View source for Help:Introduction to policies and guidelines/neutrality quiz

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Can you guess which of the following passages comply with Wikipedia's [[Wikipedia:Neutral point of view|Neutral Point of View policy]]?

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'''Michael Phelps''' (born June 30, 1985) is an American former competitive swimmer and the [[list of multiple Olympic medalists|most decorated Olympian of all time]] with a total of 28 medals. He has encountered legal trouble on several occasions. At age 19 in November 2004, he was arrested for [[drunk driving]] in [[Salisbury, Maryland]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240521064922/https://www.cbsnews.com/news/olympic-champ-sentenced-for-dui/ |title=Olympic Champ Sentenced For DUI - CBS News |date=November 8, 2004 |website=CBS News |access-date=May 21, 2024 }}</ref>
In February 2009, a photograph of Phelps using a [[bong]] went viral; this resulted in the loss of the [[Kellogg Company]] as a sponsor and a three-month suspension by [[USA Swimming]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240521072055/https://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/06/sports/othersports/06phelps.html|title=Phelps Disciplines Over Marijuana Pipe Incident|date=February 5, 2009 |website=The New York Times|access-date=May 21, 2024}}</ref> In September 2014, he was arrested again, this time on charges of drunk driving and speeding in [[Baltimore]], Maryland.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240521073259/https://edition.cnn.com/2014/09/30/justice/michael-phelps-dui/index.html |title=Olympic Swimmer Michael Phelps Arrested on DUI Charges |date=September 30, 2014| website=CNN |access-date=May 21, 2024}}</ref>

{{editing exercise
|1=Answer
|2=[[File:No Cross.svg|20px|link=|alt=]] '''Not neutral'''. An article [[WP:BALASP|should not give undue weight to minor aspects]] of its subject. While Phelps has indeed encountered legal trouble on several occasions, it would be inappropriate to devote such a large portion of the opening paragraph of this article to those occasions.
}}

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Extensive investigation into [[vaccines]] and [[autism]] has found no relationship between the two, causal or otherwise, and there is no evidence that vaccine ingredients cause autism.

{{editing exercise
|1=Answer
|2=[[File:Yes Check Circle.svg|20px|link=|alt=]] '''Neutral'''. Wikipedia does not give [[WP:UNDUE|undue]] weight to [[Wikipedia:Fringe theories|fringe theories]] not supported by reliable sources, like the idea that vaccines cause autism. This passage is an appropriate summary of the scholarship on the topic.
}}

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'''Earth''' is the third [[planet]] from the [[Sun]] and the only [[astronomical object]] known to harbor [[life]]. While many people [[Spherical Earth|think that the Earth is spherical]], more and more people are coming to agree [[Modern flat Earth beliefs|that the Earth is actually flat]].

{{editing exercise
|1=Answer
|2=[[File:No Cross.svg|20px|link=|alt=]] '''Not neutral'''. This is an example of [[Wikipedia:FALSEBALANCE|false balance]]. This sentence is true ([[modern flat Earth beliefs]] are indeed growing), but this phrasing is highly misleading as it leads the reader to think that there is substantive disagreement about the shape of the Earth. In reality, [[WP:RS|reliable sources]] have an overwhelming consensus on the shape of the Earth, to the point where the spherical Earth perspective is treated by Wikipedia as fact, and the flat Earth perspective is considered [[WP:FRINGE]], meaning it generally doesn't need to be mentioned.
}}

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The [[New York Yankees]] are the greatest baseball team in history.

{{editing exercise
|1=Answer
|2=[[File:No Cross.svg|20px|link=|alt=]] '''Not neutral'''. Calling something {{!xt|the greatest}} is an example of [[WP:PEACOCK|peacock language]], in this case expressing an opinion that can't be supported by reliable sources. You should show instead of telling, using verifiable facts; it would be much better to instead write {{xt|The [[New York Yankees]] have won 26 [[World Series]] championships — almost three times as many as any other team.}}
}}

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[[William Shakespeare]] is widely considered to be one of the greatest authors in the English language.

{{editing exercise
|1=Answer
|2=[[File:Yes Check Circle.svg|20px|link=|alt=]] '''Neutral'''. This is a proper description of a [[WP:AESTHETIC|reputation]]. Crucially, it is only valid because many reliable sources have actually stated that Shakespeare has this reputation. The phrase {{xt|widely considered}} is important – while it is a fact that he is ''considered'' one of the greatest, it would be an opinion to directly say that he ''is'' one of the greatest.
}}

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''[[Cats (2019 film)|Cats]]'' received negative reviews from critics, who criticized the [[Computer-generated imagery|CGI effects]], plot, and tone, with many calling it one of the worst films of 2019.

{{editing exercise
|1=Answer
|2=[[File:Yes Check Circle.svg|20px|link=|alt=]] '''Neutral'''. Wikipedia describes reputations, indicating the relative prominence of different viewpoints. When reputations are bad, Wikipedia should say so, without employing [[WP:FALSEBALANCE|false balance]].
For example, {{!xt|Critic A reviewed Cats positively, praising X, while critic B reviewed Cats negatively, criticizing Y}} is verifiably true, but still not acceptable as it isn't neutral. Writing that would be [[WP:FALSEBALANCE|false balance]], as it inaccurately summarizes an overwhelmingly negative critical reception as if it were evenly mixed between positive and negative reviews.
}}

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According to [[Simon Wiesenthal]], the [[Holocaust]] was a program of extermination of the Jewish people in Germany, but [[David Irving]] disputes this analysis.

{{editing exercise
|1=Answer
|2=[[File:No Cross.svg|20px|link=|alt=]] '''Not neutral'''. This phrasing puts these ideas side-by-side, presenting the Holocaust as a matter of opinion rather than historical fact. This is not neutral because David Irving's position of Holocaust denial is a [[WP:FRINGE|fringe viewpoint]] that should not be given [[WP:PARITY|equal standing]] with the consensus among respected historians.
When discussing David Irving, a neutral phrasing might look like this: {{xt|The [[Holocaust]] was a program of extermination of the Jewish people in Germany. [[David Irving]] is a [[Holocaust denier]], meaning he holds the false belief that the Holocaust did not occur.}}
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[Example improperly using a synonym for said]

{{editing exercise
|1=Answer
|2=[[File:No Cross.svg|20px|link=|alt=]] '''Not neutral'''. [explanation about [[Wikipedia:Manual_of_Style/Words_to_watch#Synonyms_for_said]]]
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[Example of [[WP:MANDY]]]

{{editing exercise
|1=Answer
|2=[[File:No Cross.svg|20px|link=|alt=]] '''Not neutral'''. [explanation about [[WP:MANDY]]]
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[[Category:Wikipedia quizzes]]

== References ==
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