Wikipedia:Da Rulez
(Redirected from Wikipedia:Trifecta/Simple rules draft)
 | This page gives the foundational principles of the policies and guidelines of the English Wikipedia. This page contains everything you need to know before editing. |
 | This page in a nutshell: Be nice, cite your sources, and resolve disputes through discussion. Do that and you won't get in trouble. |
You may have heard Wiki editing is complicated and bureaucratic, with thousands of pages of rules. That's not true; you just need to know three rules before you start editing.
Wikipedia is an encyclopedia created by the community through collaboration. These three characteristics mean three guiding principles. Everything else is just details.
- Cite reliable sources. Wikipedia is an encyclopedia, and should just tell people about stuff (clearly, simply, and honestly). Everything on Wikipedia needs to come from a reliable source with a citation (and archive link) to back it up. That means you can't add stuff you just came up with or your own personal biases. Don't let your head get in the way of the project. (Don't worry about formatting—our built-in reference tool handles that for you.)
- If in doubt, talk it out. Wikipedia is ruled by consensus. If another editor disagrees with you, you should discuss it (calmly) and come to an agreement on the talk page. Be prepared to justify your edits if someone else reverts them. Don't repeat the same edit without discussing. Remember to ask other editors for help if needed (which you can find at the Teahouse). For small disputes, you can look for a third opinion.
- Be kind to others. Wikipedia is a community, and editors should treat each other with respect. Yes, things go wrong sometimes; and yes, the system is crocked up sometimes. But don't be a jerk and don't call others jerks. We're all doing our best.
In addition to the above, there is a super secret bonus rule:
- Ignore all rules. If a rule keeps you from improving Wikipedia, ignore it. Be bold. If you make an honest mistake, we'll let you know, so you can fix it. The only real rule is to use common sense. If you need help, ask at the Teahouse or Help desk.
See also
[edit]- Contributing to Wikipedia – a page that provides information and resources on the basics needed to use, comment on, and contribute to Wikipedia.
- Community standards and advice – a quick directory of community norms and related guidance essays.
- WP:Teahouse – help for new users.
- WP:Trifecta – Seth Ilys's original version inspiring this essay.