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{{Nutshell|
# Misplaced Pages is an encyclopedia, a ] reference work that does not aim to contain all the information, data or expression known on every subject.
# Although anyone can be an editor, Misplaced Pages's community processes and standards do not make it an anarchy, democracy, or bureaucracy.
# Misplaced Pages is not a place to promote things or publish your thoughts, and is not a website for personal communication, a freely licensed media repository, or a censored publication.
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{{Content policy list}}


] is a ] online ]. The amount of information on Misplaced Pages is practically unlimited, but Misplaced Pages does not aim to contain all knowledge. What to exclude is determined by an ] committed to building a high-quality encyclopedia. These exclusions are summarized as the {{strong|things that Misplaced Pages is {{em|not}}}}.
''There is a proposal to re-organise this page. Please see the ].''


==Style and format ==
Misplaced Pages ] an online ''']''' and, as a means to that end, also an ]. Therefore, there are certain things that Misplaced Pages is ''not''.
===Misplaced Pages is not a paper encyclopedia===
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]. Server costs aside, there is no practical limit to the number of topics Misplaced Pages can cover, or the total amount of content.
== What Misplaced Pages is not ==


However, there is an important distinction between what {{em|can}} be done, and what {{em|should}} be done, which is covered under {{section link||Encyclopedic content}}. Consequently, this policy is not a free pass for inclusion: articles must abide by ], particularly those covered in the ''']'''.
# ]. Thus, Misplaced Pages has no size limits, can include links, can be more timely, etc. It also means that the style and length of writing appropriate for paper is not necessarily appropriate here.
# ], a usage or jargon guide, or a genealogical or biographical dictionary. See 2-4 and 17 in the next section.
# ], chatroom, or discussion forum. See 1, 5, 7, 8, and 18 in the next section.
# Misplaced Pages is neither a ''' "]"''' nor a '''repository of links, images, or media files'''. All content added to Misplaced Pages may be edited mercilessly to be included in the encyclopedia. By submitting any content, you agree to release it for free use under the ] (however, Misplaced Pages does incorporate many images and some text which are considered "fair use" into its GFDLed articles). See ] and 13-14 in the next section.
# Misplaced Pages is '''not a free wiki host or webspace provider'''. You may not host your own website or blog at Misplaced Pages. If you are interested in using the ] technology for a collaborative effort on anything other than writing an encyclopedia, even if it is just a single page, there are many sites (such as or ) that provide wiki hosting (free or for money). You can even install wiki software on your server.
# Misplaced Pages is '''not a theater of war'''. Every user is expected to interact with others ], ], and in a spirit of cooperation. Do not ], harass or intimidate those with whom you have a disagreement. Rather, approach the matter in an intelligent manner, and engage in polite discussion. Do not create or edit articles ]. Do not make ] or other threats against Misplaced Pages, Wikipedians, or the Wikimedia Foundation<sup id="fn_1_back">]</sup>. Threats are not tolerated and may result in a ].
#Misplaced Pages is '''not a general knowledge base'''; that is, it is not an indiscriminate collection of items of information. Just because something is a true fact doesn't mean it is suitable for inclusion in an encyclopedia. This page lists some specific types of articles and facts which, while they may be 100% true, are not considered encyclopedic.
#Misplaced Pages is '''not ] for the 'protection of minors'''' (]). Firstly, anyone can edit an article and the results are displayed instantaneously, so we cannot guarantee that a child will see or read nothing objectionable. Secondly, Misplaced Pages has no organized system for the removal of material that might be thought likely to harm minors. However, articles can be, and are, censored by consensus.


Editors should limit individual articles to a reasonable size to keep them accessible (see ]). Splitting long articles signals a natural growth of a topic (see ]). Print encyclopedias can cover most topics only in short, static articles, but Misplaced Pages can include more information, provide more external links, and update more quickly.
== What Misplaced Pages articles are not ==
When you wonder what should or should not be in an article named "whatever", ask youself what a reader would expect under "whatever" '''''in an ]'''''. There is consensus that Misplaced Pages articles are not:
# '''Discussion forums''', or ] nodes. Please try to stay on task (the task here is to create an encyclopedia). Misplaced Pages is not a discussion forum or chat room. But of course you can chat with folks on their discussion pages, and should resolve problems with articles on the relevant ].
# '''Dictionary definitions'''. ], so please do not create an entry merely to define a term. But of course an article can and should always ''begin with'' a ] ] or a clear description of the topic. If you come across an article that is nothing more than a definition, see if there is information you can add that would be appropriate for an encyclopedia. If you're interested in working on a wiki dictionary, check out our sister project ''']'''. An exception to this rule is for articles about the cultural meanings of individual ].
# '''Lists of such definitions'''. But of course an article can certainly consist of a pointer to other pages, where a word is too general to have any one topic associated with it; see ]. Misplaced Pages also includes ] for various specialized fields.
# A '''usage guide''', or '''slang and idiom guide'''. Misplaced Pages is not in the business of saying how words, idioms, etc., are used. We aren't teaching people how to talk like a ] ] or a ] chimney-sweep. However, it is often very important ''in the context of an encyclopedia article'' to describe just how a word is used. E.g., the article on ] will, if it doesn't already, have a long discussion about this. In some special cases an article about an essential piece of slang may be appropriate. (Historically, Misplaced Pages content was somewhat slanted towards ]; this explains why earlier versions of this list concentrate on this field. See also ])
# '''] or ]''' of any kind. But of course an article can report objectively ''about'' such things, as long as an attempt is made to approach a ]. Go to ] or start a ] if you want to convince people of the merits of your favorite views&mdash;and good luck.
# Mere '''vehicles for testing ]'''. The fact that Misplaced Pages is an open, self-governing project does not mean that any part of its purpose is to explore the viability of anarchistic communities. (If you want to do so, you can use Misplaced Pages fork ''''''.) Our purpose is to build an encyclopedia, not to test the limits of anarchism. But of course none of this is to deny that a great deal of our success has been due precisely to our openness.
# '''Not critical reviews'''. Biographies and articles about art works are supposed to be encyclopedia articles. But of course critical analysis of art ''is'' welcome, if grounded in direct observations. See also ].
# '''Personal essays''' that state your idiosyncratic opinions about a topic. Misplaced Pages is supposed to compile human knowledge, not serve as a vehicle for personal opinions to become part of human knowledge. See ]. In the unusual situation where the opinions of a single individual are important enough to discuss, it is preferable to let other people to whom those opinions are important write about them. Of course essays on topics relating to Misplaced Pages are welcome at ]. ''']''' is a Misplaced Pages ] that encourages personal opinions in articles.
# '''Primary research''' such as proposing theories and solutions, original ideas, defining terms, coining words, etc. If you have done primary research on a topic, publish your results in normal peer-reviewed journals, or elsewhere on the web. Misplaced Pages will report about your work once it becomes part of accepted human knowledge. But of course you don't have to get all of your information on entries from peer-reviewed journals. ''See'' ].
#'''Lists or repositories of loosely associated topics''' such as quotations, aphorisms or persons. But of course there is nothing wrong with having lists if their entries are famous ''because'' they are associated with or significantly contributed to the list topic. If you want to enter lists of quotations, put them into ''']''', Misplaced Pages's sister project. But of course Misplaced Pages includes reference tables and tabular information for quick reference.
# Mere '''collections of external links'''. But of course there's nothing wrong with adding both lists of links and lists of on-line references you used in writing an article.
# Mere '''collections of internal links'''. But of course there's nothing wrong with ] pages when an article title is ambiguous; and of course, it may help to make ]s of relevant internal links, as this conveys useful information and helps navigation.
# Mere '''collections of ] or other source material'''; such as entire books or source code, original historical documents, letters, laws, proclamations, and other source material that are only useful when presented with their original, un-modified wording. But of course there's nothing wrong with using ] in order to add factual content and wording to an article (such as the use of the 1911 encyclopedia). See ]. Complete copies of primary sources (including any public domain documents you can find) should go into ''']'''.
# '''Collections of photographs or media files''' with no text to go with the articles. If you are interested in presenting a picture, please provide an encyclopedic context, or consider adding it to ''']'''. If a picture comes from a public domain source on a website, then consider adding it to ] or ].
# '''Personal ]s''' and/or ] areas. ] have their own personal pages, but they are used for working on the encyclopedia. If you're looking to make a personal webpage unrelated to encyclopedia work, there are many free homepage providers on the Internet. If you upload files, please upload only files that pertain to encyclopedia articles; anything else will be deleted.
# '''News reports'''. Misplaced Pages should not offer news reports on breaking stories. (However, our emerging sister project ''']''' will do exactly that.) Misplaced Pages does however have many ''encyclopedia articles'' on topics currently in the news, as the Wiki process lends itself to collaborative, up-to-the-minute construction of current events of historical significance. See ] for some examples. When updating articles with recent news, authors should use the past-tense in such a way that the news will still make sense when read years from now.
#'''Genealogical or biographical dictionary entries, or phonebook entries'''. Biography articles should only be given for people with some sort of notoriety or achievement. One measure of achievement is whether someone has been featured in several external sources (either online or offline). But, of course, minor characters may be mentioned within other articles (e.g. Ronald Gay in ]). See ] for a proposed genealogical/biographical dictionary project. The people who have biographies here should be important or otherwise notable for some reason.
# Vehicles for '''advertising and self-promotion'''. We don't need articles on items just because a contributor is associated with them. Commercial links are fine if they can serve to identify major corporations associated with a topic, as in ]. Many people consider it a good idea not to start articles about yourself or projects you have a strong personal involvement in. A few somewhat famous Wikipedians have significantly contributed to encyclopedia articles about themselves and their accomplishments, and this has mostly been accepted after some debate. But of course the standards for encyclopedic articles apply to such a page just like any other. Creating overly abundant links and references to autobiographical articles is not in accordance with the spirit of Misplaced Pages. See ] for more information. (Please note Misplaced Pages does not endorse any business and it does not set up affiliate programs.)
# A ''']''' or a '''resource for conducting business''' other than the business of creating a great encyclopedia. For example, an article on a radio station generally shouldn't list upcoming events, current promotions, phone numbers, etc (though mention of major events or promotions is of course acceptable). Furthermore, the Talk pages associated with an article are for talking about the article, not for conducting the business of the topic of the article.
# '''Lists of ]s'''. Misplaced Pages articles should not list frequently asked questions, either with or without answers. Instead, format the information provided as neutral prose within appropriate article(s). You may want to consider contributing FAQ lists to ''']'''.
# '''Cookbook entries'''. For example, when writing an article about ], don't give "A simple recipe for fried rice." (That belongs in .) Instead, write an article about what is commonly included in a fried rice recipe, the history of fried rice, types of fried rice, how the Chinese and Japanese versions differ, etc.
# '''Travel guides'''. An article on ] should mention landmarks such as the ] and the ], but not the telephone number of your favorite hotel or the price of a ''café au lait'' on the Champs-Elysées. (Such details are, however, very welcome at ''''''.)
#'''Memorials'''. It's always sad when people die, but Misplaced Pages is not the place to honor them. We're trying to build a encyclopedia. Of course, you're free to write articles about ''notable'' people who have died, and some Wikipedians believe that all people are notable.


==Encyclopedic content==
Please feel free to continue adding to this list as we discover interesting new ways of not writing encyclopedia articles. When adding new options, please be as clear as possible and provide counter-examples of similar, but permitted, subjects.
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Information should not be included solely because it is true or useful. An article should not be a complete presentation of all possible details, but a ] of accepted knowledge regarding its subject.<ref>See {{section link|Misplaced Pages:Requests for arbitration/Rex071404|Final decision}}, which suggested a similar principle in November 2004.</ref> Verifiable and sourced statements should be treated with ]. Although there are debates about the encyclopedic merits of several classes of entries, consensus is that the following are good examples of what Misplaced Pages is not. The examples under each section are not exhaustive.
For examples of what kinds of articles people consider to be encyclopedic, see ].


===Misplaced Pages is not a dictionary===
==Possible measures in response to violations of these rules==
{{policy shortcut|WP:NOTDICTIONARY|WP:DICTIONARY}}{{anchor|WP:NOT#DICDEF|WP:NOT#DICT|WP:NOT#DICTIONARY|DIC|DICDEF|DICT|DICTIONARY|NOTWIKTIONARY|WIKTIONARY|NOTTHESAURUS|THESAURUS|NOTUSAGEGUIDE|USAGEGUIDE|NOTSLANGBOOK|SLANGBOOK|NOTJARGONBOOK|JARGONBOOK|NOTIDIOMBOOK|IDIOMBOOK|NOTDEFINITIONS|DICTENTRY}}
* Changing the content of an article (normal editing)
{{Main|Misplaced Pages:Misplaced Pages is not a dictionary}}
* Changing the page into a redirect, preserving the page history
]
* Deleting the page altogether if it meets grounds for such action under the ], after discussion on the ] page. To develop an understanding of what kinds of contributions are in danger of being deleted you have to regularly follow discussions there.
* Changing the rules on this page (of course only when a consensus has been reached following appropriate discussion with other Wikipedians)


Misplaced Pages is not a dictionary, or a usage or jargon guide. For a wiki that {{em|is}} a dictionary, visit our sister project ]. Missing dictionary definitions should be contributed there. Misplaced Pages articles are not:
==Notes==

<cite id="fn_1">]</cite> If you believe that your legal rights are being violated, you may discuss this with other users involved, take the matter to the appropriate ], contact the , or in cases of ] violations notify us ].
# '''Definitions'''. Articles should begin with a ] or description, but articles that contain nothing more than a definition should be expanded with additional encyclopedic content. If they cannot be expanded, Misplaced Pages is not the place for them. In some cases, however, the definition of a word may be an encyclopedic subject, such as the ].
# '''Dictionary entries'''. Encyclopedia articles are about a person, or a group, a concept, a place, a thing, an event, etc. In some cases, a word or phrase itself may be an encyclopedic subject, such as ] or ]. Articles almost always focus on a single definition or usage of the title. Articles about the cultural or mathematical significance of individual ] are also acceptable.
# '''Usage, slang, or idiom guides'''. Descriptive articles about languages, dialects, or types of slang (such as ], ], or ]) are desirable. Prescriptive guides for prospective speakers of such languages are not. See ] below. For a wiki that {{em|is}} a collection of textbooks, visit our sister project ]. Consider ] such content there.

===Misplaced Pages is not a publisher of original thought===
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{{Redirect|WP:FORUM|text=You may be looking for {{Section link|Misplaced Pages:Verifiability#Self-published sources}}, ] or ]}}

]

Misplaced Pages is not a place to publish your own thoughts and analyses or new information. Per the ], <strong>do not use Misplaced Pages for any of the following</strong>:

# '''Primary (original) research''', such as proposing theories and solutions, communicating original ideas, offering novel definitions of terms, coining new words, etc. If you have completed primary research on a topic, your results should be published in other venues, such as ] journals, other printed forms, ], or respected online publications. Misplaced Pages can report your work after it is published and becomes part of accepted knowledge; however, ] of ] are needed to demonstrate that such material is ], and not merely the editor's ].
# {{anchor|MYINVENTION}}'''Personal inventions'''. If you or a friend invented a drinking game, a new type of dance move, or even the word '']'', it is not ] to be given an article until multiple, independent, and reliable secondary sources report on it. And ].
# {{policy shortcut|WP:NOTESSAY}}'''Personal essays''' {{anchor|ESSAY|MYOPINION}} that state your feelings about a topic (rather than the opinions of experts). Although Misplaced Pages is supposed to compile human knowledge, it is not a vehicle to make personal opinions become part of such knowledge. In the unusual situation where the opinions of an individual are important enough to discuss, let other people write about them. (Personal essays on Misplaced Pages-related topics are welcome in your user namespace or on the ].)
# {{policy shortcut|WP:NOTFORUM}}{{anchor|FORUM|CHAT|not_a_forum}}'''Discussion forums'''. Stay on the task of creating an encyclopedia. You can chat with people about Misplaced Pages-related topics on their user talk pages, and should resolve problems with articles on the relevant ], but do not take discussion into articles. In addition, bear in mind that article talk pages exist solely to discuss how to improve articles; they are not for general discussion about the subject of the article, nor are they a help desk for obtaining instructions or technical assistance. Material unsuitable for talk pages may be subject to removal per the ]. If you wish to ask a specific question on a topic, Misplaced Pages has a ]; questions should be asked there rather than on talk pages. However, these should be used for questions of reasonable academic interest; Misplaced Pages does not serve as a technical help line or customer support for products or companies that have articles.

===Misplaced Pages is not a soapbox or means of promotion===
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{{Redirect|WP:PROMOTION|other pages about advertising and promotion|Misplaced Pages:Advertising}}
{{Redirect|WP:SOAP|the Soap Operas WikiProject|Misplaced Pages:WikiProject Soap Operas}}

Misplaced Pages is not a ], a ], or a vehicle for ], advertising, and showcasing. This applies to ], articles, drafts, categories, files, talk page discussions, templates, and user pages. Therefore, content hosted on Misplaced Pages is not for:

# {{policy shortcut|WP:NOTADVOCACY}}{{anchor|SOAP1|soap1|Soap1|NOTPROSELYTIZING|PROSELYTIZING|NOTEVANGELISM|EVANGELISM|NOTRECRUITMENT|RECRUITMENT|NOTCAMPAIGN|CAMPAIGN|NOTPROPAGANDA|PROPAGANDA|WORTHYCAUSE|LA CAUSA|MOVEMENT|JOIN US|Advocacy, propaganda, or recruitment}}'''], propaganda, or recruitment''' of any kind: commercial, political, scientific, religious, national, sports-related, or otherwise. An article can report objectively <em>about</em> such things, as long as an attempt is made to describe the topic from a ]. You might wish to start a ] or visit a ] if you want to convince people of the merits of your opinions.<ref>Misplaced Pages ] (and various navigational pages: categories, ], disambiguation pages, etc.) are off limits for any advocacy. ], ] and ] are venues where you can advocate your opinions provided that they are directly ] and are ].</ref>
# {{policy shortcut|WP:NOTOPINION}}{{anchor|soap2|Soap2|SOAP2|MYOPINION|OPINION|NOTPOLITICALVIEWS|POLITICALVIEWS|NOTCURRENTAFFAIRS|CURRENTAFFAIRS|CURRENTAFFAIRS|OPINIONPIECES|RECENTISM|Opinion pieces}}'''Opinion pieces'''. Although some topics, particularly those concerning ] and politics, may stir passions and tempt people to "climb soapboxes", Misplaced Pages is not the medium for this. Articles must be balanced to put entries, especially for current events, in a reasonable perspective, and represent a ]. Furthermore, Misplaced Pages authors should strive to write articles that will not quickly become obsolete. Misplaced Pages's sister project ], however, has "opinion" pages allowing commentary on articles.
# {{policy shortcut|WP:NOTSCANDAL}}{{Anchor|SOAP3|soap3|Soap3|SCANDAL|GRAPEVINE|RUMOR|GOSSIP|TABLOID|MONGERING|HEARSAY|Scandalmongering}}'''Scandalmongering''', promoting things "heard through the grapevine" or ]ing. Articles and content ] are required to meet an especially high standard, as they may otherwise be ] or infringe the subjects' ]. Articles must not be written purely to ].
# {{anchor|Soap4|SOAP4|soap4|SELFPROMO|BOAST|YOURSELF|VANITY|CV|Self-promotion}}'''Self-promotion'''. It can be tempting to ] or projects in which you have a strong personal involvement. However, remember that the standards for encyclopedic articles apply to such pages just like any other. This includes the requirement to maintain a neutral point of view, which can be difficult when writing about yourself or about projects close to you. Creating overly abundant links and references to autobiographical sources, such as your ], is unacceptable. See ], ] and ].
# {{policy shortcut|WP:NOTADVERT|WP:NOTPROMO}}{{anchor|soap5|Soap5|SOAP5|ADVERTISING|MARKETING|PR|ADVERT|COMMERCIAL|PROMOCORP|GARAGE|PUBLICRELATIONS|PUBLIC RELATIONS|PUBLICITY|Advertising, marketing or public relations}}'''Advertising, marketing, publicity, or public relations'''. Information about companies and products must be written in an ], free of ]. All article topics must be ] with ], third-party sources, so articles about very small ]s or local companies are typically unacceptable. Misplaced Pages articles about a person, company, or organization are not an extension of their website, press releases, or other ] efforts. ] to commercial organizations are acceptable if they identify ] organizations which are the topic of the article. Misplaced Pages neither endorses organizations nor runs affiliate programs. See also ] for guidelines on corporate notability. Those promoting causes or events, or issuing ]s, even if noncommercial, should use a forum other than Misplaced Pages to do so. Contributors must ] for editing Misplaced Pages. See also ].

{{anchor|SOAPYES|SOAPOK|soap yes|SOAP GOOD|SOAPGOOD|Soap relevant}}Non-disruptive statements of opinion on internal Misplaced Pages policies and guidelines may be made on user pages and within the ], as they are relevant to the current and future operation of the project. However, article ] should not be used by editors as platforms for their personal views on a subject (see ]).

===Misplaced Pages is not a mirror or a repository of links, images, or media files===
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Misplaced Pages is neither a ] nor a ] of links, images, or media files.<ref>The ] incorporates many images and some text which are considered "fair use" into its ] articles. Other language Wikipedias often <em>do not</em>. See also ].</ref> Misplaced Pages articles are not merely collections of:

# '''External links''' or ''']'''. There is nothing wrong with adding relevant, useful links to the external links section of an article; however, excessive lists can dwarf articles and detract from the purpose of Misplaced Pages. On articles about topics with many fansites, for example, including a link to one major fansite may be appropriate. See ] for some guidelines.
# '''Internal links''', except for ] pages when an article title is ambiguous, and for ] for browsing or to assist with article organization and navigation; for these, please follow relevant guidance at ], ].
# '''] or other source material''' such as entire books or source code, original historical documents, letters, laws, proclamations, and other source material that are useful only when presented with their original, unmodified wording. Complete copies of primary sources may go into ], but not on Misplaced Pages. ] such as the ] may be used to add content to an article (see ] for guidelines on doing so). See also ] and ].
# '''Photographs or media files''' with no accompanying text. If you are interested in presenting a picture, please provide an encyclopedic context, or consider adding it to ]. If a picture comes from a public domain source on a website, then consider adding it to ] or ]. Misplaced Pages articles are not a repository of images: image use in Misplaced Pages articles must comply with ].

===Misplaced Pages is not a blog, web hosting service, social networking service, or memorial site===
{{policy shortcut|WP:NOTBLOG|WP:NOTWEBHOST|WP:NOTSOCIALNETWORK|WP:NOTFB}}
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{{Redirect2|WP:NOTFANDOM|WP:NOTWIKIA|the essay explaining that Misplaced Pages is not Fandom|Misplaced Pages:Misplaced Pages is not Fandom}}

Misplaced Pages is not a ] like ], ], ] or ], nor a ]. It is not a place to host your own ], ], ], ], or ]. Misplaced Pages pages, '''including those in ]''', are not:

# {{policy shortcut|WP:NOTCV|WP:NOTRESUME}}'''Personal web pages'''. ] have individual user pages, but they should be used primarily to present information relevant to work on the encyclopedia. ] is allowed, but user pages do not serve as personal webpages, blogs, or repositories for large amounts of material irrelevant to collaborating on Misplaced Pages. If you want to post your résumé or make a personal webpage, please use one of the many free providers on the Internet or any hosting included with your ]. The focus of user pages <em>should not</em> be ] or ], but rather providing a foundation for effective ]. ] that refer to Misplaced Pages in some way may be created in an appropriate ]. Personal web pages are often ] under criterion ]. Misplaced Pages articles use formal English and are ].
# {{policy shortcut|WP:NOTFILESTORAGE}}'''] areas'''. Please upload only ] that are used (or could be used) in encyclopedia articles or project pages; anything else (e.g., personal photos) will be deleted. Ideally, freely licensed files should be uploaded to ], where they can be linked from Misplaced Pages.
# {{policy shortcut|WP:NOTDATING}}''']s'''. Misplaced Pages is not an appropriate place to pursue relationships or sexual encounters. User pages that move beyond broad expressions of sexual orientation are unacceptable.
# {{policy shortcut|WP:NOTMEMORIAL}}''']s'''. Subjects of encyclopedia articles must satisfy ]. Misplaced Pages is not the place to memorialize deceased friends, relatives, acquaintances, or others who <strong>do not meet such requirements</strong>. (] is excluded from this rule.)
# '''Content for projects unrelated to Misplaced Pages'''. Do not store material unrelated to Misplaced Pages, including in userspace. Please see ] for examples of what may not be included.

If you are interested in using the wiki technology for a collaborative effort on something else, even just a single page, many free and commercial sites provide wiki/web hosting (e.g. ] and ]). You can also install wiki software on your own server. See the ] at MediaWiki.org for information on doing this.

{{anchor|NOTYOURS|Not yours}}<strong>]</strong>. It is a part of Misplaced Pages, and exists to make collaboration among Wikipedians easier, not for self-promotion.

===Misplaced Pages is not a directory===
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{{anchor|Complete|Cross|DIR|DIRECTORY|Directories|Sales|INDEX|Index}}
{{Redirect2|WP:DIRECTORY|WP:NOTSALE| a listing of Misplaced Pages's directories and indexes|Misplaced Pages:Directory|"adminship is not for sale" essay|WP:ANOT#SALE}}
{{See also|Misplaced Pages:Manual of Style/Lists|Misplaced Pages:Stand-alone lists}}
]]]

Misplaced Pages encompasses many lists of links to articles within Misplaced Pages that are used for internal organization or to describe a notable subject. In that sense, Misplaced Pages functions as an index or directory of its own content. However, Misplaced Pages is not a directory of everything in the universe that exists or has existed. Please see ] for alternatives. Misplaced Pages articles are not:
# {{anchor|simplelists}}'''Simple listings''' without ] showing encyclopedic merit. Listings such as the ] or ] should not be replicated. See ] for more information.
# '''Lists or repositories of loosely associated topics''' such as (but not limited to) quotations, ]s, or persons (real or fictional). If you want to enter lists of quotations, put them into our sister project ]. Of course, there is nothing wrong with having ] if their entries are relevant {{em|because}} they are associated with or significantly contribute to the list topic. Misplaced Pages also includes reference tables and tabular information for quick reference. ''Merged groups of small articles'' based on a core topic are permitted. (See ] for clarification.)
# {{policy shortcut|WP:CROSSCAT}}{{anchor|Non-encyclopedic cross-categorizations}}'''Non-encyclopedic cross-categorizations''', such as "people from ethnic / cultural / religious group X employed by organization Y" or "restaurants specializing in food type X in city Y". Cross-categories such as these are not considered a sufficient basis for creating an article, unless the intersection of those categories is in some way a culturally significant phenomenon. See also ] for this issue in categories.
# {{policy shortcut|WP:NOTGENEALOGY}}{{anchor|NOTGENEALOGY|Genealogical|GENEALOGY}}'''Genealogical entries'''. Family histories should be presented only where appropriate to support the reader's understanding of a ] topic.
# {{policy shortcut|WP:NOTTVGUIDE}}{{anchor|NOTTVGUIDE}}''']s'''. An article on a broadcaster should not list upcoming events, current promotions, current schedules, ]s, etc., although mention of major events, promotions or historically significant program lists and schedules may be acceptable.
# {{policy shortcut|WP:NOTPRICE}}{{anchor|YELLOWPAGES|Misplaced Pages is not Yellow Pages}}'''A resource for conducting business'''. Neither articles nor their associated talk pages are for conducting the business of the topic of the article. Listings to be avoided include, but are not limited to: business alliances, clients, competitors, employees (except CEOs, supervisory directors and similar top functionaries), equipment, estates, offices, store locations, contact information, patent filings, products and services, sponsors, subdivisions and tourist attractions. An article should not include product pricing or availability information (which can vary widely with time and location) unless there is an independent ] <em>and</em> encyclopedic significance for the mention, which may be indicated by mainstream media sources or books (not just ]) providing commentary on these details instead of just passing mention. Misplaced Pages is not a ] to compare prices and availability of competing products or a single product from different vendors. Lists of creative works are permitted. Thus, for example, Misplaced Pages should not include a list of all books published by ], but may include a bibliography of books written by HarperCollins author ].

===Misplaced Pages is not a manual, guidebook, textbook, or scientific journal===
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] {{nobr|(But Misplaced Pages}} is not)]]
Misplaced Pages ], not an instruction manual, guidebook, or textbook. Misplaced Pages articles should not read like:
# '''Instruction manuals and cookbooks''': while Misplaced Pages has descriptions of people, places and things, an ] should not read like a "how-to" style ], ], ] (], ] or otherwise) or ]. This includes tutorials, instruction manuals, game guides, and recipes. Describing to the reader how people or things use or do something is encyclopedic; instructing the reader in the ] about how to use or do something is not.<ref>The how-to restriction does not apply to the ], where ] are appropriate, such as ].</ref> Wording can easily be modified to avoid advising the reader: {{!xt|Do not give aspirin ...}} ⇒ {{xt|The WHO advises against the use of aspirin ...}}. Such guides may be welcome at ] instead.
# ''']s''': an article on ] should mention landmarks, such as the ] and the ], but not the telephone numbers or street addresses of the ] restaurants, nor the current price of a café au lait on the ]. Misplaced Pages is not the place to recreate content more suited to entries in hotel or culinary guides, travelogues, and the like. Notable locations may meet the inclusion criteria, but the resulting articles need not include every tourist attraction, restaurant, hotel or venue, etc. While travel guides for a city will often mention distant attractions, a Misplaced Pages article for a city should list only those that are actually in the city. If you <em>do</em> wish to help write a travel guide, your contributions would be more than welcome at our sister project, ].
# ''']s''': an article about a ] should briefly summarize the story and the main actions the player performs in the game. Avoid lists of gameplay concepts and items unless these are notable as discussed in secondary sources in their own right in gaming context (such as the ] from the ]). A concise summary of gameplay details (specific point values, achievements, time-limits, levels, types of enemies, etc.) is appropriate if it is essential to understanding the game or its significance in the industry, but walk-throughs and detailed coverage are not. See also ] and ]. As of ], such guides may be welcome at ] instead.
# ''']s''': Misplaced Pages articles should not exist <em>only</em> to describe the nature, appearance or services a website offers, but should also describe the site in an <em>encyclopedic manner</em>, offering detail on a website's achievements, impact or historical significance, which can be kept significantly more up-to-date than most reference sources, since editors can incorporate new developments and facts as they are made known. See the ] for examples.
# '''FAQs''': Misplaced Pages articles should not list ] (FAQs). Instead, format the information as neutral prose within the appropriate article(s).
# '''Textbooks and annotated texts''': the purpose of Misplaced Pages is to ] accepted knowledge, not to teach subject matter. Articles should not read like ]s, with leading questions and systematic problem solutions as examples. These belong on our sister projects, such as ], ], and ]. {{anchor|INFORM, NOT INSTRUCT}}However, examples intended to <em>inform</em> rather than to <em>instruct</em>, may be appropriate for inclusion in Misplaced Pages articles.
# ''']s''': a Misplaced Pages article should not be presented on the assumption that the reader is well-versed in the topic's field. Article titles should reflect ], not academic terminology, whenever possible. Introductory language in the ] (and sometimes the initial sections) of the article should be written in plain terms and concepts that can be understood by any literate reader of Misplaced Pages without any knowledge in the given field before advancing to more detailed explanations of the topic. While ] should be provided for advanced terms and concepts in that field, articles should be written on the assumption that the reader will not or cannot follow these links, instead attempting to infer their meaning from the text. See ]. Publishing such scientific articles may be more appropriate for ] in Wikiversity.
# <span class="anchor" id="CASESTUDY">'''Case studies'''</span>: many topics are based on the relationship of ''factor X'' to ''factor Y'', resulting in one or more full articles. For example, this could refer to ''situation X'' in ''location Y'', or ''version X'' of ''item Y''. This is perfectly acceptable when the two variables put together represent some culturally significant phenomenon or some otherwise notable interest. Often, separate articles are needed for a subject within a range of different countries, due to substantial differences across international borders; articles such as "]" are fitting examples. Writing about "]" or "]", however, would likely constitute a ] or ], and would certainly not result in an encyclopedic article.

===Misplaced Pages is not a crystal ball===
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{{redirect|WP:FUTURE|the WikiProject|Misplaced Pages:WikiProject Futures studies}}
]
Misplaced Pages is not a collection of ] speculation, rumors, or presumptions. Misplaced Pages does not predict the future. All articles about anticipated events must be verifiable, and the subject matter must be of sufficiently wide interest that it would merit an article if the event had already occurred. It <em>is</em> appropriate to report discussion and arguments about the prospects for success of future proposals and projects or whether some development will occur, if discussion is properly referenced. It is <em>not</em> appropriate for editors to insert ]. Predictions, speculation, forecasts and theories stated by reliable, expert sources or recognized entities in a field may be included, though editors should be aware of creating ] to any specific point of view. In forward-looking articles about unreleased products, such as films and games, take special care to avoid ] and unverified claims (for films, see ]). In particular:

# Individual '''scheduled or expected future events''' should be included only if the event is notable and almost certain to take place. Dates are <strong>not definite</strong> until the event actually takes place, as even otherwise-notable events can be cancelled or postponed at the last minute by a major incident. If preparation for the event is not already in progress, speculation about it must be well documented. Examples of appropriate topics include the ] and ]. By comparison, the ] and ] are not appropriate article topics if nothing can be said about them that is verifiable and not original research. Avoid predicted sports team line-ups, which are inherently unverifiable and speculative. A schedule of future events may be appropriate if it can be verified. As an exception, even highly speculative articles about events that may or may not occur far in the future <em>might</em> be appropriate, where coverage in reliable sources is sufficient. For example, the ] is an acceptable topic.
# Individual items from a '''predetermined list or a systematic pattern of names''', pre-assigned to future events or discoveries, are not suitable article topics, if only generic information is known about the item. ] is encyclopedic; "]" is not, even though it is virtually certain that such a storm will occur. Similarly, articles about '''words formed on a predictable numeric system''' (such as "]"{{refn|group=lower-alpha|This is a large number, and would be written as a 1 followed by 174 zeros}}) are not encyclopedic unless they are defined on good authority, or genuinely in use. Certain scientific extrapolations are considered to be encyclopedic, such as ], provided that scientists have made significant non-trivial predictions of their properties.
# Articles that present original research in the form of '''extrapolation, speculation, and "future history"''' are inappropriate. Although scientific and cultural norms continually evolve, we must wait for this evolution to happen, rather than try to predict it. Of course, we do and should have articles <em>about</em> <strong>notable</strong> <em>artistic works, essays, or credible research</em> that embody predictions. An article on ] is appropriate; an article on "]" is not.
# Although currently accepted scientific paradigms may later be rejected, and hypotheses previously held to be controversial or incorrect sometimes become accepted by the scientific community, it is not the place of Misplaced Pages to venture such projections.
# '''Misplaced Pages is not a collection of product announcements and rumors'''. Although Misplaced Pages includes up-to-date knowledge about newly revealed products, short articles that consist of only product announcement information and rumors are not appropriate. Until such time that more encyclopedic knowledge about the product can be verified, product announcements should be merged to a larger topic (such as an article about the creator(s), a series of products, or a previous product) if applicable.

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===Misplaced Pages is not a newspaper===
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{{anchor|NEWSPAPER|NEWS}}<!-- This anchor tag serves to provide a permanent target for incoming shortcut links. Please do not remove or modify it.-->
{{See also|Misplaced Pages:Notability (events)|Misplaced Pages:Too much detail|Misplaced Pages:Misplaced Pages is not a newspaper}}
] Misplaced Pages is not ]!]]

In principle, all Misplaced Pages articles should contain up-to-date information. Editors are also encouraged to develop stand-alone articles on significant current events. However, not all verifiable events are suitable for inclusion in Misplaced Pages. Even when citing recent news articles as sources, ensure the Misplaced Pages articles themselves are not:

# {{anchor|ORIGINALREPORTING}}'''Original reporting'''. Misplaced Pages should not offer first-hand news reports on breaking stories. Misplaced Pages does not constitute a ]. However, our sister projects ] and ] do exactly that, and <em>are</em> intended to be primary sources. Misplaced Pages does have many <em>encyclopedia articles</em> on topics of historical significance that are currently in the news, and can be updated with recently ] information.
# {{anchor|NEWSREPORTS}}'''News reports'''. Misplaced Pages considers the enduring ] of persons and events. While news coverage can be useful source material for encyclopedic topics, most newsworthy events do not qualify for inclusion and Misplaced Pages is not written in ]. For example, routine news coverage of announcements, events, sports, or celebrities, while sometimes useful, is not by itself a sufficient basis for inclusion of the subject of that coverage (see ] for more on this with regard to routine ''events''). Also, while including information on recent developments is sometimes appropriate, breaking news should not be emphasized or otherwise treated differently from other information. Timely news subjects not suitable for Misplaced Pages may be suitable for our sister project ].
# {{policy shortcut|WP:NOTWHOSWHO}}{{anchor|NOTWHOSWHO|WHOSWHO}}'''Who's who'''. Even when an event is notable, individuals involved in it may not be. Unless news coverage of an individual goes beyond the context of a ], our coverage of that individual should be limited to the article about that event, ] to their importance to the overall topic. (See ] for more details.)
# {{policy shortcut|WP:NOTGOSSIP|WP:NOTDIARY}}{{anchor|NOTDIARY|DIARY|NOTADIARY}}'''Celebrity gossip and diaries'''. Even when an individual is notable, not all events they are involved in are. For example, news reporting about celebrities and sports figures can be very frequent and cover a lot of trivia, but using all these sources would lead to overly detailed articles that look like a diary. Not every facet of a celebrity's life, personal details, matches played, or goals scored warrants inclusion in the biography of that person, only those for which they have notability or for which our readers are reasonably likely to have an interest.
# {{policy shortcut|WP:NOTUPTIME}}{{anchor|NOTUPTIME}}'''Uptime tracking'''. Services go down all the time. Readers are not expected to check Misplaced Pages articles to verify service outages. For web services, readers have ample automatic options for that purpose. For meatspace services, readers should be reaching out to the people who manage the service. Accordingly, editors should not manually edit service status updates into articles as if the articles are used for that purpose. Major outages may be notable on a case-by-case basis, especially when they have a notable cause, but the vast majority of outages simply are not notable.

===Misplaced Pages is not an indiscriminate collection of information===
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{{Redirect|WP:PLOT|information regarding plot summary manuals of style|MOS:PLOT}}
{{Redirect|WP:INDISCRIMINATE|indiscriminate sources|WP:Indiscriminate sources}}
{{See also|Misplaced Pages:Notability|Misplaced Pages:Manual of Style/Trivia sections}}

To provide encyclopedic value, ] should be put in context with explanations referenced to independent sources. As explained in {{article section|Encyclopedic content}} above, merely being true, or even ], does not automatically make something suitable for inclusion in the encyclopedia. Misplaced Pages articles should not be:

# {{policy shortcut|WP:NOTPLOT}}{{anchor|PLOT|NOTPLOT}}'''Summary-only descriptions of works'''. Misplaced Pages treats ]s (including, for example, works of art or fiction, video games, documentaries, research books or papers, and religious texts) in an encyclopedic manner, discussing the development, design, reception, significance, and influence of works in addition to concise summaries of those works. For more information regarding summaries, see {{section link|Misplaced Pages:Manual of Style/Writing about fiction|Contextual presentation}}.
# {{policy shortcut|WP:NOTLYRICS}}{{anchor|LYRICS|NOTLYRICS}}'''Lyrics databases'''. An article about a song should provide information about authorship, date of publication, social impact, and so on. Quotations from a song should be kept to a reasonable length relative to the rest of the article, and used to facilitate discussion, or to illustrate the style; the full text can be put on ] and linked from the article. Most song lyrics published after {{#expr:{{CURRENTYEAR}} - 95}} are protected by ]; any quotation of them must be kept to a minimum, and used for direct commentary or to illustrate some aspect of style. Never link to the lyrics of copyrighted songs unless the linked-to site clearly has the right to distribute the work. See ] for full discussion.
# {{policy shortcut|WP:NOTSTATS}}{{anchor|STATS|NOTSTATS}}'''Excessive listings of unexplained ]s'''. Statistics that lack context or explanation can reduce readability and may be confusing; accordingly, statistics should be placed in tables to enhance readability, and articles with statistics should include explanatory text providing context. Where statistics are so lengthy as to impede the readability of the article, the statistics can be ] into a separate article and ] in the main article (e.g., statistics from the main article ] were moved to a related article ]). ] offers more guidance on what kind of lists are acceptable, and ] offers guidance on what entries should be included.
# {{policy shortcut|WP:NOTCHANGELOG}}{{anchor|CHANGELOG|NOTCHANGELOG}}'''Exhaustive logs of software updates'''. Use ] third-party (not ]) sources in articles dealing with software updates to describe the versions listed or discussed in the article. Common sense must be applied regarding the level of detail to include. A list of every version/beta/patch is inappropriate. Consider a summary of development instead.

===Misplaced Pages is not censored===
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{{Main|Misplaced Pages:Content disclaimer}}
{{See also|Censorship of Misplaced Pages|Misplaced Pages:Offensive material|wmf:Resolution:Controversial content}}

Misplaced Pages may contain content that some readers consider objectionable or offensive{{mdashb}}even exceedingly so. Attempting to ensure that articles and images will be acceptable to all readers, or will adhere to general ] or ] norms, is incompatible with the purposes of an encyclopedia.

Content <em>will</em> be removed if it is judged to violate ] (especially those on ] and using a ]) or the ] (where Misplaced Pages is hosted). However, because most edits are displayed immediately, inappropriate material may be visible to readers, for a time, before being detected and removed.

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Some articles may include images, text, or links which are relevant to the topic but that some people find objectionable. Discussion of potentially objectionable content should usually focus not on its potential offensiveness but on whether it is ], text, or ]. Beyond that, "being objectionable" is generally not sufficient grounds for the removal of content. The ] guideline can help assess appropriate actions to take in the case of content that may be considered offensive.

Some organizations' rules or traditions call for secrecy with regard to certain information about them. Such restrictions do not apply to Misplaced Pages, because Misplaced Pages is not a member of those organizations; thus, Misplaced Pages will not remove such information from articles if it is otherwise encyclopedic.
{{Cquote|The University is not engaged in making ideas safe for students. It is engaged in making students safe for ideas. Thus it permits the freest expression of views before students, trusting to their good sense in passing judgment on these views.|author=], President of the ] (1961)<ref>{{cite press release|url=https://www.berkeley.edu/news/media/releases/2003/12/02_kerr.shtml|title=Former UC President Clark Kerr, a national leader in higher education, dies at 92|date=December 2, 2003|publisher=UC Berkeley|access-date=August 5, 2021}}</ref>}}

==Community==
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The above policies are about Misplaced Pages's content. The following relate to Misplaced Pages's governance and processes.

===Misplaced Pages is not an anarchy or a forum for free speech<span id="Misplaced Pages is not an anarchy"></span>===
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{{See also|m:Power structure|WP:User access levels|WP:Enforcement}}
{{Main|Misplaced Pages:Administration}}
].}}]]

Misplaced Pages is free and open, but restricts both freedom and openness where they interfere with creating an encyclopedia. Accordingly, Misplaced Pages is not an unregulated forum for free speech. The fact that Misplaced Pages is an open, self-governing project does not mean that any part of its purpose is to explore the viability of ]. ] is to ], not to test the limits of ].

===Misplaced Pages is not a democracy===
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{{See also|Misplaced Pages:Polling is not a substitute for discussion|Misplaced Pages:Elections}}
].]]
Misplaced Pages is {{plainlink|http://lists.wikimedia.org/pipermail/wikien-l/2005-January/018735.html not an experiment in democracy}} or any other ]. Its primary (though not exclusive) means of decision making and conflict resolution is ] and ] leading to ]—{{em|not}} ]. (] such as electing the ].) ] are sometimes used to test for consensus, but polls or surveys can impede, rather than foster, discussion and should be used with caution.

Off-site petitions and votes have no weight in the formation of consensus on Misplaced Pages.

===Misplaced Pages is not a bureaucracy===
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{{See also|Misplaced Pages:Ignore all rules}}
]
While Misplaced Pages ] of a ],<ref name="Jr.Lessig2010">{{cite book|author1=Joseph Michael Reagle, Jr.|author2=Lawrence Lessig |authorlink2=Lawrence Lessig |title=Good Faith Collaboration: The Culture of Misplaced Pages|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ml7SlTq8XvIC&pg=PA90|year=2010|publisher=MIT Press|isbn=9780262014472|pages=90–91}}</ref> it is not governed by statute: it is not a ], and rules are not the purpose of the community. Although ], the written rules themselves do not set accepted practice. Rather, they document already-existing community consensus regarding what should be accepted and what should be rejected.

While Misplaced Pages's written ] should be taken seriously, they can be misused. Do not follow an overly strict interpretation of the ] of policies without considering their <em>principles</em>. If the rules truly prevent you from improving the encyclopedia, ]. Disagreements are resolved through ] discussion, not by tightly sticking to rules and procedures. Furthermore, policies and guidelines themselves ] to reflect ].

A procedural error made in a proposal or request is not grounds for rejecting that proposal or request.

A procedural, coding, or grammatical error in a new contribution ], unless the error cannot easily be fixed.

===Misplaced Pages is not a laboratory===
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Research about Misplaced Pages's content, processes, and the people involved<ref>See ], ], the ], and the .</ref> can provide valuable insights and understanding that benefit public knowledge, scholarship, and the Misplaced Pages community, but Misplaced Pages is not a public laboratory. Research that analyzes articles, talk pages, or other content on Misplaced Pages is not typically controversial, since all of Misplaced Pages is ]. However, research projects that are ] to the community or which negatively affect articles&mdash;even temporarily&mdash;are not allowed and can result in loss of editing privileges. Before starting a potentially controversial project,<ref>Projects that are "potentially controversial" include, but are not limited to, any project that involves directly changing article content (contributors are expected to have as their primary motivation the betterment of the encyclopedia, without a competing motivation such as research objectives), any project that involves contacting a very large number of editors, and any project that involves asking sensitive questions about their real-life identities.</ref> researchers should open discussion at the ] to ensure it will not interfere with Misplaced Pages's mission. Regardless of the type of project, researchers are advised to be as transparent as possible on their user pages, disclosing information such as institutional connections and intentions.<ref>See also ], ], as well as the ] and ] (if researchers editing Misplaced Pages are being paid under grants to do so, this is paid editing that must be disclosed).</ref>

Some editors explicitly request not to be subjects in research and experiments. Please respect the wish of editors to opt out of research.

===Misplaced Pages is not a battleground===
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{{See also|Misplaced Pages:Misplaced Pages is not about winning|Misplaced Pages:Behave}}
Misplaced Pages is not a place to hold grudges or import personal conflicts, nor is it the place to carry on ideological battles or nurture prejudice, hatred, or fear. Making personal battles out of Misplaced Pages discussions is in ''direct conflict'' of Misplaced Pages's policies and goals, as well as Misplaced Pages's ]. In addition to avoiding battles in discussions, you should also avoid advancing your position in disagreements by making unilateral changes to policies. ].

Every user is expected to interact with others ], calmly, and in a spirit of cooperation. Do not ], ], or intimidate those with whom you have a disagreement. Rather, approach the matter intelligently and engage in polite discussion. If another user behaves in an uncivil, uncooperative, or insulting manner, or even tries to harass or intimidate you, this does not give you an excuse to respond in kind. Address only the factual points brought forward, ignoring the inappropriate comments, or disregard that user entirely. If necessary, point out gently that you think the comments might be considered uncivil, and make it clear that you want to move on and focus on the content issue. If a conflict continues to bother you, take advantage of ] process. There are always users willing to mediate and ] disputes between others.

In large disputes, resist the urge to turn Misplaced Pages into a battleground between factions. ] that every editor and group is here to improve Misplaced Pages—especially if they hold a point of view with which you disagree. Work with whomever you like, but do not ] that disrupts (or aims to disrupt) Misplaced Pages's fundamental decision-making process, which is based on building a ]. Editors in large disputes should work in good faith to find broad principles of agreement between different viewpoints.

Do not use Misplaced Pages to make ] or other threats against Misplaced Pages, its editors, or the Wikimedia Foundation—other means already exist to communicate legal problems.<ref>If you believe that your legal rights are being violated, you may discuss this with other users involved, take the matter to the appropriate ], contact the , or in cases of ] violations, notify us at ].</ref> Threats are not tolerated and may result in a ].
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===Misplaced Pages is not compulsory===
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{{See also|Misplaced Pages:Misplaced Pages is a volunteer service}}
Misplaced Pages is a volunteer community and does not require Wikipedians to give any more time and effort than they wish. Focus on improving the encyclopedia itself, rather than demanding more from other Wikipedians. Editors are free to take a break or leave Misplaced Pages at any time.

==And finally…==
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Misplaced Pages is not a lot of other things as well. We cannot anticipate every "bad" idea that someone might have. Almost everything on this page is here because somebody came up with a "bad" idea that had not been anticipated. In general, "that is a terrible idea" is always sufficient grounds to avoid doing something when there is a good reason that the idea is terrible.

==When you wonder what to do==
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When you wonder what should or should not be in an article, ask yourself what a reader would expect to find under the same heading <em>in an encyclopedia</em>.

When you wonder whether the rules given above are being violated, consider:
# Modifying the content of an article (normal editing).
# Turning the page into a redirect, preserving the page history.
# ] if it meets grounds for such action under the ]. To develop an understanding of what kinds of contributions are in danger of being deleted, you have to regularly follow discussions there.
# Changing the rules on this page after a consensus has been reached following appropriate discussion with other Wikipedians via ]. When adding new options, please be as clear as possible and provide counter-examples of similar, but permitted, subjects.

] is not an official policy, but can be referred to as a record of what has and has not been considered encyclopedic in the past.


==See also== ==See also==
* ]—a list of templates that can be used to tag potentially inappropriate content when you can't fix the problem immediately yourself
* ]
* ]
* ] * ]
* ] * ]
* ] * ]
* ] * ]
* ] * ]
* ] * ]
* ] for a more humorous version

==Notes==
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{{reflist|group=lower-alpha}}


] {{Misplaced Pages principles}}
{{Misplaced Pages policies and guidelines}}


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Latest revision as of 02:58, 23 December 2024

Misplaced Pages policy about what is not acceptable in the online encyclopedia "WP:NOT" and "WP:!" redirect here. For other uses of "WP:NOT", see Misplaced Pages:Not (disambiguation). For other uses of ! in Misplaced Pages jargon, see Misplaced Pages:Glossary. For the Department of Fun, see WP:¡.
This page documents an English Misplaced Pages policy.It describes a widely accepted standard that editors should normally follow, though exceptions may apply. Changes made to it should reflect consensus.Shortcuts
This page in a nutshell:
  1. Misplaced Pages is an encyclopedia, a summary-style reference work that does not aim to contain all the information, data or expression known on every subject.
  2. Although anyone can be an editor, Misplaced Pages's community processes and standards do not make it an anarchy, democracy, or bureaucracy.
  3. Misplaced Pages is not a place to promote things or publish your thoughts, and is not a website for personal communication, a freely licensed media repository, or a censored publication.
Content policies

Misplaced Pages is a free online encyclopedia. The amount of information on Misplaced Pages is practically unlimited, but Misplaced Pages does not aim to contain all knowledge. What to exclude is determined by an online community committed to building a high-quality encyclopedia. These exclusions are summarized as the things that Misplaced Pages is not.

Style and format

Misplaced Pages is not a paper encyclopedia

Shortcut

Several print volumes of Misplaced Pages. Volume information on the spine shows they are numbers 203 through 207, and range from ARS to ARY.
Print Misplaced Pages

Misplaced Pages is not a paper encyclopedia, but a digital encyclopedia project. Server costs aside, there is no practical limit to the number of topics Misplaced Pages can cover, or the total amount of content.

However, there is an important distinction between what can be done, and what should be done, which is covered under § Encyclopedic content. Consequently, this policy is not a free pass for inclusion: articles must abide by policies, particularly those covered in the five pillars.

Editors should limit individual articles to a reasonable size to keep them accessible (see Misplaced Pages:Article size). Splitting long articles signals a natural growth of a topic (see Misplaced Pages:Summary style). Print encyclopedias can cover most topics only in short, static articles, but Misplaced Pages can include more information, provide more external links, and update more quickly.

Encyclopedic content

Shortcuts

Information should not be included solely because it is true or useful. An article should not be a complete presentation of all possible details, but a summary of accepted knowledge regarding its subject. Verifiable and sourced statements should be treated with appropriate weight. Although there are debates about the encyclopedic merits of several classes of entries, consensus is that the following are good examples of what Misplaced Pages is not. The examples under each section are not exhaustive.

Misplaced Pages is not a dictionary

Shortcuts

Main page: Misplaced Pages:Misplaced Pages is not a dictionary
No, it isn't part of Misplaced Pages.

Misplaced Pages is not a dictionary, or a usage or jargon guide. For a wiki that is a dictionary, visit our sister project Wiktionary. Missing dictionary definitions should be contributed there. Misplaced Pages articles are not:

  1. Definitions. Articles should begin with a good definition or description, but articles that contain nothing more than a definition should be expanded with additional encyclopedic content. If they cannot be expanded, Misplaced Pages is not the place for them. In some cases, however, the definition of a word may be an encyclopedic subject, such as the definition of planet.
  2. Dictionary entries. Encyclopedia articles are about a person, or a group, a concept, a place, a thing, an event, etc. In some cases, a word or phrase itself may be an encyclopedic subject, such as Macedonia (terminology) or truthiness. Articles almost always focus on a single definition or usage of the title. Articles about the cultural or mathematical significance of individual numbers are also acceptable.
  3. Usage, slang, or idiom guides. Descriptive articles about languages, dialects, or types of slang (such as Klingon language, Cockney, or Leet) are desirable. Prescriptive guides for prospective speakers of such languages are not. See § Misplaced Pages is not a manual, guidebook, textbook, or scientific journal below. For a wiki that is a collection of textbooks, visit our sister project Wikibooks. Consider transwiki-ing such content there.

Misplaced Pages is not a publisher of original thought

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"WP:FORUM" redirects here. You may be looking for Misplaced Pages:Verifiability § Self-published sources, Misplaced Pages:Forum shopping or Misplaced Pages:Village pump.
Editors will try to answer relevant questions on talk and Misplaced Pages pages, but they are not here to fix your broken toaster.

Misplaced Pages is not a place to publish your own thoughts and analyses or new information. Per the policy on original research, do not use Misplaced Pages for any of the following:

  1. Primary (original) research, such as proposing theories and solutions, communicating original ideas, offering novel definitions of terms, coining new words, etc. If you have completed primary research on a topic, your results should be published in other venues, such as peer-reviewed journals, other printed forms, open research, or respected online publications. Misplaced Pages can report your work after it is published and becomes part of accepted knowledge; however, citations of reliable sources are needed to demonstrate that such material is verifiable, and not merely the editor's opinion.
  2. Personal inventions. If you or a friend invented a drinking game, a new type of dance move, or even the word frindle, it is not notable enough to be given an article until multiple, independent, and reliable secondary sources report on it. And Misplaced Pages is certainly not for things made up one day.
  3. ShortcutPersonal essays that state your feelings about a topic (rather than the opinions of experts). Although Misplaced Pages is supposed to compile human knowledge, it is not a vehicle to make personal opinions become part of such knowledge. In the unusual situation where the opinions of an individual are important enough to discuss, let other people write about them. (Personal essays on Misplaced Pages-related topics are welcome in your user namespace or on the Meta-wiki.)
  4. ShortcutDiscussion forums. Stay on the task of creating an encyclopedia. You can chat with people about Misplaced Pages-related topics on their user talk pages, and should resolve problems with articles on the relevant talk pages, but do not take discussion into articles. In addition, bear in mind that article talk pages exist solely to discuss how to improve articles; they are not for general discussion about the subject of the article, nor are they a help desk for obtaining instructions or technical assistance. Material unsuitable for talk pages may be subject to removal per the talk page guidelines. If you wish to ask a specific question on a topic, Misplaced Pages has a Reference desk; questions should be asked there rather than on talk pages. However, these should be used for questions of reasonable academic interest; Misplaced Pages does not serve as a technical help line or customer support for products or companies that have articles.

Misplaced Pages is not a soapbox or means of promotion

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"WP:PROMOTION" redirects here. For other pages about advertising and promotion, see Misplaced Pages:Advertising. "WP:SOAP" redirects here. For the Soap Operas WikiProject, see Misplaced Pages:WikiProject Soap Operas.

Misplaced Pages is not a soapbox, a battleground, or a vehicle for propaganda, advertising, and showcasing. This applies to usernames, articles, drafts, categories, files, talk page discussions, templates, and user pages. Therefore, content hosted on Misplaced Pages is not for:

  1. ShortcutAdvocacy, propaganda, or recruitment of any kind: commercial, political, scientific, religious, national, sports-related, or otherwise. An article can report objectively about such things, as long as an attempt is made to describe the topic from a neutral point of view. You might wish to start a blog or visit a forum if you want to convince people of the merits of your opinions.
  2. ShortcutOpinion pieces. Although some topics, particularly those concerning current affairs and politics, may stir passions and tempt people to "climb soapboxes", Misplaced Pages is not the medium for this. Articles must be balanced to put entries, especially for current events, in a reasonable perspective, and represent a neutral point of view. Furthermore, Misplaced Pages authors should strive to write articles that will not quickly become obsolete. Misplaced Pages's sister project Wikinews, however, has "opinion" pages allowing commentary on articles.
  3. ShortcutScandalmongering, promoting things "heard through the grapevine" or gossiping. Articles and content about living people are required to meet an especially high standard, as they may otherwise be libellous or infringe the subjects' right to privacy. Articles must not be written purely to attack the reputation of another person.
  4. Self-promotion. It can be tempting to write about yourself or projects in which you have a strong personal involvement. However, remember that the standards for encyclopedic articles apply to such pages just like any other. This includes the requirement to maintain a neutral point of view, which can be difficult when writing about yourself or about projects close to you. Creating overly abundant links and references to autobiographical sources, such as your résumé or curriculum vitae, is unacceptable. See Misplaced Pages:Autobiography, Misplaced Pages:Notability and Misplaced Pages:Conflict of interest.
  5. ShortcutsAdvertising, marketing, publicity, or public relations. Information about companies and products must be written in an objective and unbiased style, free of puffery. All article topics must be verifiable with independent, third-party sources, so articles about very small garage bands or local companies are typically unacceptable. Misplaced Pages articles about a person, company, or organization are not an extension of their website, press releases, or other social media marketing efforts. External links to commercial organizations are acceptable if they identify notable organizations which are the topic of the article. Misplaced Pages neither endorses organizations nor runs affiliate programs. See also Misplaced Pages:Notability (organizations and companies) for guidelines on corporate notability. Those promoting causes or events, or issuing public service announcements, even if noncommercial, should use a forum other than Misplaced Pages to do so. Contributors must disclose any payments they receive for editing Misplaced Pages. See also Misplaced Pages:Conflict of interest § Paid editing.

Non-disruptive statements of opinion on internal Misplaced Pages policies and guidelines may be made on user pages and within the Misplaced Pages: namespace, as they are relevant to the current and future operation of the project. However, article talk pages should not be used by editors as platforms for their personal views on a subject (see Misplaced Pages:Talk page guidelines).

Misplaced Pages is not a mirror or a repository of links, images, or media files

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Misplaced Pages is neither a mirror nor a repository of links, images, or media files. Misplaced Pages articles are not merely collections of:

  1. External links or Internet directories. There is nothing wrong with adding relevant, useful links to the external links section of an article; however, excessive lists can dwarf articles and detract from the purpose of Misplaced Pages. On articles about topics with many fansites, for example, including a link to one major fansite may be appropriate. See Misplaced Pages:External links for some guidelines.
  2. Internal links, except for disambiguation pages when an article title is ambiguous, and for lists for browsing or to assist with article organization and navigation; for these, please follow relevant guidance at Misplaced Pages:Manual of Style/Lists, Misplaced Pages:Stand-alone lists.
  3. Public domain or other source material such as entire books or source code, original historical documents, letters, laws, proclamations, and other source material that are useful only when presented with their original, unmodified wording. Complete copies of primary sources may go into Wikisource, but not on Misplaced Pages. Public domain resources such as the 1911 Encyclopædia Britannica may be used to add content to an article (see Plagiarism guideline: Public-domain sources for guidelines on doing so). See also Misplaced Pages:Do not include the full text of lengthy primary sources and Wikisource's inclusion policy.
  4. Photographs or media files with no accompanying text. If you are interested in presenting a picture, please provide an encyclopedic context, or consider adding it to Wikimedia Commons. If a picture comes from a public domain source on a website, then consider adding it to Misplaced Pages:Images with missing articles or Misplaced Pages:Public domain image resources. Misplaced Pages articles are not a repository of images: image use in Misplaced Pages articles must comply with MOS:IMAGEREL.

Misplaced Pages is not a blog, web hosting service, social networking service, or memorial site

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"WP:MEMORIAL" and "WP:HOST" redirect here. For a list of deceased Wikipedians, see Misplaced Pages:Deceased Wikipedians. For ownership of content, see Misplaced Pages:Ownership of content. "WP:NOTFANDOM" and "WP:NOTWIKIA" redirect here. For the essay explaining that Misplaced Pages is not Fandom, see Misplaced Pages:Misplaced Pages is not Fandom.

Misplaced Pages is not a social networking service like Facebook, Twitter, YouTube or Instagram, nor a social-network game. It is not a place to host your own website, blog, wiki, résumé, or cloud. Misplaced Pages pages, including those in user space, are not:

  1. ShortcutsPersonal web pages. Wikipedians have individual user pages, but they should be used primarily to present information relevant to work on the encyclopedia. Limited autobiographical information is allowed, but user pages do not serve as personal webpages, blogs, or repositories for large amounts of material irrelevant to collaborating on Misplaced Pages. If you want to post your résumé or make a personal webpage, please use one of the many free providers on the Internet or any hosting included with your Internet service provider. The focus of user pages should not be social networking or amusement, but rather providing a foundation for effective collaboration. Humorous pages that refer to Misplaced Pages in some way may be created in an appropriate namespace. Personal web pages are often speedily deleted under criterion U5. Misplaced Pages articles use formal English and are not written in Internet posting style.
  2. ShortcutFile storage areas. Please upload only files that are used (or could be used) in encyclopedia articles or project pages; anything else (e.g., personal photos) will be deleted. Ideally, freely licensed files should be uploaded to Wikimedia Commons, where they can be linked from Misplaced Pages.
  3. ShortcutDating services. Misplaced Pages is not an appropriate place to pursue relationships or sexual encounters. User pages that move beyond broad expressions of sexual orientation are unacceptable.
  4. ShortcutMemorials. Subjects of encyclopedia articles must satisfy Misplaced Pages's notability requirements. Misplaced Pages is not the place to memorialize deceased friends, relatives, acquaintances, or others who do not meet such requirements. (WP:RIP is excluded from this rule.)
  5. Content for projects unrelated to Misplaced Pages. Do not store material unrelated to Misplaced Pages, including in userspace. Please see WP:UPNOT for examples of what may not be included.

If you are interested in using the wiki technology for a collaborative effort on something else, even just a single page, many free and commercial sites provide wiki/web hosting (e.g. Fandom and Google Sites). You can also install wiki software on your own server. See the installation guide at MediaWiki.org for information on doing this.

You do not own your userpage. It is a part of Misplaced Pages, and exists to make collaboration among Wikipedians easier, not for self-promotion.

Misplaced Pages is not a directory

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"WP:DIRECTORY" and "WP:NOTSALE" redirect here. For a listing of Misplaced Pages's directories and indexes, see Misplaced Pages:Directory. For "adminship is not for sale" essay, see WP:ANOT § SALE. See also: Misplaced Pages:Manual of Style/Lists and Misplaced Pages:Stand-alone lists
Nuh-uh

Misplaced Pages encompasses many lists of links to articles within Misplaced Pages that are used for internal organization or to describe a notable subject. In that sense, Misplaced Pages functions as an index or directory of its own content. However, Misplaced Pages is not a directory of everything in the universe that exists or has existed. Please see Misplaced Pages:Alternative outlets for alternatives. Misplaced Pages articles are not:

  1. Simple listings without contextual information showing encyclopedic merit. Listings such as the white or yellow pages should not be replicated. See WP:LISTCRITERIA for more information.
  2. Lists or repositories of loosely associated topics such as (but not limited to) quotations, aphorisms, or persons (real or fictional). If you want to enter lists of quotations, put them into our sister project Wikiquote. Of course, there is nothing wrong with having lists if their entries are relevant because they are associated with or significantly contribute to the list topic. Misplaced Pages also includes reference tables and tabular information for quick reference. Merged groups of small articles based on a core topic are permitted. (See Misplaced Pages:Stand-alone lists § Appropriate topics for lists for clarification.)
  3. ShortcutNon-encyclopedic cross-categorizations, such as "people from ethnic / cultural / religious group X employed by organization Y" or "restaurants specializing in food type X in city Y". Cross-categories such as these are not considered a sufficient basis for creating an article, unless the intersection of those categories is in some way a culturally significant phenomenon. See also Misplaced Pages:Overcategorization for this issue in categories.
  4. ShortcutGenealogical entries. Family histories should be presented only where appropriate to support the reader's understanding of a notable topic.
  5. ShortcutElectronic program guides. An article on a broadcaster should not list upcoming events, current promotions, current schedules, format clocks, etc., although mention of major events, promotions or historically significant program lists and schedules may be acceptable.
  6. ShortcutA resource for conducting business. Neither articles nor their associated talk pages are for conducting the business of the topic of the article. Listings to be avoided include, but are not limited to: business alliances, clients, competitors, employees (except CEOs, supervisory directors and similar top functionaries), equipment, estates, offices, store locations, contact information, patent filings, products and services, sponsors, subdivisions and tourist attractions. An article should not include product pricing or availability information (which can vary widely with time and location) unless there is an independent source and encyclopedic significance for the mention, which may be indicated by mainstream media sources or books (not just product reviews) providing commentary on these details instead of just passing mention. Misplaced Pages is not a price comparison service to compare prices and availability of competing products or a single product from different vendors. Lists of creative works are permitted. Thus, for example, Misplaced Pages should not include a list of all books published by HarperCollins, but may include a bibliography of books written by HarperCollins author Veronica Roth.

Misplaced Pages is not a manual, guidebook, textbook, or scientific journal

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Antique book cover: Tested Crisco Recipes
It's a cookbook! (But Misplaced Pages is not)

Misplaced Pages is an encyclopedic reference, not an instruction manual, guidebook, or textbook. Misplaced Pages articles should not read like:

  1. Instruction manuals and cookbooks: while Misplaced Pages has descriptions of people, places and things, an article should not read like a "how-to" style owner's manual, cookbook, advice column (legal, medical or otherwise) or suggestion box. This includes tutorials, instruction manuals, game guides, and recipes. Describing to the reader how people or things use or do something is encyclopedic; instructing the reader in the imperative mood about how to use or do something is not. Wording can easily be modified to avoid advising the reader: Do not give aspirin ... ⇒ The WHO advises against the use of aspirin .... Such guides may be welcome at Wikibooks instead.
  2. Travel guides: an article on Paris should mention landmarks, such as the Eiffel Tower and the Louvre, but not the telephone numbers or street addresses of the "best" restaurants, nor the current price of a café au lait on the Champs-Élysées. Misplaced Pages is not the place to recreate content more suited to entries in hotel or culinary guides, travelogues, and the like. Notable locations may meet the inclusion criteria, but the resulting articles need not include every tourist attraction, restaurant, hotel or venue, etc. While travel guides for a city will often mention distant attractions, a Misplaced Pages article for a city should list only those that are actually in the city. If you do wish to help write a travel guide, your contributions would be more than welcome at our sister project, Wikivoyage.
  3. Strategy guides: an article about a video game should briefly summarize the story and the main actions the player performs in the game. Avoid lists of gameplay concepts and items unless these are notable as discussed in secondary sources in their own right in gaming context (such as the BFG from the Doom series). A concise summary of gameplay details (specific point values, achievements, time-limits, levels, types of enemies, etc.) is appropriate if it is essential to understanding the game or its significance in the industry, but walk-throughs and detailed coverage are not. See also WP:WAF and WP:VGSCOPE. As of a 2021 decision to start allowing them, such guides may be welcome at Wikibooks instead.
  4. Internet guides: Misplaced Pages articles should not exist only to describe the nature, appearance or services a website offers, but should also describe the site in an encyclopedic manner, offering detail on a website's achievements, impact or historical significance, which can be kept significantly more up-to-date than most reference sources, since editors can incorporate new developments and facts as they are made known. See the Current events portal for examples.
  5. FAQs: Misplaced Pages articles should not list frequently asked questions (FAQs). Instead, format the information as neutral prose within the appropriate article(s).
  6. Textbooks and annotated texts: the purpose of Misplaced Pages is to summarize accepted knowledge, not to teach subject matter. Articles should not read like textbooks, with leading questions and systematic problem solutions as examples. These belong on our sister projects, such as Wikibooks, Wikisource, and Wikiversity. However, examples intended to inform rather than to instruct, may be appropriate for inclusion in Misplaced Pages articles.
  7. Scientific journals: a Misplaced Pages article should not be presented on the assumption that the reader is well-versed in the topic's field. Article titles should reflect common usage, not academic terminology, whenever possible. Introductory language in the lead (and sometimes the initial sections) of the article should be written in plain terms and concepts that can be understood by any literate reader of Misplaced Pages without any knowledge in the given field before advancing to more detailed explanations of the topic. While wikilinks should be provided for advanced terms and concepts in that field, articles should be written on the assumption that the reader will not or cannot follow these links, instead attempting to infer their meaning from the text. See Misplaced Pages:Manual of Style/Linking. Publishing such scientific articles may be more appropriate for WikiJournal in Wikiversity.
  8. Case studies: many topics are based on the relationship of factor X to factor Y, resulting in one or more full articles. For example, this could refer to situation X in location Y, or version X of item Y. This is perfectly acceptable when the two variables put together represent some culturally significant phenomenon or some otherwise notable interest. Often, separate articles are needed for a subject within a range of different countries, due to substantial differences across international borders; articles such as "Slate industry in Wales" are fitting examples. Writing about "Oak trees in North Carolina" or "Blue trucks", however, would likely constitute a POV fork or original research, and would certainly not result in an encyclopedic article.

Misplaced Pages is not a crystal ball

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"WP:FUTURE" redirects here. For the WikiProject, see Misplaced Pages:WikiProject Futures studies.
Antique carnival poster: "Alexander Crystal-Seer: Knows, Sees, Tells All"
... but Misplaced Pages does not.

Misplaced Pages is not a collection of unverifiable speculation, rumors, or presumptions. Misplaced Pages does not predict the future. All articles about anticipated events must be verifiable, and the subject matter must be of sufficiently wide interest that it would merit an article if the event had already occurred. It is appropriate to report discussion and arguments about the prospects for success of future proposals and projects or whether some development will occur, if discussion is properly referenced. It is not appropriate for editors to insert their own opinions or analyses. Predictions, speculation, forecasts and theories stated by reliable, expert sources or recognized entities in a field may be included, though editors should be aware of creating undue bias to any specific point of view. In forward-looking articles about unreleased products, such as films and games, take special care to avoid advertising and unverified claims (for films, see WP:NFF). In particular:

  1. Individual scheduled or expected future events should be included only if the event is notable and almost certain to take place. Dates are not definite until the event actually takes place, as even otherwise-notable events can be cancelled or postponed at the last minute by a major incident. If preparation for the event is not already in progress, speculation about it must be well documented. Examples of appropriate topics include the 2028 U.S. presidential election and 2032 Summer Olympics. By comparison, the 2044 U.S. presidential election and 2048 Summer Olympics are not appropriate article topics if nothing can be said about them that is verifiable and not original research. Avoid predicted sports team line-ups, which are inherently unverifiable and speculative. A schedule of future events may be appropriate if it can be verified. As an exception, even highly speculative articles about events that may or may not occur far in the future might be appropriate, where coverage in reliable sources is sufficient. For example, the ultimate fate of the universe is an acceptable topic.
  2. Individual items from a predetermined list or a systematic pattern of names, pre-assigned to future events or discoveries, are not suitable article topics, if only generic information is known about the item. Lists of tropical cyclone names is encyclopedic; "Tropical Storm Arthur (2026)" is not, even though it is virtually certain that such a storm will occur. Similarly, articles about words formed on a predictable numeric system (such as "septenquinquagintillion") are not encyclopedic unless they are defined on good authority, or genuinely in use. Certain scientific extrapolations are considered to be encyclopedic, such as chemical elements documented before isolation in the laboratory, provided that scientists have made significant non-trivial predictions of their properties.
  3. Articles that present original research in the form of extrapolation, speculation, and "future history" are inappropriate. Although scientific and cultural norms continually evolve, we must wait for this evolution to happen, rather than try to predict it. Of course, we do and should have articles about notable artistic works, essays, or credible research that embody predictions. An article on weapons in Star Trek is appropriate; an article on "Weapons to be used in World War III" is not.
  4. Although currently accepted scientific paradigms may later be rejected, and hypotheses previously held to be controversial or incorrect sometimes become accepted by the scientific community, it is not the place of Misplaced Pages to venture such projections.
  5. Misplaced Pages is not a collection of product announcements and rumors. Although Misplaced Pages includes up-to-date knowledge about newly revealed products, short articles that consist of only product announcement information and rumors are not appropriate. Until such time that more encyclopedic knowledge about the product can be verified, product announcements should be merged to a larger topic (such as an article about the creator(s), a series of products, or a previous product) if applicable.

Misplaced Pages is not a newspaper

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See also: Misplaced Pages:Notability (events), Misplaced Pages:Too much detail, and Misplaced Pages:Misplaced Pages is not a newspaper
Extra! Extra! Misplaced Pages is not a newspaper!

In principle, all Misplaced Pages articles should contain up-to-date information. Editors are also encouraged to develop stand-alone articles on significant current events. However, not all verifiable events are suitable for inclusion in Misplaced Pages. Even when citing recent news articles as sources, ensure the Misplaced Pages articles themselves are not:

  1. Original reporting. Misplaced Pages should not offer first-hand news reports on breaking stories. Misplaced Pages does not constitute a primary source. However, our sister projects Wikisource and Wikinews do exactly that, and are intended to be primary sources. Misplaced Pages does have many encyclopedia articles on topics of historical significance that are currently in the news, and can be updated with recently verified information.
  2. News reports. Misplaced Pages considers the enduring notability of persons and events. While news coverage can be useful source material for encyclopedic topics, most newsworthy events do not qualify for inclusion and Misplaced Pages is not written in news style. For example, routine news coverage of announcements, events, sports, or celebrities, while sometimes useful, is not by itself a sufficient basis for inclusion of the subject of that coverage (see WP:ROUTINE for more on this with regard to routine events). Also, while including information on recent developments is sometimes appropriate, breaking news should not be emphasized or otherwise treated differently from other information. Timely news subjects not suitable for Misplaced Pages may be suitable for our sister project Wikinews.
  3. ShortcutWho's who. Even when an event is notable, individuals involved in it may not be. Unless news coverage of an individual goes beyond the context of a single event, our coverage of that individual should be limited to the article about that event, in proportion to their importance to the overall topic. (See Misplaced Pages:Biographies of living persons for more details.)
  4. ShortcutsCelebrity gossip and diaries. Even when an individual is notable, not all events they are involved in are. For example, news reporting about celebrities and sports figures can be very frequent and cover a lot of trivia, but using all these sources would lead to overly detailed articles that look like a diary. Not every facet of a celebrity's life, personal details, matches played, or goals scored warrants inclusion in the biography of that person, only those for which they have notability or for which our readers are reasonably likely to have an interest.
  5. ShortcutUptime tracking. Services go down all the time. Readers are not expected to check Misplaced Pages articles to verify service outages. For web services, readers have ample automatic options for that purpose. For meatspace services, readers should be reaching out to the people who manage the service. Accordingly, editors should not manually edit service status updates into articles as if the articles are used for that purpose. Major outages may be notable on a case-by-case basis, especially when they have a notable cause, but the vast majority of outages simply are not notable.

Misplaced Pages is not an indiscriminate collection of information

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"WP:PLOT" redirects here. For information regarding plot summary manuals of style, see MOS:PLOT. "WP:INDISCRIMINATE" redirects here. For indiscriminate sources, see WP:Indiscriminate sources. See also: Misplaced Pages:Notability and Misplaced Pages:Manual of Style/Trivia sections

To provide encyclopedic value, data should be put in context with explanations referenced to independent sources. As explained in § Encyclopedic content above, merely being true, or even verifiable, does not automatically make something suitable for inclusion in the encyclopedia. Misplaced Pages articles should not be:

  1. ShortcutSummary-only descriptions of works. Misplaced Pages treats creative works (including, for example, works of art or fiction, video games, documentaries, research books or papers, and religious texts) in an encyclopedic manner, discussing the development, design, reception, significance, and influence of works in addition to concise summaries of those works. For more information regarding summaries, see Misplaced Pages:Manual of Style/Writing about fiction § Contextual presentation.
  2. ShortcutLyrics databases. An article about a song should provide information about authorship, date of publication, social impact, and so on. Quotations from a song should be kept to a reasonable length relative to the rest of the article, and used to facilitate discussion, or to illustrate the style; the full text can be put on Wikisource and linked from the article. Most song lyrics published after 1929 are protected by copyright; any quotation of them must be kept to a minimum, and used for direct commentary or to illustrate some aspect of style. Never link to the lyrics of copyrighted songs unless the linked-to site clearly has the right to distribute the work. See Misplaced Pages:Do not include the full text of lengthy primary sources for full discussion.
  3. ShortcutExcessive listings of unexplained statistics. Statistics that lack context or explanation can reduce readability and may be confusing; accordingly, statistics should be placed in tables to enhance readability, and articles with statistics should include explanatory text providing context. Where statistics are so lengthy as to impede the readability of the article, the statistics can be split into a separate article and summarized in the main article (e.g., statistics from the main article 2012 United States presidential election were moved to a related article Nationwide opinion polling for the 2012 United States presidential election). Misplaced Pages:Notability § Stand-alone lists offers more guidance on what kind of lists are acceptable, and Misplaced Pages:Stand-alone lists § Selection criteria offers guidance on what entries should be included.
  4. ShortcutExhaustive logs of software updates. Use reliable third-party (not self-published or official) sources in articles dealing with software updates to describe the versions listed or discussed in the article. Common sense must be applied regarding the level of detail to include. A list of every version/beta/patch is inappropriate. Consider a summary of development instead.

Misplaced Pages is not censored

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"WP:REDACTION" redirects here. For the criteria for redaction, see WP:CRD. Main page: Misplaced Pages:Content disclaimer See also: Censorship of Misplaced Pages, Misplaced Pages:Offensive material, and wmf:Resolution:Controversial content

Misplaced Pages may contain content that some readers consider objectionable or offensive‍—‌even exceedingly so. Attempting to ensure that articles and images will be acceptable to all readers, or will adhere to general social or religious norms, is incompatible with the purposes of an encyclopedia.

Content will be removed if it is judged to violate Misplaced Pages's policies (especially those on biographies of living persons and using a neutral point of view) or the law of the United States (where Misplaced Pages is hosted). However, because most edits are displayed immediately, inappropriate material may be visible to readers, for a time, before being detected and removed.

Options to hide an image

Some articles may include images, text, or links which are relevant to the topic but that some people find objectionable. Discussion of potentially objectionable content should usually focus not on its potential offensiveness but on whether it is an appropriate image, text, or link. Beyond that, "being objectionable" is generally not sufficient grounds for the removal of content. The Misplaced Pages:Offensive material guideline can help assess appropriate actions to take in the case of content that may be considered offensive.

Some organizations' rules or traditions call for secrecy with regard to certain information about them. Such restrictions do not apply to Misplaced Pages, because Misplaced Pages is not a member of those organizations; thus, Misplaced Pages will not remove such information from articles if it is otherwise encyclopedic.

“ The University is not engaged in making ideas safe for students. It is engaged in making students safe for ideas. Thus it permits the freest expression of views before students, trusting to their good sense in passing judgment on these views. ”
— Clark Kerr, President of the University of California (1961)

Community

The above policies are about Misplaced Pages's content. The following relate to Misplaced Pages's governance and processes.

Misplaced Pages is not an anarchy or a forum for free speech

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"WP:ANARCHY" redirects here. For WikiProject Anarchism, see Misplaced Pages:WikiProject Anarchism. See also: m:Power structure, WP:User access levels, and WP:Enforcement Main page: Misplaced Pages:Administration
Misplaced Pages is En­cy­clo­pe­dists' Corner, not Speakers' Corner.

Misplaced Pages is free and open, but restricts both freedom and openness where they interfere with creating an encyclopedia. Accordingly, Misplaced Pages is not an unregulated forum for free speech. The fact that Misplaced Pages is an open, self-governing project does not mean that any part of its purpose is to explore the viability of anarchist communities. Our purpose is to build an encyclopedia, not to test the limits of anarchism.

Misplaced Pages is not a democracy

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"WP:DEMOCRACY" redirects here. For Misplaced Pages's democratic structures, see WP:WikiProject Democracy. See also: Misplaced Pages:Polling is not a substitute for discussion and Misplaced Pages:Elections
A ballot box. Note that most Misplaced Pages decisions are not a result of a vote.

Misplaced Pages is not an experiment in democracy or any other political system. Its primary (though not exclusive) means of decision making and conflict resolution is editing and discussion leading to consensus—not voting. (Voting is used for certain matters such as electing the Arbitration Committee.) Straw polls are sometimes used to test for consensus, but polls or surveys can impede, rather than foster, discussion and should be used with caution.

Off-site petitions and votes have no weight in the formation of consensus on Misplaced Pages.

Misplaced Pages is not a bureaucracy

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"WP:BURO" and "WP:BUREAU" redirect here. For the "bureaucrat" user access level, see Misplaced Pages:Bureaucrats. See also: Misplaced Pages:Ignore all rules
Non-article pages outnumber articles by nearly 10:1.

While Misplaced Pages has many elements of a bureaucracy, it is not governed by statute: it is not a quasi-judicial body, and rules are not the purpose of the community. Although some rules may be enforced, the written rules themselves do not set accepted practice. Rather, they document already-existing community consensus regarding what should be accepted and what should be rejected.

While Misplaced Pages's written policies and guidelines should be taken seriously, they can be misused. Do not follow an overly strict interpretation of the letter of policies without considering their principles. If the rules truly prevent you from improving the encyclopedia, ignore them. Disagreements are resolved through consensus-based discussion, not by tightly sticking to rules and procedures. Furthermore, policies and guidelines themselves may be changed to reflect evolving consensus.

A procedural error made in a proposal or request is not grounds for rejecting that proposal or request.

A procedural, coding, or grammatical error in a new contribution is not grounds for reverting it, unless the error cannot easily be fixed.

Misplaced Pages is not a laboratory

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Research about Misplaced Pages's content, processes, and the people involved can provide valuable insights and understanding that benefit public knowledge, scholarship, and the Misplaced Pages community, but Misplaced Pages is not a public laboratory. Research that analyzes articles, talk pages, or other content on Misplaced Pages is not typically controversial, since all of Misplaced Pages is open and freely usable. However, research projects that are disruptive to the community or which negatively affect articles—even temporarily—are not allowed and can result in loss of editing privileges. Before starting a potentially controversial project, researchers should open discussion at the Village pump to ensure it will not interfere with Misplaced Pages's mission. Regardless of the type of project, researchers are advised to be as transparent as possible on their user pages, disclosing information such as institutional connections and intentions.

Some editors explicitly request not to be subjects in research and experiments. Please respect the wish of editors to opt out of research.

Misplaced Pages is not a battleground

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See also: Misplaced Pages:Misplaced Pages is not about winning and Misplaced Pages:Behave

Misplaced Pages is not a place to hold grudges or import personal conflicts, nor is it the place to carry on ideological battles or nurture prejudice, hatred, or fear. Making personal battles out of Misplaced Pages discussions is in direct conflict of Misplaced Pages's policies and goals, as well as Misplaced Pages's founding principles. In addition to avoiding battles in discussions, you should also avoid advancing your position in disagreements by making unilateral changes to policies. Do not disrupt Misplaced Pages to illustrate a point.

Every user is expected to interact with others civilly, calmly, and in a spirit of cooperation. Do not insult, harass, or intimidate those with whom you have a disagreement. Rather, approach the matter intelligently and engage in polite discussion. If another user behaves in an uncivil, uncooperative, or insulting manner, or even tries to harass or intimidate you, this does not give you an excuse to respond in kind. Address only the factual points brought forward, ignoring the inappropriate comments, or disregard that user entirely. If necessary, point out gently that you think the comments might be considered uncivil, and make it clear that you want to move on and focus on the content issue. If a conflict continues to bother you, take advantage of Misplaced Pages's dispute resolution process. There are always users willing to mediate and arbitrate disputes between others.

In large disputes, resist the urge to turn Misplaced Pages into a battleground between factions. Assume good faith that every editor and group is here to improve Misplaced Pages—especially if they hold a point of view with which you disagree. Work with whomever you like, but do not organize a faction that disrupts (or aims to disrupt) Misplaced Pages's fundamental decision-making process, which is based on building a consensus. Editors in large disputes should work in good faith to find broad principles of agreement between different viewpoints.

Do not use Misplaced Pages to make legal or other threats against Misplaced Pages, its editors, or the Wikimedia Foundation—other means already exist to communicate legal problems. Threats are not tolerated and may result in a ban.

Misplaced Pages is not compulsory

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"WP:NOTREQUIRED" redirects here. For "References are not optional" essay, see WP:OPTIONAL. See also: Misplaced Pages:Misplaced Pages is a volunteer service

Misplaced Pages is a volunteer community and does not require Wikipedians to give any more time and effort than they wish. Focus on improving the encyclopedia itself, rather than demanding more from other Wikipedians. Editors are free to take a break or leave Misplaced Pages at any time.

And finally…

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Misplaced Pages is not a lot of other things as well. We cannot anticipate every "bad" idea that someone might have. Almost everything on this page is here because somebody came up with a "bad" idea that had not been anticipated. In general, "that is a terrible idea" is always sufficient grounds to avoid doing something when there is a good reason that the idea is terrible.

When you wonder what to do

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When you wonder what should or should not be in an article, ask yourself what a reader would expect to find under the same heading in an encyclopedia.

When you wonder whether the rules given above are being violated, consider:

  1. Modifying the content of an article (normal editing).
  2. Turning the page into a redirect, preserving the page history.
  3. Nominating the page for deletion if it meets grounds for such action under the Deletion policy. To develop an understanding of what kinds of contributions are in danger of being deleted, you have to regularly follow discussions there.
  4. Changing the rules on this page after a consensus has been reached following appropriate discussion with other Wikipedians via the talk page. When adding new options, please be as clear as possible and provide counter-examples of similar, but permitted, subjects.

Misplaced Pages:Articles for deletion/Common outcomes is not an official policy, but can be referred to as a record of what has and has not been considered encyclopedic in the past.

See also

Notes

  1. See Misplaced Pages:Requests for arbitration/Rex071404 § Final decision, which suggested a similar principle in November 2004.
  2. Misplaced Pages article pages (and various navigational pages: categories, navboxes, disambiguation pages, etc.) are off limits for any advocacy. Talk pages, user pages and essays are venues where you can advocate your opinions provided that they are directly related to the improvement of Misplaced Pages and are not disruptive.
  3. The English Misplaced Pages incorporates many images and some text which are considered "fair use" into its free content articles. Other language Wikipedias often do not. See also Misplaced Pages:Copyrights.
  4. The how-to restriction does not apply to the project namespace, where "how-to"s relevant to editing Misplaced Pages itself are appropriate, such as Misplaced Pages:How to draw a diagram with Dia.
  5. "Former UC President Clark Kerr, a national leader in higher education, dies at 92" (Press release). UC Berkeley. December 2, 2003. Retrieved August 5, 2021.
  6. Joseph Michael Reagle, Jr.; Lawrence Lessig (2010). Good Faith Collaboration: The Culture of Misplaced Pages. MIT Press. pp. 90–91. ISBN 9780262014472.
  7. See list of academic studies of Misplaced Pages, Research resources at Wikimedia Meta, the Meta research newsletter, and the Wikimedia Foundation research blog.
  8. Projects that are "potentially controversial" include, but are not limited to, any project that involves directly changing article content (contributors are expected to have as their primary motivation the betterment of the encyclopedia, without a competing motivation such as research objectives), any project that involves contacting a very large number of editors, and any project that involves asking sensitive questions about their real-life identities.
  9. See also Researching Misplaced Pages, Ethically researching Misplaced Pages, as well as the conflict of interest guideline and paid-contribution disclosure policy (if researchers editing Misplaced Pages are being paid under grants to do so, this is paid editing that must be disclosed).
  10. If you believe that your legal rights are being violated, you may discuss this with other users involved, take the matter to the appropriate mailing list, contact the Wikimedia Foundation, or in cases of copyright violations, notify us at Misplaced Pages:Contact us/Article problem/Copyright.
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Misplaced Pages principles
   

Five pillars
Statement of our principles

Jimbo's statement
Historic principles

Simplified ruleset
Synopsis of our conventions

Wikimedia principles
Common to all projects
(in Meta-Wiki)

Principles
Other essays on Misplaced Pages's principles

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Conduct (?)
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Editing (?)
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WMF (?)
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