Wikipedia:Eight simple rules for editing our encyclopedia
It has been suggested that this page be merged with Wikipedia:Ten simple rules for editing Wikipedia. (Discuss) Proposed since 15 February 2024. |
This is an essay. It contains the advice or opinions of one or more Wikipedia contributors. This page is not an encyclopedia article, nor is it one of Wikipedia's policies or guidelines, as it has not been thoroughly vetted by the community. Some essays represent widespread norms; others only represent minority viewpoints. |
This page in a nutshell: A quick overview of some of Wikipedia's most important policies. |
To some, Wikipedia can seem very bureaucratic. There are hundreds of policy and guideline pages, a virtual "alphabet soup" such as
Be certain that you are here to build an encyclopedia
Wikipedia is not the place to host your blog or personal web page, or to promote yourself, your company, your band, etc. If you are here to do only one thing and that one thing is prohibited by policy, guideline, and/or consensus, then this is not the project for you.
Assume good faith
Assume that any other editor you encounter is also "here to build an encyclopedia" unless there is evidence to the contrary. Note that simply disagreeing with you is not "evidence to the contrary".
Keep a neutral point of view
There's not much more to say about this than has already been written in the link above and in various other policy, guideline, and essay pages except that it's our basic editorial policy. In other words, Wikipedia would not be "Wikipedia" without it.
For this project to work, editors have to behave
Ignore all rules
This one is very simple. If a rule would prevent you from improving, or preventing harm to, the encyclopedia, then just ignore it. However, be certain that what you are doing would really improve the encyclopedia and is not just something that you want to do. Be prepared to justify your actions to anybody with a reasonable objection.
Don't hurt your peers
Wikipedia is not a battleground
Wikipedia is not about
No matter how mundane your edits or how right you think you are, there will be times when other editors will object to, revert, and/or otherwise question your edits. In these cases, you must be prepared to discuss and justify your contributions. The role of "Talk page" discussion is so important that the
More information
- Contributing to Wikipedia – a page that provides information and resources on the basics needed to use, comment on, and contribute to Wikipedia.
- List of policies – a comprehensive descriptive list of policies.
- List of guidelines – a comprehensive descriptive list of guidelines.
- Manual of Style contents – a comprehensive descriptive list of the pages which make up the Manual of Style.
- Community standards and advice– a quick directory of community norms and related guidance essays.
- Advice pages – about advice pages written by WikiProjects.
See also
- Wikipedia:Administration
- Wikipedia:Ten Simple Rules for Editing Wikipedia
- Wikipedia:Trifecta