></li> <li><a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Subject-object_problem&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Subject-object problem (page does not exist)">Subject-object problem</a></li> </ul> </div> </td> <td> <div style="margin-right: 20px;"> <dl> <dt>Verifiability</dt> </dl> <div id="section_SpokenWikipedia" class="infobox sisterproject plainlinks haudio"> <div style="text-align: center; white-space:nowrap"><b>Listen to this page</b> (<a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Wikipedia_Verifiability.ogg" title="File:Wikipedia Verifiability.ogg">info/dl</a>) <div class="center"> <div class="floatnone"> <div class="mediaContainer" style="width:200px"><audio id="mwe_player_0" poster="/static/1.27.0-wmf.8/resources/assets/file-type-icons/fileicon-ogg.png" controls="" preload="none" style="width:200px" class="kskin" data-durationhint="324.92843537415" data-startoffset="0" data-mwtitle="Wikipedia_Verifiability.ogg" data-mwprovider="wikimediacommons"><source src="//web.archive.org/web/20151227204638im_/https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d9/Wikipedia_Verifiability.ogg" type="audio/ogg; codecs="vorbis"" data-title="Original Ogg file (102 kbps)" data-shorttitle="Ogg source" data-width="0" data-height="0" data-bandwidth="102206"></source>Sorry, your browser either has JavaScript disabled or does not have any supported player.<br/> You can <a href="//web.archive.org/web/20151227204638/https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d9/Wikipedia_Verifiability.ogg">download the clip</a> or <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20151227204638/https://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/Special:MyLanguage/Extension:TimedMediaHandler/Client_download">download a player</a> to play the clip in your browser.</audio></div> </div> </div> </div> <p><br/></p> <div style="float: left; margin-left: 5px;"> <div class="floatnone"><img alt="" src="//web.archive.org/web/20151227204638im_/https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/47/Sound-icon.svg/45px-Sound-icon.svg.png" title="Spoken Wikipedia" width="45" height="34" srcset="//web.archive.org/web/20151227204638im_/https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/47/Sound-icon.svg/68px-Sound-icon.svg.png 1.5x, //web.archive.org/web/20151227204638im_/https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/47/Sound-icon.svg/90px-Sound-icon.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="128" data-file-height="96"/></div> </div> <div style="font-size: xx-small; line-height: 1.6em; margin-left: 60px;">This audio file was created from a revision of the "<span class="fn">Ocaasi/POL</span>" article dated 2006-12-04, and does not reflect subsequent edits to the page. (<a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Media_help" title="Wikipedia:Media help">Audio help</a>)</div> <div style="text-align: center; clear: both"><b><a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Spoken_articles" title="Wikipedia:Spoken articles">More spoken pages</a></b></div> </div> <ul> <li><a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_clutter" title="Wikipedia:Citation clutter" class="mw-redirect">Wikipedia:Citation clutter</a>, an essay</li> <li><a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Core_content_policies" title="Wikipedia:Core content policies">Wikipedia:Core content policies</a>, an essay</li> <li><a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Identifying_reliable_sources_(medicine)" title="Wikipedia:Identifying reliable sources (medicine)">Wikipedia:Identifying reliable sources (medicine)</a>, a guideline</li> <li><a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:List_of_free_online_resources" title="Wikipedia:List of free online resources">Wikipedia:List of free online resources</a></li> <li><a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Template_messages/Sources_of_articles" title="Wikipedia:Template messages/Sources of articles">Wikipedia:Template messages/Sources of articles</a></li> <li><a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:When_to_cite" title="Wikipedia:When to cite">Wikipedia:When to cite</a>, an essay</li> <li><a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:WikiProject_Fact_and_Reference_Check" title="Wikipedia:WikiProject Fact and Reference Check">WikiProject Fact and Reference Check</a></li> <li><a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:WikiProject_Resource_Exchange" title="Wikipedia:WikiProject Resource Exchange">WikiProject Resource Exchange</a></li> <li><a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Argument_from_authority" title="Argument from authority">Argument from authority</a></li> </ul> </div> </td> <td> <div style="margin-right: 20px;"> <dl> <dt>Original research</dt> </dl> <div id="section_SpokenWikipedia" class="infobox sisterproject plainlinks haudio"> <div style="text-align: center; white-space:nowrap"><b>Listen to this page</b> (<a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Wikipedia-No_original_research.ogg" title="File:Wikipedia-No original research.ogg">info/dl</a>) <div class="center"> <div class="floatnone"> <div class="mediaContainer" style="width:200px"><audio id="mwe_player_1" poster="/static/1.27.0-wmf.8/resources/assets/file-type-icons/fileicon-ogg.png" controls="" preload="none" style="width:200px" class="kskin" data-durationhint="1170.3555555556" data-startoffset="0" data-mwtitle="Wikipedia-No_original_research.ogg" data-mwprovider="wikimediacommons"><source src="//web.archive.org/web/20151227204638im_/https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c7/Wikipedia-No_original_research.ogg" type="audio/ogg; codecs="vorbis"" data-title="Original Ogg file (78 kbps)" data-shorttitle="Ogg source" data-width="0" data-height="0" data-bandwidth="78371"></source>Sorry, your browser either has JavaScript disabled or does not have any supported player.<br/> You can <a href="//web.archive.org/web/20151227204638/https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c7/Wikipedia-No_original_research.ogg">download the clip</a> or <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20151227204638/https://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/Special:MyLanguage/Extension:TimedMediaHandler/Client_download">download a player</a> to play the clip in your browser.</audio></div> </div> </div> </div> <p><br/></p> <div style="float: left; margin-left: 5px;"> <div class="floatnone"><img alt="" src="//web.archive.org/web/20151227204638im_/https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/47/Sound-icon.svg/45px-Sound-icon.svg.png" title="Spoken Wikipedia" width="45" height="34" srcset="//web.archive.org/web/20151227204638im_/https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/47/Sound-icon.svg/68px-Sound-icon.svg.png 1.5x, //web.archive.org/web/20151227204638im_/https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/47/Sound-icon.svg/90px-Sound-icon.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="128" data-file-height="96"/></div> </div> <div style="font-size: xx-small; line-height: 1.6em; margin-left: 60px;">This audio file was created from a revision of the "<span class="fn">Ocaasi/POL</span>" article dated 2007-01-27, and does not reflect subsequent edits to the page. (<a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Media_help" title="Wikipedia:Media help">Audio help</a>)</div> <div style="text-align: center; clear: both"><b><a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Spoken_articles" title="Wikipedia:Spoken articles">More spoken pages</a></b></div> </div> <table class="mbox-small plainlinks sistersitebox" style="border:1px solid #aaa;background-color:#f9f9f9"> <tr> <td class="mbox-image"><img alt="" src="//web.archive.org/web/20151227204638im_/https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/91/Wikiversity-logo.svg/40px-Wikiversity-logo.svg.png" width="40" height="32" srcset="//web.archive.org/web/20151227204638im_/https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/91/Wikiversity-logo.svg/60px-Wikiversity-logo.svg.png 1.5x, //web.archive.org/web/20151227204638im_/https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/91/Wikiversity-logo.svg/80px-Wikiversity-logo.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="1000" data-file-height="800"/></td> <td class="mbox-text plainlist">Wikiversity has learning materials about <i><b><a href="//web.archive.org/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikiversity.org/wiki/Wikiversity:Publishing_original_research" class="extiw" title="v:Wikiversity:Publishing original research">Wikiversity:Publishing original research</a></b></i></td> </tr> </table> <ul> <li>{{<a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Template:Original_research" title="Template:Original research">Original research</a>}} — template used to warn of original research</li> <li>{{<a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Template:Synthesis" title="Template:Synthesis">Synthesis</a>}} — template used to warn of unpublished synthesis</li> <li><a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citing_sources" title="Wikipedia:Citing sources">Wikipedia:Citing sources</a></li> <li><a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Conflict_of_interest#Citing_oneself" title="Wikipedia:Conflict of interest">Wikipedia:Conflict of interest#Citing oneself</a></li> <li><a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:No_original_research/history" title="Wikipedia:No original research/history" class="mw-redirect">Wikipedia:No original research/history</a> — origins of this policy</li> <li><a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Template_messages/Disputes" title="Wikipedia:Template messages/Disputes">Wikipedia:Template messages/Disputes</a></li> <li><a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:These_are_not_original_research" title="Wikipedia:These are not original research">Wikipedia:These are not original research</a></li> <li><a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:No_original_research/Examples" title="Wikipedia:No original research/Examples">Wikipedia:No original research/Examples</a></li> <li><a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Observer_effect_(information_technology)" title="Observer effect (information technology)">Observer effect</a> — Wikipedia's popularity means that documenting an obscure concept (e.g. an internet meme) in Wikipedia might increase its visibility, generating artificial notability as other sources cover it due to the additional exposure obtained from Wikipedia</li> <li><a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia_in_culture#Wikiality" title="Wikipedia in culture">Wikiality</a></li> <li><a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:No_original_research/Noticeboard" title="Wikipedia:No original research/Noticeboard">No original research noticeboard</a></li> </ul> </div> </td> </tr> </table> </div> <h3><span class="mw-headline" id="Templates">Templates</span><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=User:Ocaasi/POL&action=edit&section=47" title="Edit section: Templates">edit</a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></h3> <dl> <dt>NPOV</dt> </dl> <ul> <li>General NPOV templates: <ul> <li>{{<a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Template:POV" title="Template:POV">POV</a>}}—message used to warn of problems</li> <li>{{<a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Template:POV-check" title="Template:POV-check">POV-check</a>}}—message used to request that an article be checked for neutrality</li> <li>{{<a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Template:POV-section" title="Template:POV-section" class="mw-redirect">POV-section</a>}}—tags only a single section as disputed</li> <li>{{<a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Template:POV-lead" title="Template:POV-lead">POV-lead</a>}}—when the article's introduction is questionable</li> <li>{{<a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Template:POV-title" title="Template:POV-title">POV-title</a>}}—when the article's title is questionable</li> <li>{{<a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Template:POV-statement" title="Template:POV-statement">POV-statement</a>}}—when only one sentence is questionable</li> <li>{{<a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Template:NPOV_language" title="Template:NPOV language">NPOV language</a>}}—message used when the neutrality of the style of writing is questioned</li> <li>{{<a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Template:Multiple_issues" title="Template:Multiple issues">Multiple issues</a>}}—when an article or section fails to abide by multiple Wikipedia content policies</li> <li>{{<a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Template:ASF" title="Template:ASF">ASF</a>}}—when a sentence may or may not require in-text attribution (e.g. so-and-so says)</li> </ul> </li> <li>Undue weight templates: <ul> <li>{{<a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Template:Undue" title="Template:Undue">Undue</a>}}—message used to warn that a part of an article lends undue weight to certain ideas relative to the article as a whole</li> <li>{{<a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Template:Undue-section" title="Template:Undue-section">Undue-section</a>}}—same as above but to tag a section only</li> <li>{{<a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Template:Undue-inline" title="Template:Undue-inline">Undue-inline</a>}}—same as above but to tag a sentence or paragraph only</li> </ul> </li> </ul> <dl> <dt>Verifiability</dt> </dl> <dl> <dt>Original research</dt> </dl> <h3><span class="mw-headline" id="Wikiprojects">Wikiprojects</span><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=User:Ocaasi/POL&action=edit&section=48" title="Edit section: Wikiprojects">edit</a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></h3> <ul> <li><a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:WikiProject_Neutrality" title="Wikipedia:WikiProject Neutrality">Wikiproject Neutrality</a></li> </ul> <h3><span class="mw-headline" id="Noticeboards">Noticeboards</span><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=User:Ocaasi/POL&action=edit&section=49" title="Edit section: Noticeboards">edit</a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></h3> <ul> <li><a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Neutral_point_of_view/Noticeboard" title="Wikipedia:Neutral point of view/Noticeboard">Neutral point of view noticeboard</a></li> <li><a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Reliable_Sources/Noticeboard" title="Wikipedia:Reliable Sources/Noticeboard" class="mw-redirect">Reliable sources noticeboard</a></li> <li><a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:No_original_research/Noticeboard" title="Wikipedia:No original research/Noticeboard">Original research noticeboard</a></li> </ul> <h2><span class="mw-headline" id="Notes">Notes</span><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=User:Ocaasi/POL&action=edit&section=50" title="Edit section: Notes">edit</a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></h2> <div class="reflist" style="list-style-type: decimal;"> <ol class="references"> <li id="cite_note-1"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-1">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">Article sections devoted solely to criticism, and "pro and con" sections within articles, are two commonly cited examples. There are varying views on whether and to what extent such structures are appropriate; see <a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Avoid_thread_mode" title="Wikipedia:Avoid thread mode">Wikipedia:Avoid thread mode</a>, <a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Criticism" title="Wikipedia:Criticism">Wikipedia:Criticism</a>, <a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Pro_and_con_lists" title="Wikipedia:Pro and con lists">Wikipedia:Pro and con lists</a>, and <a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Template:Criticism-section" title="Template:Criticism-section" class="mw-redirect">Template:Criticism-section</a>.</span></li> <li id="cite_note-2"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-2">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">Commonly cited examples include articles that read too much like a "debate", and content structured like a "resume". See also: <a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Guide_to_layout" title="Wikipedia:Guide to layout" class="mw-redirect">Wikipedia:Guide to layout</a>, <a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Criticism#Formatting_criticism" title="Wikipedia:Criticism">Formatting criticism</a>, <a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Edit_war" title="Wikipedia:Edit war" class="mw-redirect">Wikipedia:Edit war</a>, <a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Template_messages/Cleanup#Contradiction_and_confusion" title="Wikipedia:Template messages/Cleanup" class="mw-disambig">WP cleanup templates</a>, and <a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Template:Lopsided" title="Template:Lopsided">Template:Lopsided</a>.</span></li> <li id="cite_note-3"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-3">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">See the discussion about sources in <a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:No_original_research#Sources" title="Wikipedia:No original research">WP:NOR</a> that describes summarizing materials <i>in your own words</i>, leaving nothing implied that goes beyond the sources.</span></li> <li id="cite_note-4"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-4">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jimmy_Wales" title="Jimmy Wales">Wales, Jimmy</a>. <a class="external text" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20151227204638/http://lists.wikimedia.org/pipermail/wikien-l/2006-May/046440.html">"Zero information is preferred to misleading or false information"</a>, WikiEN-l, May 16, 2006: "I can NOT emphasize this enough. There seems to be a terrible bias among some editors that some sort of random speculative "I heard it somewhere" pseudo information is to be tagged with a "needs a cite" tag. Wrong. It should be removed, aggressively, unless it can be sourced. This is true of all information, but it is particularly true of negative information about living persons."</span></li> <li id="cite_note-5"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-5">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Hume" title="David Hume">Hume, David</a>. <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20151227204638/http://books.google.com/books?id=H1rKYw9SnTgC&lpg=PP1&pg=PA86"><i>An Enquiry concerning Human Understanding</i></a>, Forgotten Books, 1984; first published 1748, p. 86: "That no testimony is sufficient to establish a miracle, unless the testimony be of such a kind, that its falsehood would be more miraculous, than the fact, which it endeavours to establish; and even in that case there is a mutual destruction of arguments, and the superior only gives us an assurance suitable to that degree of force, which remains, after deducting the inferior."</span></li> <li id="cite_note-6"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-6">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20151227204638/http://www.lib.umd.edu/guides/primary-sources.html">This University of Maryland library page</a> provides typical examples of primary, secondary and tertiary sources.</span></li> <li id="cite_note-7"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-7">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">Further examples include archeological artifacts, census results, video or transcripts of surveillance, public hearings, trials, or interviews; tabulated results of surveys or questionnaires; original philosophical works; religious scripture; ancient works, even if they cite earlier lost writings; and artistic and fictional works such as poems, scripts, screenplays, novels, motion pictures, videos, and television programs. For definitions of primary sources:</span> <ul> <li><span class="reference-text">The <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20151227204638/http://www.library.unr.edu/instruction/help/primary.html">University of Nevada, Reno Libraries</a> define primary sources as providing "an inside view of a particular event". They offer as examples: <b>original documents</b>, such as autobiographies, diaries, e-mail, interviews, letters, minutes, news film footage, official records, photographs, raw research data, and speeches; <b>creative works</b>, such as art, drama, films, music, novels, poetry; and <b>relics or artifacts</b>, such as buildings, clothing, DNA, furniture, jewelry, pottery.</span></li> <li><span class="reference-text">The <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20151227204638/http://www.lib.berkeley.edu/instruct/guides/primarysources.html">University of California, Berkeley library</a> offers this definition: "Primary sources enable the researcher to get as close as possible to what actually happened during an historical event or time period. Primary sources were either created during the time period being studied, or were created at a later date by a participant in the events being studied (as in the case of memoirs) and they reflect the individual viewpoint of a participant or observer."</span></li> <li><span class="reference-text"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20151227204638/http://library.duke.edu/research/finding/primarysource.html">Duke University, Libraries</a> offers this definition: "A primary source is a first-hand account of an event. Primary sources may include newspaper articles, letters, diaries, interviews, laws, reports of government commissions, and many other types of documents."</span></li> </ul> </li> <li id="cite_note-8"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-8">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20151227204638/http://www.lib.berkeley.edu/instruct/guides/primarysources.html">University of California, Berkeley library</a> defines "secondary source" as "a work that interprets or analyzes an historical event or phenomenon. It is generally at least one step removed from the event".</span></li> <li id="cite_note-9"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-9">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">The <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20151227204638/http://www.ithacalibrary.com/sp/subjects/primary">Ithaca College Library</a> compares research articles to review articles. Be aware that either type of article can be both a primary and secondary source, although research articles tend to be more useful as primary sources and review articles as secondary sources.</span></li> <li id="cite_note-10"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-10">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">Plunkett, John. <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20151227204638/http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2010/mar/29/rod-liddle-pcc-spectator">"Rod Liddle censured by the PCC"</a>, <i>The Guardian</i>, March 29, 2010.</span></li> <li id="cite_note-11"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-11">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">Jimmy Wales has said of synthesized historical theories: "Some who completely understand why Wikipedia ought not create novel theories of physics by citing the results of experiments and so on and synthesizing them into something new, may fail to see how the same thing applies to history." (Wales, Jimmy. <a class="external text" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20151227204638/http://mail.wikipedia.org/pipermail/wikien-l/2004-December/017591.html">"Original research"</a>, December 6, 2004)</span></li> </ol> </div> <div class="reflist columns references-column-count references-column-count-2" style="-moz-column-count: 2; -webkit-column-count: 2; column-count: 2; list-style-type: decimal;"></div> <h2><span class="mw-headline" id="Further_reading">Further reading</span><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=User:Ocaasi/POL&action=edit&section=51" title="Edit section: Further reading">edit</a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></h2> <dl> <dt>NPOV</dt> </dl> <ul> <li>Wales, Jimmy. <a class="external text" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20151227204638/http://lists.wikimedia.org/pipermail/wikien-l/2006-July/050773.html">"Insist on sources"</a>, WikiEN-l, July 19, 2006: "I really want to encourage a much stronger culture which says: it is better to have no information, than to have information like this, with no sources."</li> <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20151227204638/http://meatballwiki.org/wiki/NeutralPointOfView" class="extiw" title="meatball:NeutralPointOfView">NeutralPointOfView</a> on MeatballWiki</li> </ul> <dl> <dt>Verifiability</dt> </dl> <dl> <dt>Original research</dt> </dl> <div class="refbegin" style=""> <ul> <li>Wales, Jimmy. <a class="external text" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20151227204638/http://mail.wikipedia.org/pipermail/wikien-l/2003-July/005288.html">Crackpot articles</a>, mailing list, July 12, 2003.</li> <li>Wales, Jimmy. <a class="external text" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20151227204638/http://mail.wikipedia.org/pipermail/wikien-l/2003-September/006653.html">"NPOV and 'new physics'"</a>, mailing list, September 26, 2003.</li> <li>Wales, Jimmy. <a class="external text" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20151227204638/http://mail.wikipedia.org/pipermail/wikien-l/2003-September/006663.html">"NPOV and 'new physics'"</a>, mailing list, September 26, 2003 (followup to above)</li> <li>Wales, Jimmy. <a class="external text" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20151227204638/http://mail.wikipedia.org/pipermail/wikien-l/2004-December/017557.html">"Original research"</a>, mailing list, December 3, 2004</li> <li>Wales, Jimmy. <a class="external text" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20151227204638/http://mail.wikipedia.org/pipermail/wikien-l/2004-December/017591.html">"Original research"</a>, mailing list, December 6, 2004</li> </ul> </div> <h2><span class="mw-headline" id="Related_information">Related information</span><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=User:Ocaasi/POL&action=edit&section=52" title="Edit section: Related information">edit</a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></h2> <table class="navbox" style="border-spacing:0"> <tr> <td style="padding:2px"> <table class="nowraplinks collapsible collapsed navbox-inner" style="border-spacing:0;background:transparent;color:inherit"> <tr> <th scope="col" class="navbox-title" colspan="2"> <div class="plainlinks hlist navbar mini"> <ul> <li class="nv-view"><a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Template:Wikipedia_principles" title="Template:Wikipedia principles"><abbr title="View this template" style=";;background:none transparent;border:none;">v</abbr></a></li> <li class="nv-talk"><a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Template_talk:Wikipedia_principles" title="Template talk:Wikipedia principles"><abbr title="Discuss this template" style=";;background:none transparent;border:none;">t</abbr></a></li> <li class="nv-edit"><a class="external text" href="//web.archive.org/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Template:Wikipedia_principles&action=edit"><abbr title="Edit this template" style=";;background:none transparent;border:none;">e</abbr></a></li> </ul> </div> <div style="font-size:114%"><a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Principles" title="Wikipedia:Principles">Wikipedia principles</a></div> </th> </tr> <tr style="height:2px"> <td colspan="2"></td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" class="navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0px;background:transparent;color:inherit;"> <div style="padding:0px;"> <table class="navbox-columns-table" style="border-spacing: 0px; text-align:left;width:auto; margin-left:auto; margin-right:auto;"> <tr style="vertical-align:top;"> <td style="width:5em;">   </td> <td style="padding:0px;text-align: center;;;width:20%;"> <div> <p><b><a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Five_pillars" title="Wikipedia:Five pillars">Five pillars</a></b><br/> Statement of our principles</p> </div> </td> <td style="border-left:2px solid #fdfdfd;padding:0px;text-align: center;;;width:20%;"> <div> <p><b><a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:Jimbo_Wales/Statement_of_principles" title="User:Jimbo Wales/Statement of principles">Jimbo's statement</a></b><br/> Historic principles</p> </div> </td> <td style="border-left:2px solid #fdfdfd;padding:0px;text-align: center;;;width:20%;"> <div> <p><b><a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Simplified_ruleset" title="Wikipedia:Simplified ruleset">Simplified ruleset</a></b><br/> Synopsis of our conventions</p> </div> </td> <td style="border-left:2px solid #fdfdfd;padding:0px;text-align: center;;;width:20%;"> <div> <p><b><a href="//web.archive.org/web/20151227204638/https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Founding_principles" class="extiw" title="meta:Founding principles">Wikimedia principles</a></b><br/> Common to all projects<br/> (in Meta-Wiki)</p> </div> </td> <td style="border-left:2px solid #fdfdfd;padding:0px;text-align: center;;;width:20%;"> <div> <p><b><a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Principles" title="Wikipedia:Principles">Principles</a></b><br/> Other essays on Wikipedia's principles</p> </div> </td> </tr> </table> </div> </td> </tr> </table> </td> </tr> </table> <table class="navbox" style="border-spacing:0"> <tr> <td style="padding:2px"> <table class="nowraplinks hlist collapsible collapsed navbox-inner" style="border-spacing:0;background:transparent;color:inherit"> <tr> <th scope="col" class="navbox-title" colspan="2" style="text-align: center;"> <div class="plainlinks hlist navbar mini"> <ul> <li class="nv-view"><a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Template:Wikipedia_policies_and_guidelines" title="Template:Wikipedia policies and guidelines"><abbr title="View this template" style="text-align: center;;;background:none transparent;border:none;">v</abbr></a></li> <li class="nv-talk"><a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Template_talk:Wikipedia_policies_and_guidelines" title="Template talk:Wikipedia policies and guidelines"><abbr title="Discuss this template" style="text-align: center;;;background:none transparent;border:none;">t</abbr></a></li> <li class="nv-edit"><a class="external text" href="//web.archive.org/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Template:Wikipedia_policies_and_guidelines&action=edit"><abbr title="Edit this template" style="text-align: center;;;background:none transparent;border:none;">e</abbr></a></li> </ul> </div> <div style="font-size:114%"><a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Policies_and_guidelines" title="Wikipedia:Policies and guidelines">Wikipedia key policies and guidelines</a></div> </th> </tr> <tr style="height:2px"> <td colspan="2"></td> </tr> <tr> <th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="text-align: center;"><a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Wikipedia_administration" title="Category:Wikipedia administration">Overview</a></th> <td class="navbox-list navbox-odd" style="text-align:left;border-left-width:2px;border-left-style:solid;width:100%;padding:0px"> <div style="padding:0em 0.25em"> <ul> <li><a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Five_pillars" title="Wikipedia:Five pillars">Five pillars</a></li> <li><a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Policies_and_guidelines" title="Wikipedia:Policies and guidelines">Policies and guidelines</a></li> <li><a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:List_of_policies_and_guidelines" title="Wikipedia:List of policies and guidelines">List of policies and guidelines</a> <ul> <li><a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:List_of_policies" title="Wikipedia:List of policies">List of policies</a></li> <li><a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:List_of_guidelines" title="Wikipedia:List of guidelines">List of guidelines</a></li> </ul> </li> </ul> </div> </td> </tr> <tr style="height:2px"> <td colspan="2"></td> </tr> <tr> <th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="text-align: center;"><a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Principles" title="Wikipedia:Principles">Project-wide principles</a></th> <td class="navbox-list navbox-even" style="text-align:left;border-left-width:2px;border-left-style:solid;width:100%;padding:0px"> <div style="padding:0em 0.25em"> <ul> <li><a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Consensus" title="Wikipedia:Consensus">Consensus</a></li> <li><a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Dispute_resolution" title="Wikipedia:Dispute resolution">Dispute resolution</a></li> <li><a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Editing_policy" title="Wikipedia:Editing policy">Editing policy</a></li> <li><a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Ignore_all_rules" title="Wikipedia:Ignore all rules">Ignore all rules</a></li> <li><a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:What_Wikipedia_is_not" title="Wikipedia:What Wikipedia is not">What Wikipedia is not</a></li> <li><a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Wikipedia_is_not_a_dictionary" title="Wikipedia:Wikipedia is not a dictionary">Wikipedia is not a dictionary</a></li> </ul> </div> </td> </tr> <tr style="height:2px"> <td colspan="2"></td> </tr> <tr> <th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="text-align: center;"><a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Core_content_policies" title="Wikipedia:Core content policies">Core content policies</a></th> <td class="navbox-list navbox-odd" style="text-align:left;border-left-width:2px;border-left-style:solid;width:100%;padding:0px"> <div style="padding:0em 0.25em"> <ul> <li><a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Neutral_point_of_view" title="Wikipedia:Neutral point of view">Neutral point of view</a></li> <li><a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:No_original_research" title="Wikipedia:No original research">No original research</a></li> <li><a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Verifiability" title="Wikipedia:Verifiability">Verifiability</a></li> </ul> </div> </td> </tr> <tr style="height:2px"> <td colspan="2"></td> </tr> <tr> <th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="text-align: center;">Other <a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Content_policies" title="Wikipedia:Content policies" class="mw-redirect">content policies</a></th> <td class="navbox-list navbox-even" style="text-align:left;border-left-width:2px;border-left-style:solid;width:100%;padding:0px"> <div style="padding:0em 0.25em"> <ul> <li><a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Article_titles" title="Wikipedia:Article titles">Article titles</a></li> <li><a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Autobiography" title="Wikipedia:Autobiography">Autobiography</a></li> <li><a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Biographies_of_living_persons" title="Wikipedia:Biographies of living persons">Biographies of living persons</a></li> <li><a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Image_use_policy" title="Wikipedia:Image use policy">Image use</a></li> </ul> </div> </td> </tr> <tr style="height:2px"> <td colspan="2"></td> </tr> <tr> <th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="text-align: center;"><a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:List_of_guidelines#Content" title="Wikipedia:List of guidelines">Content guidelines</a></th> <td class="navbox-list navbox-odd" style="text-align:left;border-left-width:2px;border-left-style:solid;width:100%;padding:0px"> <div style="padding:0em 0.25em"> <ul> <li><a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citing_sources" title="Wikipedia:Citing sources">Citing sources</a></li> <li><a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Do_not_create_hoaxes" title="Wikipedia:Do not create hoaxes">Do not create hoaxes</a></li> <li><a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Do_not_include_the_full_text_of_lengthy_primary_sources" title="Wikipedia:Do not include the full text of lengthy primary sources">Do not include copies of primary sources</a></li> <li><a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:External_links" title="Wikipedia:External links">External links</a></li> <li><a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Fringe_theories" title="Wikipedia:Fringe theories">Fringe theories</a></li> <li><a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Identifying_reliable_sources" title="Wikipedia:Identifying reliable sources">Identifying reliable sources</a></li> <li><a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Notability" title="Wikipedia:Notability">Notability</a></li> <li><a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Patent_nonsense" title="Wikipedia:Patent nonsense">Patent nonsense</a></li> </ul> </div> </td> </tr> <tr style="height:2px"> <td colspan="2"></td> </tr> <tr> <th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="text-align: center;"><a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:List_of_policies#Conduct" title="Wikipedia:List of policies">Behavioural policies</a></th> <td class="navbox-list navbox-even" style="text-align:left;border-left-width:2px;border-left-style:solid;width:100%;padding:0px"> <div style="padding:0em 0.25em"> <ul> <li><a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Child_protection" title="Wikipedia:Child protection">Child protection</a></li> <li><a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Civility" title="Wikipedia:Civility">Civility</a></li> <li><a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Courtesy_vanishing" title="Wikipedia:Courtesy vanishing">Courtesy vanishing</a></li> <li><a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Edit_warring" title="Wikipedia:Edit warring">Edit warring</a></li> <li><a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Harassment" title="Wikipedia:Harassment">Harassment</a></li> <li><a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:No_legal_threats" title="Wikipedia:No legal threats">No legal threats</a></li> <li><a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:No_personal_attacks" title="Wikipedia:No personal attacks">No personal attacks</a></li> <li><a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Ownership_of_content" title="Wikipedia:Ownership of content">Ownership of content</a></li> <li><a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Sock_puppetry" title="Wikipedia:Sock puppetry">Sock puppetry</a></li> </ul> </div> </td> </tr> <tr style="height:2px"> <td colspan="2"></td> </tr> <tr> <th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="text-align: center;"><a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:List_of_guidelines#Behavioral" title="Wikipedia:List of guidelines">Behavioural guidelines</a></th> <td class="navbox-list navbox-odd" style="text-align:left;border-left-width:2px;border-left-style:solid;width:100%;padding:0px"> <div style="padding:0em 0.25em"> <ul> <li><a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Assume_good_faith" title="Wikipedia:Assume good faith">Assume good faith</a></li> <li><a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Conflict_of_interest" title="Wikipedia:Conflict of interest">Conflict of interest</a></li> <li><a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Disruptive_editing" title="Wikipedia:Disruptive editing">Disruptive editing</a></li> <li><a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Do_not_disrupt_Wikipedia_to_illustrate_a_point" title="Wikipedia:Do not disrupt Wikipedia to illustrate a point">Do not disrupt Wikipedia to illustrate a point</a></li> <li><a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Etiquette" title="Wikipedia:Etiquette">Etiquette</a></li> <li><a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Gaming_the_system" title="Wikipedia:Gaming the system">Gaming the system</a></li> <li><a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Please_do_not_bite_the_newcomers" title="Wikipedia:Please do not bite the newcomers">Please do not bite the newcomers</a></li> </ul> </div> </td> </tr> <tr style="height:2px"> <td colspan="2"></td> </tr> <tr> <th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="text-align: center;"><a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:List_of_guidelines#Editing" title="Wikipedia:List of guidelines">Editing guidelines</a></th> <td class="navbox-list navbox-even" style="text-align:left;border-left-width:2px;border-left-style:solid;width:100%;padding:0px"> <div style="padding:0em 0.25em"> <ul> <li><a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Article_size" title="Wikipedia:Article size">Article size</a></li> <li><a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Be_bold" title="Wikipedia:Be bold">Be bold</a></li> <li><a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Disambiguation" title="Wikipedia:Disambiguation">Disambiguation</a></li> <li><a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Hatnote" title="Wikipedia:Hatnote">Hatnotes</a></li> <li><a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Set_index_articles" title="Wikipedia:Set index articles">Set index articles</a></li> <li><a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Signatures" title="Wikipedia:Signatures">Signatures</a></li> <li><a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Subpages" title="Wikipedia:Subpages">Subpages</a></li> <li><a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Talk_page_guidelines" title="Wikipedia:Talk page guidelines">Talk page guidelines</a></li> <li><a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:User_pages" title="Wikipedia:User pages">User pages</a></li> <li><a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Vandalism" title="Wikipedia:Vandalism">Vandalism</a></li> <li><a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:WikiProject_Council/Guide" title="Wikipedia:WikiProject Council/Guide">WikiProjects</a></li> </ul> </div> </td> </tr> <tr style="height:2px"> <td colspan="2"></td> </tr> <tr> <th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="text-align: center;"><a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:List_of_guidelines#Style" title="Wikipedia:List of guidelines">Style conventions</a></th> <td class="navbox-list navbox-odd" style="text-align:left;border-left-width:2px;border-left-style:solid;width:100%;padding:0px"> <div style="padding:0em 0.25em"> <ul> <li><a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Manual_of_Style" title="Wikipedia:Manual of Style">Manual of Style</a> <ul> <li><a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Manual_of_Style/Contents" title="Wikipedia:Manual of Style/Contents">Contents</a></li> </ul> </li> <li><a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Manual_of_Style/Accessibility" title="Wikipedia:Manual of Style/Accessibility">Accessibility</a> <ul> <li><a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Make_technical_articles_understandable" title="Wikipedia:Make technical articles understandable">Understandability</a></li> </ul> </li> <li><a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Manual_of_Style/Dates_and_numbers" title="Wikipedia:Manual of Style/Dates and numbers">Dates and numbers</a></li> <li><a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Manual_of_Style/Images" title="Wikipedia:Manual of Style/Images">Images</a></li> <li><a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Manual_of_Style/Layout" title="Wikipedia:Manual of Style/Layout">Layout</a></li> <li><a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Manual_of_Style/Lead_section" title="Wikipedia:Manual of Style/Lead section">Lead section</a></li> <li><a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Manual_of_Style/Linking" title="Wikipedia:Manual of Style/Linking">Linking</a></li> <li><a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Manual_of_Style/Lists" title="Wikipedia:Manual of Style/Lists">Lists</a></li> </ul> </div> </td> </tr> <tr style="height:2px"> <td colspan="2"></td> </tr> <tr> <th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="text-align: center;"><a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Wikipedia_categories" title="Category:Wikipedia categories">Classification guidelines</a></th> <td class="navbox-list navbox-even" style="text-align:left;border-left-width:2px;border-left-style:solid;width:100%;padding:0px"> <div style="padding:0em 0.25em"> <ul> <li><a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Categories,_lists,_and_navigation_templates" title="Wikipedia:Categories, lists, and navigation templates">Categories, lists, and navigation templates</a></li> <li><a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Categorization" title="Wikipedia:Categorization">Categorization</a></li> <li><a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Template_namespace" title="Wikipedia:Template namespace">Template namespace</a></li> </ul> </div> </td> </tr> <tr style="height:2px"> <td colspan="2"></td> </tr> <tr> <th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="text-align: center;"><a href="/web/20151227204638/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:List_of_policies#Deletion" title="Wikipedia:List of policies">Deletion policies</a></th> <td class="navbox-list navbox-odd" style="text-align:left;border-left-width:2px;border-left-style:solid;width:100%;padding:0px"> <div 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