Wikipedia:Things to avoid when writing essays
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 | 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. |
Creating and naming essays
[edit]- Avoid titles that are vague or irrelevant to the subject. It's perfectly fine to have a catchy title, as long as it's indicative of the page's subject. Remember, the less descriptive the title is, the less likely users will find and read the essay.
- Examples:
- Wikipedia:Cats are adorable for an essay on BLP violations.
- Wikipedia:Muffins are delicious for an essay on reliable sources.
- Examples:
- Avoid writing redundant essays. Check to see if a subject has been previously covered before writing an essay on it. If a subject is already covered by another essay, consider expanding that essay instead of creating a new one
- Avoid titles that are too long. Keep it short and concise. Titles that are too elaborate make it more difficult to find the essay.
Writing essays
[edit]- Avoid using jargon. Assume that new users will read the essay, and not just experienced ones. Essays are regularly quoted on article talk pages, and it's possible for a newcomer to stumble on one. Avoid using shortcuts within an essay. Instead, write out the full name of the policy or guideline.
- Examples:
- "AGF in NPOV disputes" instead of "assuming good faith in neutrality disputes"
- "articles need RS as per WP:BIO" instead of "articles need reliable sources as per Wikipedia's guidelines on biographies"
- Examples:
- Avoid writing essays that are too personal. Essays should be as general as possible. Don't bring up personal disputes. The project space is not a place for wikidrama.
- Avoid meandering around the topic. Get to the point. Summarize your argument, and articulate it clearly.
After completing an essay
[edit]- Don't cite an essay as a policy or guideline. Essays, unlike policies or guidelines, do not require community consensus. They can represent majority viewpoints, or minority ones. Make it apparent that the page is an essay when linking to it.
- Examples:
- "that argument is not allowed per WP:ATA" instead of "that argument is considered by some editors as an argument to avoid, because of X reason"
- Examples:
- Don't leave an essay orphaned. One of Wikipedia's principles is to "build the web." Essays are to be read by other editors. Add links to an essay in pages on a related topic. Link to an essay in a discussion (but not as a policy or guideline).