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class="vector-toc-numb">2</span> <span>Technical content</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Technical_content-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Lead_section" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-1 vector-toc-list-item-expanded"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Lead_section"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">3</span> <span><span>Lead section</span></span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Lead_section-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Rules_of_thumb" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-1 vector-toc-list-item-expanded"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Rules_of_thumb"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">4</span> <span>Rules of thumb</span> </div> </a> <button aria-controls="toc-Rules_of_thumb-sublist" class="cdx-button cdx-button--weight-quiet cdx-button--icon-only vector-toc-toggle"> <span class="vector-icon mw-ui-icon-wikimedia-expand"></span> <span>Toggle Rules of thumb subsection</span> </button> <ul id="toc-Rules_of_thumb-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> <li id="toc-Put_the_easier_parts_of_the_article_up_front" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-2"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Put_the_easier_parts_of_the_article_up_front"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">4.1</span> <span>Put the easier parts of the article up front</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Put_the_easier_parts_of_the_article_up_front-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Write_one_level_down" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-2"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Write_one_level_down"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">4.2</span> <span>Write one level down</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Write_one_level_down-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Add_a_concrete_example" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-2"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Add_a_concrete_example"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">4.3</span> <span>Add a concrete example</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Add_a_concrete_example-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Explain_formulae_in_English" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-2"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Explain_formulae_in_English"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">4.4</span> <span>Explain formulae in English</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Explain_formulae_in_English-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Add_a_picture" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-2"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Add_a_picture"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">4.5</span> <span>Add a picture</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Add_a_picture-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Avoid_overly_technical_language" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-2"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Avoid_overly_technical_language"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">4.6</span> <span>Avoid overly technical language</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Avoid_overly_technical_language-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Don't_oversimplify" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-2"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Don't_oversimplify"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">4.7</span> <span>Don't oversimplify</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Don't_oversimplify-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Labeling_articles_that_are_too_technical" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-1 vector-toc-list-item-expanded"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Labeling_articles_that_are_too_technical"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">5</span> <span>Labeling articles that are too technical</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Labeling_articles_that_are_too_technical-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-"Introduction_to..."_articles" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-1 vector-toc-list-item-expanded"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#"Introduction_to..."_articles"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">6</span> <span>"Introduction to..." articles</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-"Introduction_to..."_articles-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-See_also" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-1 vector-toc-list-item-expanded"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#See_also"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">7</span> <span>See also</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-See_also-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-External_links" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-1 vector-toc-list-item-expanded"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#External_links"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">8</span> <span>External links</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-External_links-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> </ul> </div> </div> </nav> </div> </div> <div class="mw-content-container"> <main id="content" class="mw-body"> <header class="mw-body-header vector-page-titlebar"> <nav aria-label="Contents" class="vector-toc-landmark"> <div id="vector-page-titlebar-toc" class="vector-dropdown vector-page-titlebar-toc vector-button-flush-left" title="Table of Contents" > <input type="checkbox" id="vector-page-titlebar-toc-checkbox" role="button" aria-haspopup="true" data-event-name="ui.dropdown-vector-page-titlebar-toc" class="vector-dropdown-checkbox " aria-label="Toggle the table of contents" > <label id="vector-page-titlebar-toc-label" for="vector-page-titlebar-toc-checkbox" class="vector-dropdown-label cdx-button cdx-button--fake-button cdx-button--fake-button--enabled cdx-button--weight-quiet cdx-button--icon-only " aria-hidden="true" ><span class="vector-icon mw-ui-icon-listBullet mw-ui-icon-wikimedia-listBullet"></span> <span class="vector-dropdown-label-text">Toggle the table of contents</span> </label> <div class="vector-dropdown-content"> <div id="vector-page-titlebar-toc-unpinned-container" class="vector-unpinned-container"> </div> </div> </div> </nav> <h1 id="firstHeading" class="firstHeading mw-first-heading"><span class="mw-page-title-namespace">Wikipedia</span><span class="mw-page-title-separator">:</span><span class="mw-page-title-main">Make technical articles understandable</span></h1> <div id="p-lang-btn" class="vector-dropdown mw-portlet mw-portlet-lang" > <input type="checkbox" id="p-lang-btn-checkbox" role="button" aria-haspopup="true" data-event-name="ui.dropdown-p-lang-btn" class="vector-dropdown-checkbox mw-interlanguage-selector" aria-label="Go to an article in another language. Available in 15 languages" > <label id="p-lang-btn-label" for="p-lang-btn-checkbox" class="vector-dropdown-label cdx-button cdx-button--fake-button cdx-button--fake-button--enabled cdx-button--weight-quiet cdx-button--action-progressive mw-portlet-lang-heading-15" aria-hidden="true" ><span class="vector-icon mw-ui-icon-language-progressive mw-ui-icon-wikimedia-language-progressive"></span> <span class="vector-dropdown-label-text">15 languages</span> </label> <div class="vector-dropdown-content"> <div class="vector-menu-content"> <ul class="vector-menu-content-list"> <li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-ar mw-list-item"><a href="https://ar.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D9%88%D9%8A%D9%83%D9%8A%D8%A8%D9%8A%D8%AF%D9%8A%D8%A7:%D8%A7%D8%AC%D8%B9%D9%84_%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%85%D9%82%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%A7%D8%AA_%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%AA%D9%82%D9%86%D9%8A%D8%A9_%D9%85%D9%81%D9%87%D9%88%D9%85%D8%A9" title="ويكيبيديا:اجعل المقالات التقنية مفهومة – Arabic" lang="ar" hreflang="ar" data-title="ويكيبيديا:اجعل المقالات التقنية مفهومة" data-language-autonym="العربية" data-language-local-name="Arabic" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>العربية</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-de mw-list-item"><a href="https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Allgemeinverst%C3%A4ndlichkeit" title="Wikipedia:Allgemeinverständlichkeit – German" lang="de" hreflang="de" data-title="Wikipedia:Allgemeinverständlichkeit" data-language-autonym="Deutsch" data-language-local-name="German" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Deutsch</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-fa mw-list-item"><a href="https://fa.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D9%88%DB%8C%DA%A9%DB%8C%E2%80%8C%D9%BE%D8%AF%DB%8C%D8%A7:%D9%82%D8%A7%D8%A8%D9%84_%D9%81%D9%87%D9%85_%D8%B3%D8%A7%D8%AE%D8%AA%D9%86_%D9%85%D9%82%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%A7%D8%AA_%D9%81%D9%86%DB%8C" title="ویکی‌پدیا:قابل فهم ساختن مقالات فنی – Persian" lang="fa" hreflang="fa" data-title="ویکی‌پدیا:قابل فهم ساختن مقالات فنی" data-language-autonym="فارسی" data-language-local-name="Persian" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>فارسی</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-id mw-list-item"><a href="https://id.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Jadikan_artikel_teknis_bisa_dimengerti" title="Wikipedia:Jadikan artikel teknis bisa dimengerti – Indonesian" lang="id" hreflang="id" data-title="Wikipedia:Jadikan artikel teknis bisa dimengerti" data-language-autonym="Bahasa Indonesia" data-language-local-name="Indonesian" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Bahasa Indonesia</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-ml mw-list-item"><a href="https://ml.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E0%B4%B5%E0%B4%BF%E0%B4%95%E0%B5%8D%E0%B4%95%E0%B4%BF%E0%B4%AA%E0%B5%80%E0%B4%A1%E0%B4%BF%E0%B4%AF:%E0%B4%B8%E0%B4%BE%E0%B4%99%E0%B5%8D%E0%B4%95%E0%B5%87%E0%B4%A4%E0%B4%BF%E0%B4%95%E0%B4%B2%E0%B5%87%E0%B4%96%E0%B4%A8%E0%B4%99%E0%B5%8D%E0%B4%99%E0%B5%BE_%E0%B4%AE%E0%B4%A8%E0%B4%B8%E0%B5%8D%E0%B4%B8%E0%B4%BF%E0%B4%B2%E0%B4%BE%E0%B4%B5%E0%B5%81%E0%B4%A8%E0%B5%8D%E0%B4%A8_%E0%B4%AD%E0%B4%BE%E0%B4%B7%E0%B4%AF%E0%B4%BF%E0%B5%BD_%E0%B4%8E%E0%B4%B4%E0%B5%81%E0%B4%A4%E0%B5%81%E0%B4%95" title="വിക്കിപീഡിയ:സാങ്കേതികലേഖനങ്ങൾ മനസ്സിലാവുന്ന ഭാഷയിൽ എഴുതുക – Malayalam" lang="ml" hreflang="ml" data-title="വിക്കിപീഡിയ:സാങ്കേതികലേഖനങ്ങൾ മനസ്സിലാവുന്ന ഭാഷയിൽ എഴുതുക" data-language-autonym="മലയാളം" data-language-local-name="Malayalam" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>മലയാളം</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-arz mw-list-item"><a href="https://arz.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D9%88%D9%8A%D9%83%D9%8A%D8%A8%D9%8A%D8%AF%D9%8A%D8%A7:%D8%AE%D9%84%D9%84%D9%89_%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%85%D9%82%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%A7%D8%AA_%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%81%D9%86%D9%8A%D9%87_%D9%85%D9%81%D9%87%D9%88%D9%85%D9%87" title="ويكيبيديا:خللى المقالات الفنيه مفهومه – Egyptian Arabic" lang="arz" hreflang="arz" data-title="ويكيبيديا:خللى المقالات الفنيه مفهومه" data-language-autonym="مصرى" data-language-local-name="Egyptian Arabic" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>مصرى</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-ms mw-list-item"><a href="https://ms.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Menerangkan_jargon" title="Wikipedia:Menerangkan jargon – Malay" lang="ms" hreflang="ms" data-title="Wikipedia:Menerangkan jargon" data-language-autonym="Bahasa Melayu" data-language-local-name="Malay" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Bahasa Melayu</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-ja mw-list-item"><a href="https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:%E5%B0%82%E9%96%80%E7%9A%84%E3%81%AA%E8%A8%98%E4%BA%8B%E3%82%82%E5%88%86%E3%81%8B%E3%82%8A%E6%98%93%E3%81%8F" title="Wikipedia:専門的な記事も分かり易く – Japanese" lang="ja" hreflang="ja" data-title="Wikipedia:専門的な記事も分かり易く" data-language-autonym="日本語" data-language-local-name="Japanese" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>日本語</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-pt mw-list-item"><a href="https://pt.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikip%C3%A9dia:Torne_acess%C3%ADveis_os_artigos_t%C3%A9cnicos" title="Wikipédia:Torne acessíveis os artigos técnicos – Portuguese" lang="pt" hreflang="pt" data-title="Wikipédia:Torne acessíveis os artigos técnicos" data-language-autonym="Português" data-language-local-name="Portuguese" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Português</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-ru mw-list-item"><a href="https://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%92%D0%B8%D0%BA%D0%B8%D0%BF%D0%B5%D0%B4%D0%B8%D1%8F:%D0%A1%D0%BF%D0%B5%D1%86%D0%B8%D0%B0%D0%BB%D0%B8%D0%B7%D0%B8%D1%80%D0%BE%D0%B2%D0%B0%D0%BD%D0%BD%D1%8B%D0%B5_%D1%81%D1%82%D0%B0%D1%82%D1%8C%D0%B8_%D0%B4%D0%BE%D0%BB%D0%B6%D0%BD%D1%8B_%D0%B1%D1%8B%D1%82%D1%8C_%D0%BF%D0%BE%D0%BD%D1%8F%D1%82%D0%BD%D1%8B" title="Википедия:Специализированные статьи должны быть понятны – Russian" lang="ru" hreflang="ru" data-title="Википедия:Специализированные статьи должны быть понятны" data-language-autonym="Русский" data-language-local-name="Russian" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Русский</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-si mw-list-item"><a href="https://si.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E0%B7%80%E0%B7%92%E0%B6%9A%E0%B7%92%E0%B6%B4%E0%B7%93%E0%B6%A9%E0%B7%92%E0%B6%BA%E0%B7%8F:Make_technical_articles_understandable" title="විකිපීඩියා:Make technical articles understandable – Sinhala" lang="si" hreflang="si" data-title="විකිපීඩියා:Make technical articles understandable" data-language-autonym="සිංහල" data-language-local-name="Sinhala" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>සිංහල</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-ckb mw-list-item"><a href="https://ckb.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D9%88%DB%8C%DA%A9%DB%8C%D9%BE%DB%8C%D8%AF%DB%8C%D8%A7:%D9%88%D8%AA%D8%A7%D8%B1%DB%95_%D8%A6%D8%A7%DA%B5%DB%86%D8%B2%DB%95%DA%A9%D8%A7%D9%86_%D8%A6%D8%A7%D8%B3%D8%A7%D9%86_%D8%A8%DA%A9%DB%95_%D8%A8%DB%86_%D8%AA%DB%8E%DA%AF%DB%95%DB%8C%D8%B4%D8%AA%D9%86" title="ویکیپیدیا:وتارە ئاڵۆزەکان ئاسان بکە بۆ تێگەیشتن – Central Kurdish" lang="ckb" hreflang="ckb" data-title="ویکیپیدیا:وتارە ئاڵۆزەکان ئاسان بکە بۆ تێگەیشتن" data-language-autonym="کوردی" data-language-local-name="Central Kurdish" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>کوردی</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-sr mw-list-item"><a href="https://sr.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%92%D0%B8%D0%BA%D0%B8%D0%BF%D0%B5%D0%B4%D0%B8%D1%98%D0%B0:%D0%9E%D0%B1%D1%98%D0%B0%D1%81%D0%BD%D0%B8%D1%82%D0%B5_%D0%B6%D0%B0%D1%80%D0%B3%D0%BE%D0%BD" title="Википедија:Објасните жаргон – Serbian" lang="sr" hreflang="sr" data-title="Википедија:Објасните жаргон" data-language-autonym="Српски / srpski" data-language-local-name="Serbian" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Српски / srpski</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-diq mw-list-item"><a href="https://diq.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipediya:Teknik" title="Wikipediya:Teknik – Dimli" lang="diq" hreflang="diq" data-title="Wikipediya:Teknik" data-language-autonym="Zazaki" data-language-local-name="Dimli" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Zazaki</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-zh mw-list-item"><a href="https://zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:%E8%A1%8C%E8%AF%9D%E8%A7%A3%E9%87%8A" title="Wikipedia:行话解释 – Chinese" lang="zh" hreflang="zh" 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</div> </div> <div id="bodyContent" class="vector-body" aria-labelledby="firstHeading" data-mw-ve-target-container> <div class="vector-body-before-content"> <div class="mw-indicators"> </div> <div id="siteSub" class="noprint">From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia</div> </div> <div id="contentSub"><div id="mw-content-subtitle"></div></div> <div id="mw-content-text" class="mw-body-content"><div class="mw-content-ltr mw-parser-output" lang="en" dir="ltr"><div class="shortdescription nomobile noexcerpt noprint searchaux" style="display:none">Wikipedia editing guideline</div> <p class="mw-empty-elt"> </p> <style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1236090951">.mw-parser-output .hatnote{font-style:italic}.mw-parser-output div.hatnote{padding-left:1.6em;margin-bottom:0.5em}.mw-parser-output .hatnote i{font-style:normal}.mw-parser-output .hatnote+link+.hatnote{margin-top:-0.5em}@media print{body.ns-0 .mw-parser-output .hatnote{display:none!important}}</style><div role="note" class="hatnote navigation-not-searchable">"WP:TECHNICAL" redirects here. For other uses, see <a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:TECHNICAL_(disambiguation)" class="mw-disambig" title="Wikipedia:TECHNICAL (disambiguation)">WP:TECHNICAL (disambiguation)</a>.</div> <style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1238436933">.mw-parser-output .ombox{margin:4px 0;border-collapse:collapse;border:1px solid #a2a9b1;background-color:var(--background-color-neutral-subtle,#f8f9fa);box-sizing:border-box;color:var(--color-base,#202122)}.mw-parser-output .ombox.mbox-small{font-size:88%;line-height:1.25em}.mw-parser-output .ombox-speedy{border:2px solid #b32424;background-color:#fee7e6}.mw-parser-output .ombox-delete{border:2px solid #b32424}.mw-parser-output .ombox-content{border:1px solid #f28500}.mw-parser-output .ombox-style{border:1px solid #fc3}.mw-parser-output .ombox-move{border:1px solid #9932cc}.mw-parser-output .ombox-protection{border:2px solid #a2a9b1}.mw-parser-output .ombox .mbox-text{border:none;padding:0.25em 0.9em;width:100%}.mw-parser-output .ombox .mbox-image{border:none;padding:2px 0 2px 0.9em;text-align:center}.mw-parser-output .ombox .mbox-imageright{border:none;padding:2px 0.9em 2px 0;text-align:center}.mw-parser-output .ombox .mbox-empty-cell{border:none;padding:0;width:1px}.mw-parser-output .ombox .mbox-invalid-type{text-align:center}@media(min-width:720px){.mw-parser-output .ombox{margin:4px 10%}.mw-parser-output .ombox.mbox-small{clear:right;float:right;margin:4px 0 4px 1em;width:238px}}body.skin--responsive .mw-parser-output table.ombox img{max-width:none!important}@media screen{html.skin-theme-clientpref-night .mw-parser-output .ombox-speedy{background-color:#310402}}@media screen and (prefers-color-scheme:dark){html.skin-theme-clientpref-os .mw-parser-output .ombox-speedy{background-color:#310402}}</style><table class="plainlinks ombox ombox-notice" role="presentation"><tbody><tr><td class="mbox-image"><span typeof="mw:File"><span><img alt="Blue tick" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/eb/Blue_check.svg/30px-Blue_check.svg.png" decoding="async" width="30" height="30" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/eb/Blue_check.svg/45px-Blue_check.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/eb/Blue_check.svg/60px-Blue_check.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="600" data-file-height="600"/></span></span></td><td class="mbox-text"><b>This page documents an English Wikipedia <a href="/wiki/Category:Wikipedia_editing_guidelines" title="Category:Wikipedia editing guidelines">editing guideline</a>.</b><br/><div style="font-size: 90%;">Editors should generally follow it, though <a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:Ignore_all_rules" title="Wikipedia:Ignore all rules">exceptions</a> may apply. Substantive edits to this page should reflect <a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:PGCHANGE" class="mw-redirect" title="Wikipedia:PGCHANGE">consensus</a>. When in doubt, discuss first on <a href="/wiki/Wikipedia_talk:Make_technical_articles_understandable" title="Wikipedia talk:Make technical articles understandable">this guideline's talk page</a>.</div></td><td class="mbox-imageright"><style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1252059228">.mw-parser-output .module-shortcutboxplain{float:right;margin:0 0 0 1em;border:1px solid var(--border-color-base,#a2a9b1);background-color:var(--background-color-base,#fff);padding:0.3em 0.6em 0.2em 0.6em;text-align:center;font-size:85%}.mw-parser-output .module-shortcutboxleft{float:left;margin:0 1em 0 0}.mw-parser-output .module-shortcutlist{display:inline-block;border-bottom:1px solid var(--border-color-base,#a2a9b1);margin-bottom:0.2em}.mw-parser-output .module-shortcutboxplain ul{font-weight:bold}.mw-parser-output .module-shortcutanchordiv{position:relative;top:-3em}.mw-parser-output li .module-shortcutanchordiv{float:right}.mw-parser-output .mbox-imageright .module-shortcutboxplain{padding:0.4em 1em 0.4em 1em;line-height:1.3;margin:0}</style><div class="module-shortcutanchordiv"><span id="WP:MTAU"></span><span id="WP:TECHNICAL"></span></div><div class="module-shortcutboxplain noprint" role="note"><div class="module-shortcutlist"><a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:Shortcut" title="Wikipedia:Shortcut">Shortcuts</a></div><style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1126788409">.mw-parser-output .plainlist ol,.mw-parser-output .plainlist ul{line-height:inherit;list-style:none;margin:0;padding:0}.mw-parser-output .plainlist ol li,.mw-parser-output .plainlist ul li{margin-bottom:0}</style><div class="plainlist"><ul><li><span class="plainlinks"><a class="external text" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Wikipedia:MTAU&redirect=no">WP:MTAU</a></span></li><li><span class="plainlinks"><a class="external text" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Wikipedia:TECHNICAL&redirect=no">WP:TECHNICAL</a></span></li></ul></div></div></td></tr></tbody></table> <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238436933"><table class="plainlinks ombox ombox-notice nutshell" role="presentation"><tbody><tr><td class="mbox-image"><span typeof="mw:File"><span><img alt="" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/2b/Walnut.svg/30px-Walnut.svg.png" decoding="async" width="30" height="30" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/2b/Walnut.svg/45px-Walnut.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/2b/Walnut.svg/60px-Walnut.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="192" data-file-height="192"/></span></span></td><td class="mbox-text"><b>This page in a nutshell:</b> Strive to make each part of every article as understandable as possible to the widest audience of readers who are likely to be interested in that material.</td></tr></tbody></table> <style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1129693374">.mw-parser-output .hlist dl,.mw-parser-output .hlist ol,.mw-parser-output .hlist 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clear:none; float:none"><tbody><tr><td class="sidebar-content" style="padding-top:0.2em;"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:Assume_good_faith" title="Wikipedia:Assume good faith">Assume good faith</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:Conflict_of_interest" title="Wikipedia:Conflict of interest">Conflict of interest</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:Courtesy_vanishing" title="Wikipedia:Courtesy vanishing">Courtesy vanishing</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:Disruptive_editing" title="Wikipedia:Disruptive editing">Disruptive editing</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:Please_do_not_bite_the_newcomers" title="Wikipedia:Please do not bite the newcomers">Don't bite the newcomers</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:Do_not_disrupt_Wikipedia_to_illustrate_a_point" title="Wikipedia:Do not disrupt Wikipedia to illustrate a point">Don't disrupt to make a point</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:Etiquette" title="Wikipedia:Etiquette">Etiquette</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:Gaming_the_system" title="Wikipedia:Gaming the system">Gaming the system</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:User_pages" title="Wikipedia:User pages">User pages</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:List_of_guidelines#Other_behavioral_guidelines" title="Wikipedia:List of guidelines">Other behavioral guidelines</a></li> <li><a href="https://foundation.wikimedia.org/wiki/Friendly_space_policy" class="extiw" title="wikimedia:Friendly space policy">WMF friendly space policy</a></li></ul></td> </tr><tr><th class="sidebar-heading"> <a href="/wiki/Category:Wikipedia_discussion" title="Category:Wikipedia discussion">Discussions</a></th></tr><tr><td class="sidebar-content" style="padding-top:0.2em;"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:Talk_page_guidelines" title="Wikipedia:Talk page guidelines">Talk page guidelines</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:Signatures" title="Wikipedia:Signatures">Signatures</a></li></ul></td> </tr></tbody></table></td> </tr><tr><th class="sidebar-heading"> <a href="/wiki/Category:Wikipedia_content_guidelines" title="Category:Wikipedia content guidelines">Content</a></th></tr><tr><td class="sidebar-content"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:Citing_sources" title="Wikipedia:Citing sources">Citing sources</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:External_links" title="Wikipedia:External links">External links</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:Reliable_sources" title="Wikipedia:Reliable sources">Reliable sources</a> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:Identifying_reliable_sources_(medicine)" title="Wikipedia:Identifying reliable sources (medicine)">medicine</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:Fringe_theories" title="Wikipedia:Fringe theories">Fringe theories</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:Non-free_content" title="Wikipedia:Non-free content"><span class="wrap">Non-free content</span></a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:Offensive_material" title="Wikipedia:Offensive material">Offensive material</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:Do_not_include_the_full_text_of_lengthy_primary_sources" title="Wikipedia:Do not include the full text of lengthy primary sources">Don't copy long texts</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:Do_not_create_hoaxes" title="Wikipedia:Do not create hoaxes">Don't create hoaxes</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:Patent_nonsense" title="Wikipedia:Patent nonsense">Patent nonsense</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:List_of_guidelines#Content_guide" title="Wikipedia:List of guidelines">Other content guidelines</a></li></ul></td> </tr><tr><th class="sidebar-heading"> <a href="/wiki/Category:Wikipedia_editing_guidelines" title="Category:Wikipedia editing guidelines">Editing</a></th></tr><tr><td class="sidebar-content"> <table class="sidebar nomobile nowraplinks" style="background:#f5faff; background-color: transparent; color: var( --color-base, #202122 ); border-collapse:collapse; border-spacing:0px; border:none; width:100%; margin:0px; font-size:100%; clear:none; float:none"><tbody><tr><td class="sidebar-content" style="padding-top:0.2em;"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:Article_size" title="Wikipedia:Article size">Article size</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:Be_bold" title="Wikipedia:Be bold">Be bold</a></li> <li><a class="mw-selflink selflink">Understandability</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:List_of_guidelines#Editing" title="Wikipedia:List of guidelines">Other editing guidelines</a></li></ul></td> </tr><tr><th class="sidebar-heading"> <a href="/wiki/Category:Wikipedia_categorization" title="Category:Wikipedia categorization">Categorization</a></th></tr><tr><td class="sidebar-content" style="padding-top:0.2em;"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:Categories,_lists,_and_navigation_templates" title="Wikipedia:Categories, lists, and navigation templates">Categories, lists, templates</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:Categorization" title="Wikipedia:Categorization">Categorization</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:Disambiguation" title="Wikipedia:Disambiguation">Disambiguation</a></li></ul></td> </tr></tbody></table></td> </tr><tr><th class="sidebar-heading"> <a href="/wiki/Category:Wikipedia_style_guidelines" title="Category:Wikipedia style guidelines">Style</a></th></tr><tr><td class="sidebar-content"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:Manual_of_Style" title="Wikipedia:Manual of Style">Manual of Style</a> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:Manual_of_Style/Contents" title="Wikipedia:Manual of Style/Contents">contents</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:Manual_of_Style/Lists" title="Wikipedia:Manual of Style/Lists">lists</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:Manual_of_Style/Tables" title="Wikipedia:Manual of Style/Tables">tables</a></li></ul></li></ul></td> </tr><tr><th class="sidebar-heading"> <a href="/wiki/Category:Wikipedia_deletion_guidelines" title="Category:Wikipedia deletion guidelines">Deletion</a></th></tr><tr><td class="sidebar-content"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:Deletion_process" title="Wikipedia:Deletion process">Deletion process</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:Speedy_keep" title="Wikipedia:Speedy keep">Speedy keep</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:Deletion_guidelines_for_administrators" title="Wikipedia:Deletion guidelines for administrators">Deletion guidelines for administrators</a></li></ul></td> </tr><tr><th class="sidebar-heading"> <a href="/wiki/Category:Wikipedia_project_content_guidelines" title="Category:Wikipedia project content guidelines">Project content</a></th></tr><tr><td class="sidebar-content"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:Project_namespace" title="Wikipedia:Project namespace">Project pages</a> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:WikiProject_Council/Guide" title="Wikipedia:WikiProject Council/Guide">WikiProjects</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:Template_namespace" title="Wikipedia:Template namespace">Templates</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:User_pages" title="Wikipedia:User pages">User pages</a> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:Userboxes" title="Wikipedia:Userboxes">User boxes</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:Shortcut" title="Wikipedia:Shortcut">Shortcuts</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:Subpages" title="Wikipedia:Subpages">Subpages</a></li></ul></td> </tr><tr><th class="sidebar-heading"> <a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:List_of_guidelines#Other_guideline_categories" title="Wikipedia:List of guidelines">Other</a></th></tr><tr><td class="sidebar-content"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:List_of_guidelines#Naming_conventions" title="Wikipedia:List of guidelines">Naming conventions</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:List_of_guidelines#Notability" title="Wikipedia:List of guidelines">Notability</a></li></ul></td> </tr><tr><th class="sidebar-heading"> <a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:Policies_and_guidelines#Finding_policies_and_guidelines" title="Wikipedia:Policies and guidelines">Search</a></th></tr><tr><td class="sidebar-content"> <div class="mw-inputbox-centered" style=""><form name="searchbox" class="searchbox mw-inputbox-form" action="/wiki/Special:Search" id="style-searchbox"><div class="cdx-text-input"><input class="mw-inputbox-input mw-searchInput searchboxInput cdx-text-input__input" name="search" placeholder="" size="20" dir="ltr"/></div><input type="hidden" value="deepcat:"Wikipedia guidelines"" name="searchfilter"/><br/><input type="hidden" name="ns4" value="1" id="mw-inputbox-ns4-style-searchbox0.470437058889" checked=""/><br/><input type="submit" name="fulltext" value="Search for a guideline" class="cdx-button"/><input type="hidden" value="Search" name="fulltext"/></form></div></td> </tr><tr><td class="sidebar-navbar"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1129693374"><style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1239400231">.mw-parser-output .navbar{display:inline;font-size:88%;font-weight:normal}.mw-parser-output .navbar-collapse{float:left;text-align:left}.mw-parser-output .navbar-boxtext{word-spacing:0}.mw-parser-output .navbar ul{display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;line-height:inherit}.mw-parser-output .navbar-brackets::before{margin-right:-0.125em;content:"[ "}.mw-parser-output .navbar-brackets::after{margin-left:-0.125em;content:" ]"}.mw-parser-output .navbar li{word-spacing:-0.125em}.mw-parser-output .navbar a>span,.mw-parser-output .navbar a>abbr{text-decoration:inherit}.mw-parser-output .navbar-mini abbr{font-variant:small-caps;border-bottom:none;text-decoration:none;cursor:inherit}.mw-parser-output .navbar-ct-full{font-size:114%;margin:0 7em}.mw-parser-output .navbar-ct-mini{font-size:114%;margin:0 4em}html.skin-theme-clientpref-night .mw-parser-output .navbar li a abbr{color:var(--color-base)!important}@media(prefers-color-scheme:dark){html.skin-theme-clientpref-os .mw-parser-output .navbar li a abbr{color:var(--color-base)!important}}@media print{.mw-parser-output .navbar{display:none!important}}</style><div class="navbar plainlinks hlist navbar-mini"><ul><li class="nv-view"><a href="/wiki/Template:Guideline_list" title="Template:Guideline list"><abbr title="View this template">v</abbr></a></li><li class="nv-talk"><a href="/wiki/Template_talk:Guideline_list" title="Template talk:Guideline list"><abbr title="Discuss this template">t</abbr></a></li><li class="nv-edit"><a href="/wiki/Special:EditPage/Template:Guideline_list" title="Special:EditPage/Template:Guideline list"><abbr title="Edit this template">e</abbr></a></li></ul></div></td></tr></tbody></table> <p>Wikipedia articles should be written for the <a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:AUDIENCE" class="mw-redirect" title="Wikipedia:AUDIENCE">widest possible general audience</a>. </p><p>As a free encyclopedia, Wikipedia serves readers with a wide range in backgrounds, interests, and goals. Even for articles about the most technically demanding subjects, these readers include students and curious laypeople in addition to experts. While upholding the goals of accuracy and full coverage of the most important aspects of a topic, every effort should be made to also make articles accessible and pleasant to read for less-prepared readers. It is especially important to make the <a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:LEAD" class="mw-redirect" title="Wikipedia:LEAD">lead section</a> understandable using plain language, and it is often helpful to begin with more common and accessible subtopics, then proceed to those requiring advanced knowledge or addressing niche specialties. </p><p>Articles should be written in encyclopedic style, but this differs from the technically dense style found in scholarly writing aimed at specialists. Articles should address the topic without twisting the truth or telling "<a href="/wiki/Lie-to-children" title="Lie-to-children">lies-to-children</a>", but should also minimise (unexplained) <a href="/wiki/Jargon" title="Jargon">jargon</a> and not take prior knowledge for granted. Articles should be self-contained as much as possible, rather than relying on excessive links to explain unfamiliar concepts. </p> <meta property="mw:PageProp/toc"/> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2 ext-discussiontools-init-section"><h2 id="Audience" data-mw-thread-id="h-Audience"><span data-mw-comment-start="" id="h-Audience"></span>Audience<span data-mw-comment-end="h-Audience"></span></h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Wikipedia:Make_technical_articles_understandable&action=edit&section=1" title="Edit section: Audience"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1252059228"><div class="module-shortcutanchordiv"><span id="WP:GENAUD"></span></div><div class="module-shortcutboxplain noprint" role="note"><div class="module-shortcutlist"><a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:Shortcut" title="Wikipedia:Shortcut">Shortcut</a></div><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1126788409"><div class="plainlist"><ul><li><span class="plainlinks"><a class="external text" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Wikipedia:GENAUD&redirect=no">WP:GENAUD</a></span></li></ul></div></div> <p>Wikipedia has a varied audience who can be graded in three ways: </p> <ul><li>On familiarity with the subject. <ul><li>The <i>general reader</i> has no advanced education in the topic's field, is largely unfamiliar with the topic itself, and may even be unsure what the topic is.</li> <li>The <i>knowledgeable reader</i> has an education in the topic's field but wants to learn about the topic itself.</li> <li>The <i>expert reader</i> knows the topic but wants to learn more or be reminded about some fact, or is curious about Wikipedia's coverage.</li></ul></li> <li>On reading ability.</li> <li>By motivation to learn about the topic.</li></ul> <p>A highly educated, knowledgeable, motivated reader may comfortably read a 5,000-word featured article to the end. Another reader may struggle through the lead and look at the pictures. A good article will grab the interest of all readers and allow them to learn as much about the subject as they are able and motivated to do. An article may disappoint because it is written well above the reading ability of the reader, because it wrongly assumes the reader is familiar with the subject or field, or because it covers the topic at too basic a level or is not comprehensive. </p><p>While a member of any of the audience groups may stumble upon an article and decide to read it (for example, by clicking on <a href="/wiki/Special:Random" title="Special:Random">Special:Random</a>), some subjects naturally attract a more limited audience. A topic that requires many years of specialist education or training prior to being studied or discussed is in general likely to have a more limited audience. For example, a topic in advanced mathematics, specialist law, or industrial engineering may contain material that only knowledgeable readers can appreciate or even understand. On the other hand, many subjects studied at an academically advanced level remain of interest to a wider audience. For example, the <a href="/wiki/Sun" title="Sun">Sun</a> is of interest to more than just astronomers, and <a href="/wiki/Alzheimer%27s_disease" title="Alzheimer's disease">Alzheimer's disease</a> will interest more than just physicians. </p><p>Most Wikipedia articles can be written to be fully understandable by the general reader with average reading ability and motivation. Some articles are themselves technical in nature and some articles have technical sections or aspects. Many of these can still be written to be understandable to a wide audience. Some topics are intrinsically complex or require much prior knowledge gained through specialized education or training. It is unreasonable to expect a comprehensive article on such subjects to be understandable to all readers. The effort should still be made to make the article as understandable to as many as possible, with particular emphasis on the lead section. The article should be written in simple English that non-experts can understand properly. </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2 ext-discussiontools-init-section"><h2 id="Technical_content" data-mw-thread-id="h-Technical_content"><span data-mw-comment-start="" id="h-Technical_content"></span>Technical content<span data-mw-comment-end="h-Technical_content"></span></h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Wikipedia:Make_technical_articles_understandable&action=edit&section=2" title="Edit section: Technical content"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1252059228"><div class="module-shortcutanchordiv"><span id="WP:TECH-CONTENT"></span></div><div class="module-shortcutboxplain noprint" role="note"><div class="module-shortcutlist"><a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:Shortcut" title="Wikipedia:Shortcut">Shortcut</a></div><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1126788409"><div class="plainlist"><ul><li><span class="plainlinks"><a class="external text" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Wikipedia:TECH-CONTENT&redirect=no">WP:TECH-CONTENT</a></span></li></ul></div></div> <p>Wikipedia strives to be a serious reference resource, and highly technical subject matter still belongs in some Wikipedia articles. The goal is to make technical information easier to understand for less knowledgeable readers, without losing its value for experts. </p><p>Making articles more understandable does not necessarily mean that detailed technical content should be removed. For instance, an encyclopedia article about a chemical compound is expected to include properties of the compound, even if some of those properties are obscure to a general reader. Often, summarizing highly technical details can improve the readability of the text for general readers and experts alike. For example, a long-winded mathematical proof is unlikely to be read by either a general reader or an expert, but a short summary of the proof can inform a general reader without reducing the usefulness to an expert reader. When trying to decide how much technical detail to include, it may be helpful to compare with a standard reference work in the particular technical field. </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2 ext-discussiontools-init-section"><h2 id="Lead_section" data-mw-thread-id="h-Lead_section"><span data-mw-comment-start="" id="h-Lead_section"></span><span id="The_lead_section">Lead section</span><span data-mw-comment-end="h-Lead_section"></span></h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Wikipedia:Make_technical_articles_understandable&action=edit&section=3" title="Edit section: Lead section"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1236090951"><div role="note" class="hatnote navigation-not-searchable">Further information: <a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:Manual_of_Style_(lead_section)#Introductory_text" class="mw-redirect" title="Wikipedia:Manual of Style (lead section)">Wikipedia:Manual of Style (lead section) § Introductory text</a></div> <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1252059228"><div class="module-shortcutanchordiv"><span id="WP:EXPLAINLEAD"></span></div><div class="module-shortcutboxplain noprint" role="note"><div class="module-shortcutlist"><a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:Shortcut" title="Wikipedia:Shortcut">Shortcut</a></div><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1126788409"><div class="plainlist"><ul><li><span class="plainlinks"><a class="external text" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Wikipedia:EXPLAINLEAD&redirect=no">WP:EXPLAINLEAD</a></span></li></ul></div></div> <p>It is particularly important for the first section (the "lead" section, above the first heading) to be understandable to a broad readership. Readers need to be able to tell what an article is about and whether they are reading the correct article, even if they don't already know the topic in detail. Those who are only looking for a summary or general definition may stop reading at the end of the lead. An understandable lead encourages readers to continue reading into the body of the article. </p><p>For these reasons, the lead should provide an understandable overview of the article. While the lead is intended to mention all key aspects of the topic in some way, accessibility can be improved by only summarizing the topic in the lead and placing the technical details in the body of the article. The lead of the article should tell a general reader the field of study of the topic, the place the topic holds in its field of study, what (if anything) the topic is good for, and what needs to be learned first in order to understand the article. </p><p>In general, the lead should not assume that the reader is well acquainted with the subject of the article. Terminology in the lead section should be understandable on sight to general readers whenever this can be done in a way that still adequately summarizes the article, and should not depend on a link to another article. Any link to another article should be a supplement to provide more information, and preferably should not be required for understanding text in the lead. For highly specialized topics where it is difficult to give an overview in terms with which a general audience will be familiar, it may be reasonable to assume some background knowledge in the lead while linking to the prerequisites required to understand it. For reference, the lead for a typical <a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:Featured_articles" title="Wikipedia:Featured articles">Featured Article</a> includes about 20 links to other articles (with a mean lead length around 300 words). </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2 ext-discussiontools-init-section"><h2 id="Rules_of_thumb" data-mw-thread-id="h-Rules_of_thumb"><span data-mw-comment-start="" id="h-Rules_of_thumb"></span>Rules of thumb<span data-mw-comment-end="h-Rules_of_thumb"></span></h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Wikipedia:Make_technical_articles_understandable&action=edit&section=4" title="Edit section: Rules of thumb"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>Here are some more ideas for dealing with moderately or highly technical subjects: </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Put_the_easier_parts_of_the_article_up_front" data-mw-thread-id="h-Put_the_easier_parts_of_the_article_up_front-Rules_of_thumb"><span data-mw-comment-start="" id="h-Put_the_easier_parts_of_the_article_up_front-Rules_of_thumb"></span>Put the easier parts of the article up front<span data-mw-comment-end="h-Put_the_easier_parts_of_the_article_up_front-Rules_of_thumb"></span></h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Wikipedia:Make_technical_articles_understandable&action=edit&section=5" title="Edit section: Put the easier parts of the article up front"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1252059228"><div class="module-shortcutanchordiv"><span id="WP:UPFRONT"></span></div><div class="module-shortcutboxplain noprint" role="note"><div class="module-shortcutlist"><a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:Shortcut" title="Wikipedia:Shortcut">Shortcut</a></div><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1126788409"><div class="plainlist"><ul><li><span class="plainlinks"><a class="external text" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Wikipedia:UPFRONT&redirect=no">WP:UPFRONT</a></span></li></ul></div></div> <p>It's perfectly fine for later sections to be more technical, if necessary. Those who are not interested in details will simply stop reading at some point, which is why the material <i>they</i> are interested in needs to come first. Linked sections of the article should ideally start out at a similar technical level so that if the first, easier paragraph of an article links to a section in the middle of the article, the first part of the section linked to it should also be understandable. Further, even more-technical sections can often be improved upon by summarizing the main ideas in the first paragraph before going into details. </p><p>Avoid circular explanations: don't define A in terms of B, and B in terms of A. Check to make sure that technical terms are not used <i>before</i> they are defined. </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Write_one_level_down" data-mw-thread-id="h-Write_one_level_down-Rules_of_thumb"><span data-mw-comment-start="" id="h-Write_one_level_down-Rules_of_thumb"></span>Write one level down<span data-mw-comment-end="h-Write_one_level_down-Rules_of_thumb"></span></h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Wikipedia:Make_technical_articles_understandable&action=edit&section=6" title="Edit section: Write one level down"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1252059228"><div class="module-shortcutanchordiv"><span id="WP:ONEDOWN"></span></div><div class="module-shortcutboxplain noprint" role="note"><div class="module-shortcutlist"><a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:Shortcut" title="Wikipedia:Shortcut">Shortcut</a></div><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1126788409"><div class="plainlist"><ul><li><span class="plainlinks"><a class="external text" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Wikipedia:ONEDOWN&redirect=no">WP:ONEDOWN</a></span></li></ul></div></div> <p>A general technique for increasing accessibility is to consider the typical level where the topic is studied (for example, <a href="/wiki/Secondary_education" title="Secondary education">secondary</a>, <a href="/wiki/Undergraduate_education" title="Undergraduate education">undergraduate</a>, or <a href="/wiki/Postgraduate_education" title="Postgraduate education">postgraduate</a>) and write the article for readers who are at the previous level. Thus articles on undergraduate topics can be aimed at a reader with a secondary school background, and articles on postgraduate topics can be aimed at readers with some undergraduate background. The lead section should be particularly understandable, but the advice to write one level down can be applied to the entire article, increasing the overall accessibility. Writing one level down also supports our goal to provide a tertiary source on the topic, which readers can use before they begin to read other sources about it. </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Add_a_concrete_example" data-mw-thread-id="h-Add_a_concrete_example-Rules_of_thumb"><span data-mw-comment-start="" id="h-Add_a_concrete_example-Rules_of_thumb"></span>Add a concrete example<span data-mw-comment-end="h-Add_a_concrete_example-Rules_of_thumb"></span></h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Wikipedia:Make_technical_articles_understandable&action=edit&section=7" title="Edit section: Add a concrete example"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>Many technical articles are not understandable (and confusing even to expert readers) only because they are abstract. A concrete example can help many readers to put the abstract content in context. Sometimes a contrasting example (counterexample) can also be helpful. For instance, from the article <a href="/wiki/Verb" title="Verb">verb</a>: </p> <dl><dd>A <b>verb</b>, from the <a href="/wiki/Latin" title="Latin">Latin</a> <span title="Latin-language text"><i lang="la">verbum</i></span> meaning 'word', is a <a href="/wiki/Word" title="Word">word</a> that in conveys an action (<i>bring</i>, <i>read</i>, <i>walk</i>, <i>run</i>, <i>learn</i>), an occurrence (<i>happen</i>, <i>become</i>), or a state of being (<i>be</i>, <i>exist</i>, <i>stand</i>).</dd></dl> <p>Examples must still meet the same requirement of <a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:NOR" class="mw-redirect" title="Wikipedia:NOR">no original research</a> that other content is subject to. </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Explain_formulae_in_English" data-mw-thread-id="h-Explain_formulae_in_English-Rules_of_thumb"><span data-mw-comment-start="" id="h-Explain_formulae_in_English-Rules_of_thumb"></span>Explain formulae in English<span data-mw-comment-end="h-Explain_formulae_in_English-Rules_of_thumb"></span></h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Wikipedia:Make_technical_articles_understandable&action=edit&section=8" title="Edit section: Explain formulae in English"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>When possible, even for experts it can be helpful to explain in English why the formula has certain features or is written a certain way. Explaining the "meaning" of a formula helps readers follow along. At a minimum, make sure all the variables in a formula are defined in the article, or have links to articles that explain them. </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Add_a_picture" data-mw-thread-id="h-Add_a_picture-Rules_of_thumb"><span data-mw-comment-start="" id="h-Add_a_picture-Rules_of_thumb"></span>Add a picture<span data-mw-comment-end="h-Add_a_picture-Rules_of_thumb"></span></h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Wikipedia:Make_technical_articles_understandable&action=edit&section=9" title="Edit section: Add a picture"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1236090951"><div role="note" class="hatnote navigation-not-searchable">Further information: <a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:Graphs" class="mw-redirect" title="Wikipedia:Graphs">Wikipedia:Graphs</a></div> <p>Images enable many people to learn more effectively, and allow technical concepts to be communicated in a more concise and clear manner. Diagrams should be clearly described and where appropriate, should be related to the text or equations. Some templates that might be useful: </p> <ul><li><code>{{<a href="/wiki/Template:Location_map" title="Template:Location map">Location map</a>}}</code>: to overlay one marker + label onto a map/image;</li> <li><code>{{<a href="/wiki/Template:Location_map_many" title="Template:Location map many">Location map many</a>}}</code>: to overlay many markers + labels onto a map/image (up to 9 markers);</li> <li><code>{{<a href="/wiki/Template:Superimpose" title="Template:Superimpose">Superimpose</a>}}</code>: to overlay onto an unbordered image, such as open diagrams.</li></ul> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Avoid_overly_technical_language" data-mw-thread-id="h-Avoid_overly_technical_language-Rules_of_thumb"><span data-mw-comment-start="" id="h-Avoid_overly_technical_language-Rules_of_thumb"></span>Avoid overly technical language<span data-mw-comment-end="h-Avoid_overly_technical_language-Rules_of_thumb"></span></h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Wikipedia:Make_technical_articles_understandable&action=edit&section=10" title="Edit section: Avoid overly technical language"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p><i>Main guideline: <a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:Manual_of_Style#Technical_language" title="Wikipedia:Manual of Style">Technical language</a> in <a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:Manual_of_Style" title="Wikipedia:Manual of Style">Wikipedia:Manual of Style</a></i> </p> <ul><li><b>Use jargon and acronyms judiciously.</b> Explain technical terms and expand acronyms when they are first used. In addition, you might consider using them sparingly thereafter, or not at all. Especially if there are many new terms being introduced all at once, substituting a more familiar English word might help reduce confusion.</li> <li><b>If no precision is lost, use common terms instead of technical terms</b>. Substitute technical terms with common terms where they are completely equivalent.</li> <li><b>Use less technical versions of words.</b> For instance, say "emissions from vehicles", rather than "vehicular emissions".</li> <li><b>Consider prefacing explanatory sentences with caveats.</b> When a less complete or precise explanation is given to improve clarity, preface it with a phrase such as "Generally..." or "With some exceptions..." so the reader knows that there is more complexity behind the explanation. Follow the brief explanatory sentence(s) with more detail, or include a "robust definition" section so that the article as a whole is complete and precise.</li> <li><b>Use bullet points where appropriate</b>. Use bullet point to split up long sentences, but avoid paragraph-length bullet points.</li> <li><b>Use some short sentences and short paragraphs.</b> Comprehension decreases when average sentence length exceeds about 12 words. However, using too many short sentences in a row becomes monotonous and stilted; vary sentence length to maintain reader interest. Similarly, split long paragraphs into smaller ones.</li> <li><b>Use language similar to what you would use in a conversation.</b> Many people use more technical language when writing articles and speaking at conferences, but try to use more understandable prose in conversation.</li> <li><b>Use analogies</b> to describe a subject in everyday terms. Avoid far-out analogies. The best analogies can make all the difference between incomprehension and full understanding. However, <a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:NOTTEXTBOOK" class="mw-redirect" title="Wikipedia:NOTTEXTBOOK">Wikipedia is not a textbook</a>, so analogies need to be written in an encyclopedic way and be <a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:V" class="mw-redirect" title="Wikipedia:V">attributable</a> to <a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:RS" class="mw-redirect" title="Wikipedia:RS">reliable sources</a>. Extensive explanations without a specific source may constitute <a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:NOR" class="mw-redirect" title="Wikipedia:NOR">original research</a>, or <a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:SYNTH" class="mw-redirect" title="Wikipedia:SYNTH">original research by synthesis</a>.</li></ul> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Don't_oversimplify" data-mw-thread-id="h-Don't_oversimplify-Rules_of_thumb"><span id="Don.27t_oversimplify"></span><span data-mw-comment-start="" id="h-Don't_oversimplify-Rules_of_thumb"></span>Don't oversimplify<span data-mw-comment-end="h-Don't_oversimplify-Rules_of_thumb"></span></h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Wikipedia:Make_technical_articles_understandable&action=edit&section=11" title="Edit section: Don't oversimplify"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1252059228"><div class="module-shortcutanchordiv"><span id="WP:OVERSIMPLIFY"></span></div><div class="module-shortcutboxplain noprint" role="note"><div class="module-shortcutlist"><a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:Shortcut" title="Wikipedia:Shortcut">Shortcut</a></div><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1126788409"><div class="plainlist"><ul><li><span class="plainlinks"><a class="external text" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Wikipedia:OVERSIMPLIFY&redirect=no">WP:OVERSIMPLIFY</a></span></li></ul></div></div> <p>It is important not to oversimplify material in the effort to make it more understandable. Encyclopedia articles should not "<a href="/wiki/Lie-to-children" title="Lie-to-children">tell lies to children</a>" in the sense of giving readers an easy path to the feeling that they understand something when they don't. </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2 ext-discussiontools-init-section"><h2 id="Labeling_articles_that_are_too_technical" data-mw-thread-id="h-Labeling_articles_that_are_too_technical"><span data-mw-comment-start="" id="h-Labeling_articles_that_are_too_technical"></span>Labeling articles that are too technical<span data-mw-comment-end="h-Labeling_articles_that_are_too_technical"></span></h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Wikipedia:Make_technical_articles_understandable&action=edit&section=12" title="Edit section: Labeling articles that are too technical"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>Various templates are available for labeling articles that do not meet agreed standards of understandability. </p><p>For articles that are not sufficiently understandable, the <code>{{<a href="/wiki/Template:Technical" title="Template:Technical">Technical</a>}}</code> template should be inserted at the top of the article. <i>You should put an explanation on the talk page with comments on why you believe it is too technical, or suggestions for improvement</i>. Templates added without explanation are likely to be either ignored or removed. Articles containing this template can be found in <a href="/wiki/Category:Wikipedia_articles_that_are_too_technical" title="Category:Wikipedia articles that are too technical">Category:Wikipedia articles that are too technical</a>. </p><p>This tag should be used only on articles which you feel could be improved by someone following the guidelines listed above. </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2 ext-discussiontools-init-section"><h2 id=""Introduction_to..."_articles" data-mw-thread-id="h-"Introduction_to..."_articles"><span id=".22Introduction_to....22_articles"></span><span data-mw-comment-start="" id="h-"Introduction_to..."_articles"></span>"Introduction to..." articles<span data-mw-comment-end="h-"Introduction_to..."_articles"></span></h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Wikipedia:Make_technical_articles_understandable&action=edit&section=13" title="Edit section: "Introduction to..." articles"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>For topics which are unavoidably technical but, at the same time, of significant interest to non-technical readers, one solution may be a separate introductory article. An example is <a href="/wiki/Introduction_to_viruses" title="Introduction to viruses">Introduction to viruses</a>. A complete list of current "Introduction to..." articles can be found in <a href="/wiki/Category:Introductory_articles" title="Category:Introductory articles">Category:Introductory articles</a>, while a list of main articles thus supplemented is <a href="/wiki/Category:Articles_with_separate_introductions" title="Category:Articles with separate introductions">Category:Articles with separate introductions</a>. </p><p>In keeping with the spirit of Wikipedia's <a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:NOT" class="mw-redirect" title="Wikipedia:NOT">WP:NOT</a> policy, <a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:LEAD" class="mw-redirect" title="Wikipedia:LEAD">WP:LEAD</a> guideline, and guideline on <a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:Content_forking" class="mw-redirect" title="Wikipedia:Content forking">content forking</a>, the number of separate introductory articles should be kept to a minimum. Before you start one, ask yourself </p> <ul><li>Following the advice given in the preceding sections, can the article be made sufficiently understandable as a whole, without the need for a separate introduction?</li> <li>Given the degree of general interest in the topic at hand, might a well-written lead be sufficient?</li></ul> <p>You may start an "Introduction to..." article if the answer to these questions is "no". </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2 ext-discussiontools-init-section"><h2 id="See_also" data-mw-thread-id="h-See_also"><span data-mw-comment-start="" id="h-See_also"></span>See also<span data-mw-comment-end="h-See_also"></span></h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Wikipedia:Make_technical_articles_understandable&action=edit&section=14" title="Edit section: See also"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:Manual_of_Style/Accessibility" title="Wikipedia:Manual of Style/Accessibility">Wikipedia:Manual of Style/Accessibility</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:Writing_better_articles" title="Wikipedia:Writing better articles">Wikipedia:Writing better articles</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:Many_things_to_many_people" title="Wikipedia:Many things to many people">Wikipedia:Many things to many people</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:WikiProject_Anatomy/Simplifying_anatomical_terminology" title="Wikipedia:WikiProject Anatomy/Simplifying anatomical terminology">Wikipedia:WikiProject Anatomy/Simplifying anatomical terminology</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:WikiProject_Mathematics/Proofs" title="Wikipedia:WikiProject Mathematics/Proofs">Wikipedia:WikiProject Mathematics/Proofs</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Template:Technical" title="Template:Technical">Template:Technical</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Template:Over-explained" title="Template:Over-explained">Template:Over-explained</a></li> <li>The <a href="https://simple.wikipedia.org/wiki/" class="extiw" title="simple:">Simple English Wikipedia</a> aims to provide full explanations using a limited subset of English. It is a resource both for examples (articles) and advice (guidelines) on using simpler language without dumbing down.</li></ul> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2 ext-discussiontools-init-section"><h2 id="External_links" data-mw-thread-id="h-External_links"><span data-mw-comment-start="" id="h-External_links"></span>External links<span data-mw-comment-end="h-External_links"></span></h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Wikipedia:Make_technical_articles_understandable&action=edit&section=15" title="Edit section: External links"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <ul><li><style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1238218222">.mw-parser-output cite.citation{font-style:inherit;word-wrap:break-word}.mw-parser-output .citation q{quotes:"\"""\"""'""'"}.mw-parser-output .citation:target{background-color:rgba(0,127,255,0.133)}.mw-parser-output .id-lock-free.id-lock-free a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/65/Lock-green.svg")right 0.1em center/9px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output .id-lock-limited.id-lock-limited a,.mw-parser-output .id-lock-registration.id-lock-registration a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d6/Lock-gray-alt-2.svg")right 0.1em center/9px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output .id-lock-subscription.id-lock-subscription a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/aa/Lock-red-alt-2.svg")right 0.1em center/9px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output .cs1-ws-icon a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4c/Wikisource-logo.svg")right 0.1em center/12px no-repeat}body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .id-lock-free a,body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .id-lock-limited a,body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .id-lock-registration a,body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output 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href="https://www.nngroup.com/topic/writing-web/">"Topic: Writing for the Web"</a>. <a href="/wiki/Nielsen_Norman_Group" title="Nielsen Norman Group">Nielsen Norman Group</a>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=unknown&rft.btitle=Topic%3A+Writing+for+the+Web&rft.pub=Nielsen+Norman+Group&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nngroup.com%2Ftopic%2Fwriting-web%2F&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AWikipedia%3AMake+technical+articles+understandable" class="Z3988"></span> <ul><li><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFJakob_Nielsen1997" class="citation web cs1"><a href="/wiki/Jakob_Nielsen_(usability_consultant)" title="Jakob Nielsen (usability consultant)">Jakob Nielsen</a> (October 1, 1997). <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.nngroup.com/articles/how-users-read-on-the-web/">"How Users Read on the Web"</a>.</cite><span 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rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1038841319"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1038841319"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1038841319"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1038841319"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1038841319"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1038841319"></div><div role="navigation" class="navbox" aria-labelledby="Wikipedia_key_policies_and_guidelines_(?)1890" style="padding:3px"><table class="nowraplinks hlist mw-collapsible autocollapse navbox-inner" style="border-spacing:0;background:transparent;color:inherit"><tbody><tr><th scope="col" class="navbox-title" colspan="2" style="text-align: center;"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1129693374"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1239400231"><div class="navbar plainlinks hlist navbar-mini"><ul><li class="nv-view"><a href="/wiki/Template:Wikipedia_policies_and_guidelines" title="Template:Wikipedia policies and guidelines"><abbr title="View this template">v</abbr></a></li><li class="nv-talk"><a href="/wiki/Template_talk:Wikipedia_policies_and_guidelines" title="Template talk:Wikipedia policies and guidelines"><abbr title="Discuss this template">t</abbr></a></li><li class="nv-edit"><a href="/wiki/Special:EditPage/Template:Wikipedia_policies_and_guidelines" title="Special:EditPage/Template:Wikipedia policies and guidelines"><abbr title="Edit this template">e</abbr></a></li></ul></div><div id="Wikipedia_key_policies_and_guidelines_(?)1890" style="font-size:114%;margin:0 4em">Wikipedia key <a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:Policies_and_guidelines" title="Wikipedia:Policies and guidelines">policies and guidelines</a> <span class="rt-commentedText tooltip tooltip-dotted" title="Wikipedia's policies and guidelines are developed by the community to describe best practices, clarify principles, resolve conflicts, and otherwise further our goal.">(?)</span></div></th></tr><tr><td class="navbox-abovebelow" colspan="2" style="text-align: center;"><div> <ul><li><b><a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:Five_pillars" title="Wikipedia:Five pillars">Five pillars</a></b> <ul><li><b><a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:Ignore_all_rules" title="Wikipedia:Ignore all rules">Ignore all rules</a></b></li></ul></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="text-align: center;;width:6.9em;text-align:left;">Content <span class="rt-commentedText tooltip tooltip-dotted" title="defines the scope of the encyclopedia and the material that is suitable for it">(?)</span></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd" style="padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"></div><table class="nowraplinks navbox-subgroup" style="border-spacing:0"><tbody><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%;text-align:left; font-weight: normal;"><b><span style="color:#118811;"><abbr title="Policies"><span style="font-size:120%">P</span></abbr></span></b></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:Verifiability" title="Wikipedia:Verifiability">Verifiability</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:No_original_research" title="Wikipedia:No original research">No original research</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:Neutral_point_of_view" title="Wikipedia:Neutral point of view">Neutral point of view</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:What_Wikipedia_is_not" title="Wikipedia:What Wikipedia is not">What Wikipedia is not</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:Biographies_of_living_persons" title="Wikipedia:Biographies of living persons">Biographies of living persons</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:Copyrights" title="Wikipedia:Copyrights">Copyright</a> (<a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:Copyright_violations" title="Wikipedia:Copyright violations">Copyright violations</a>)</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:Image_use_policy" title="Wikipedia:Image use policy">Image use</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:Article_titles" title="Wikipedia:Article titles">Article titles</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%;text-align:left; font-weight: normal;"><b><span style="color:#0077A4;"><abbr title="Guidelines"><span style="font-size:120%">G</span></abbr></span></b></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-even" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:Notability" title="Wikipedia:Notability">Notability</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:Autobiography" title="Wikipedia:Autobiography">Autobiography</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:Citing_sources" title="Wikipedia:Citing sources">Citing sources</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:Reliable_sources" title="Wikipedia:Reliable sources">Reliable sources</a> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:Identifying_reliable_sources_(medicine)" title="Wikipedia:Identifying reliable sources (medicine)">Medicine</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/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 lengthy primary sources</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:Plagiarism" title="Wikipedia:Plagiarism">Plagiarism</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:Do_not_create_hoaxes" title="Wikipedia:Do not create hoaxes">Don't create hoaxes</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:Fringe_theories" title="Wikipedia:Fringe theories">Fringe theories</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:Patent_nonsense" title="Wikipedia:Patent nonsense">Patent nonsense</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:External_links" title="Wikipedia:External links">External links</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr></tbody></table><div></div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="text-align: center;;width:6.9em;text-align:left;">Conduct <span class="rt-commentedText tooltip tooltip-dotted" title="describes how editors can successfully collaborate and what behavior is acceptable">(?)</span></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd" style="padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"></div><table class="nowraplinks navbox-subgroup" style="border-spacing:0"><tbody><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%;text-align:left; font-weight: normal;"><b><span style="color:#118811;"><abbr title="Policies"><span style="font-size:120%">P</span></abbr></span></b></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:Civility" title="Wikipedia:Civility">Civility</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:Consensus" title="Wikipedia:Consensus">Consensus</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:Harassment" title="Wikipedia:Harassment">Harassment</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:Vandalism" title="Wikipedia:Vandalism">Vandalism</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:Ignore_all_rules" title="Wikipedia:Ignore all rules">Ignore all rules</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:No_personal_attacks" title="Wikipedia:No personal attacks">No personal attacks</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:Ownership_of_content" title="Wikipedia:Ownership of content">Ownership of content</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:Edit_warring" title="Wikipedia:Edit warring">Edit warring</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:Dispute_resolution" title="Wikipedia:Dispute resolution">Dispute resolution</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:Sockpuppetry" title="Wikipedia:Sockpuppetry">Sockpuppetry</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:No_legal_threats" title="Wikipedia:No legal threats">No legal threats</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:Child_protection" title="Wikipedia:Child protection">Child protection</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:Paid-contribution_disclosure" title="Wikipedia:Paid-contribution disclosure">Paid-contribution disclosure</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%;text-align:left; font-weight: normal;"><b><span style="color:#0077A4;"><abbr title="Guidelines"><span style="font-size:120%">G</span></abbr></span></b></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-even" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:Assume_good_faith" title="Wikipedia:Assume good faith">Assume good faith</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:Conflict_of_interest" title="Wikipedia:Conflict of interest">Conflict of interest</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:Disruptive_editing" title="Wikipedia:Disruptive editing">Disruptive editing</a></li> <li><a href="/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="/wiki/Wikipedia:Etiquette" title="Wikipedia:Etiquette">Etiquette</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:Gaming_the_system" title="Wikipedia:Gaming the system">Gaming the system</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:Please_do_not_bite_the_newcomers" title="Wikipedia:Please do not bite the newcomers">Please do not bite the newcomers</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:Courtesy_vanishing" title="Wikipedia:Courtesy vanishing">Courtesy vanishing</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:Responding_to_threats_of_harm" title="Wikipedia:Responding to threats of harm">Responding to threats of harm</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:Talk_page_guidelines" title="Wikipedia:Talk page guidelines">Talk page guidelines</a> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:Signatures" title="Wikipedia:Signatures">Signatures</a></li></ul></li></ul> </div></td></tr></tbody></table><div></div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="text-align: center;;width:6.9em;text-align:left;">Deletion <span class="rt-commentedText tooltip tooltip-dotted" title="explains the processes by which pages, revisions, and logs may be deleted">(?)</span></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd" style="padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"></div><table class="nowraplinks navbox-subgroup" style="border-spacing:0"><tbody><tr><th id="P529" scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%;text-align:left; font-weight: normal;"><b><span style="color:#118811;"><abbr title="Policies"><span style="font-size:120%">P</span></abbr></span></b></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:Deletion_policy" title="Wikipedia:Deletion policy">Deletion policy</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:Proposed_deletion" title="Wikipedia:Proposed deletion">Proposed deletion</a> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:Proposed_deletion_of_biographies_of_living_people" title="Wikipedia:Proposed deletion of biographies of living people">Biographies</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:Speedy_deletion" title="Wikipedia:Speedy deletion">Speedy deletion</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:Attack_page" title="Wikipedia:Attack page">Attack page</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:Oversight" title="Wikipedia:Oversight">Oversight</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:Revision_deletion" title="Wikipedia:Revision deletion">Revision deletion</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr></tbody></table><div></div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="text-align: center;;width:6.9em;text-align:left;">Enforcement <span class="rt-commentedText tooltip tooltip-dotted" title="explains the various means by which standards may be enforced">(?)</span></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd" style="padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"></div><table class="nowraplinks navbox-subgroup" style="border-spacing:0"><tbody><tr><th id="P350" scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%;text-align:left; font-weight: normal;"><b><span style="color:#118811;"><abbr title="Policies"><span style="font-size:120%">P</span></abbr></span></b></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-even" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:Administrators" title="Wikipedia:Administrators">Administrators</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:Banning_policy" title="Wikipedia:Banning policy">Banning</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:Blocking_policy" title="Wikipedia:Blocking policy">Blocking</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:Protection_policy" title="Wikipedia:Protection policy">Page protection</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr></tbody></table><div></div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="text-align: center;;width:6.9em;text-align:left;">Editing <span class="rt-commentedText tooltip tooltip-dotted" title="documents the various protocols about style and grouping">(?)</span></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd" style="padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"></div><table class="nowraplinks navbox-subgroup" style="border-spacing:0"><tbody><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%;text-align:left; font-weight: normal;"><b><span style="color:#118811;"><abbr title="Policies"><span style="font-size:120%">P</span></abbr></span></b></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:Editing_policy" title="Wikipedia:Editing policy">Editing policy</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%;text-align:left; font-weight: normal;"><b><span style="color:#0077A4;"><abbr title="Guidelines"><span style="font-size:120%">G</span></abbr></span></b></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"></div><table class="nowraplinks navbox-subgroup" style="border-spacing:0"><tbody><tr><td colspan="2" class="navbox-list navbox-even" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:Article_size" title="Wikipedia:Article size">Article size</a> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:Summary_style" title="Wikipedia:Summary style">Summary style</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:Be_bold" title="Wikipedia:Be bold">Be bold</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:Disambiguation" title="Wikipedia:Disambiguation">Disambiguation</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:Hatnote" title="Wikipedia:Hatnote">Hatnotes</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:Broad-concept_article" title="Wikipedia:Broad-concept article">Broad-concept article</a></li> <li><a class="mw-selflink selflink">Understandability</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%;text-align:left; font-weight: normal;">Style</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:Manual_of_Style" title="Wikipedia:Manual of Style">Manual of Style</a> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:Manual_of_Style/Contents" title="Wikipedia:Manual of Style/Contents">Contents</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:Manual_of_Style/Accessibility" title="Wikipedia:Manual of Style/Accessibility">Accessibility</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:Manual_of_Style/Dates_and_numbers" title="Wikipedia:Manual of Style/Dates and numbers">Dates and numbers</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:Manual_of_Style/Images" title="Wikipedia:Manual of Style/Images">Images</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:Manual_of_Style/Layout" title="Wikipedia:Manual of Style/Layout">Layout</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:Manual_of_Style/Lead_section" title="Wikipedia:Manual of Style/Lead section">Lead section</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:Manual_of_Style/Linking" title="Wikipedia:Manual of Style/Linking">Linking</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:Manual_of_Style/Lists" title="Wikipedia:Manual of Style/Lists">Lists</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%;text-align:left; font-weight: normal;">Classification</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-even" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:Categories,_lists,_and_navigation_templates" title="Wikipedia:Categories, lists, and navigation templates">Categories, lists, and navigation templates</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:Categorization" title="Wikipedia:Categorization">Categorization</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:Template_namespace" title="Wikipedia:Template namespace">Template namespace</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr></tbody></table><div></div></td></tr></tbody></table><div></div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="text-align: center;;width:6.9em;text-align:left;">Project content <span class="rt-commentedText tooltip tooltip-dotted" title="protocols related to administration">(?)</span></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd" style="padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"></div><table class="nowraplinks navbox-subgroup" style="border-spacing:0"><tbody><tr><th id="G427" scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%;text-align:left; font-weight: normal;"><b><span style="color:#0077A4;"><abbr title="Guidelines"><span style="font-size:120%">G</span></abbr></span></b></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:Project_namespace" title="Wikipedia:Project namespace">Project namespace</a> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:WikiProject_Council/Guide" title="Wikipedia:WikiProject Council/Guide">WikiProjects</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:User_pages" title="Wikipedia:User pages">User pages</a> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:Userboxes" title="Wikipedia:Userboxes">User boxes</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:Shortcut" title="Wikipedia:Shortcut">Shortcuts</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:Subpages" title="Wikipedia:Subpages">Subpages</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr></tbody></table><div></div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="text-align: center;;width:6.9em;text-align:left;;background: #dddddd;color:inherit;"><abbr title="Wikimedia Foundation">WMF</abbr> <abbr title="official policies and statements of the Wikimedia Foundation">(?)</abbr></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd" style="padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"></div><table class="nowraplinks navbox-subgroup" style="border-spacing:0"><tbody><tr><th id="P512" scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%;text-align:left; font-weight: normal; background: #e6e6e6;color:inherit;"><b><span style="color:#118811;"><abbr title="Policies"><span style="font-size:120%">P</span></abbr></span></b></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-even" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="https://foundation.wikimedia.org/wiki/Policy:Universal_Code_of_Conduct" class="extiw" title="wmf:Policy:Universal Code of Conduct">Universal Code of Conduct</a></li> <li><a href="https://foundation.wikimedia.org/wiki/Terms_of_Use" class="extiw" title="wmf:Terms of Use">Terms of Use</a></li> <li><a href="https://foundation.wikimedia.org/wiki/Policies" class="extiw" title="wmf:Policies">List of policies</a></li> <li><a href="https://foundation.wikimedia.org/wiki/Friendly_space_policy" class="extiw" title="wmf:Friendly space policy">Friendly space policy</a></li> <li><a href="https://foundation.wikimedia.org/wiki/Resolution:Licensing_policy" class="extiw" title="wmf:Resolution:Licensing policy">Licensing and copyright</a></li> <li><a href="https://foundation.wikimedia.org/wiki/Privacy_policy" class="extiw" title="wmf:Privacy policy">Privacy policy</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr></tbody></table><div></div></td></tr><tr><td class="navbox-abovebelow" colspan="2" style="text-align: center;;font-weight: normal;"><div> <ul><li><b><a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:List_of_policies_and_guidelines" title="Wikipedia:List of policies and guidelines">List of all policies and guidelines</a></b> <ul><li><b><span style="color:#118811;"><span style="font-size:120%">P</span></span></b>: <b><a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:List_of_policies" title="Wikipedia:List of policies">List of policies</a></b></li> <li><b><span style="color:#0077A4;"><span style="font-size:120%">G</span></span></b>: <b><a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:List_of_guidelines" title="Wikipedia:List of guidelines">List of guidelines</a></b></li></ul></li> <li><b><a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:Principles" title="Wikipedia:Principles">Summaries of values and principles</a></b></li></ul> </div></td></tr></tbody></table></div>    </div><noscript><img src="https://login.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:CentralAutoLogin/start?useformat=desktop&type=1x1&usesul3=0" alt="" width="1" height="1" style="border: none; position: absolute;"></noscript> <div class="printfooter" data-nosnippet="">Retrieved from "<a dir="ltr" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Wikipedia:Make_technical_articles_understandable&oldid=1271948005">https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Wikipedia:Make_technical_articles_understandable&oldid=1271948005</a>"</div></div> <div id="catlinks" class="catlinks" data-mw="interface"><div id="mw-normal-catlinks" 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