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Wikipedia:Update/1/General style changes during July 2009

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  • Wikipedia:Accessibility
    • Added to lead section: "For assistance with accessibility, see: Help:Accessibility"
    • Expanded WP:ACCESS#Tables from the June 30 version
    • In WP:ACCESS#Data tables, moved some links to the footnotes. Also, added: "It can cause problems if cells that are not in the first row or column contain a colspan/rowspan. If the content of the joined cells does not actually apply to all of the corresponding cells in the first row or column, then the voice browser may incorrectly report the header that applies to those cells."



  • Wikipedia:Avoid peacock terms
    • In the lead section, changed "- In Wikipedia articles, try to avoid peacock terms which merely promote the subject of the article without imparting real information. Examples include describing people as "important", "main" or "among the greatest" in their field without explaining why. Peacock terms often reflect unqualified opinion, and usually do not help establish the significance of a topic. They should be especially avoided in the lead section." to "In Wikipedia articles, forgo unsourced or unexplained peacock terms that merely promote the subject of the article without imparting verifiable information. Examples include describing people as "important", "main" or "among the greatest" in their field without explaining why. When you use these terms, make sure you have sources to support them, and that the reader understands why the person or subject is so regarded."
    • Added to WP:PEACOCK#Words and phrases to watch for: "Their inclusion in this list does not mean they should be avoided, simply that they must be used appropriately." Words added to the list: "leading", "trusted".









  • Wikipedia:Manual of Style (dates and numbers)
    • Added to WP:MOSNUM#Precise language: "For instance, one should not replace "since the start of 2005" by {{as of|2005}} because some information (the start of 2005) would be lost."
    • In WP:MOSNUM#Large numbers, removed "The prefix "giga-" and its symbol G should be limited to computing and scientific contexts."
    • In WP:MOSNUM#Which units to use, added "Generally," [use units consistently]. Also added: "Nominal and defined values should be given in the original units first, even if this makes the article inconsistent: for example, When the Republic of Ireland adopted the metric system, the road speed limit in built-up areas was changed from 30 miles per hour (48 km/h) to 50 kilometres per hour (31 mph). (The focus is on the change of units, not on the 3.6% increase.)"
    • Shortened WP:MOSNUM#Unit conversions from the June 30 version
    • Added to WP:MOSNUM#Conventions:
      • "(When they form a compound adjective, values and spelled out units should be separated by a hyphen.)"
      • "the percent sign [is] unspaced".
      • [When unit symbols are combined by division, use a slash ...] "Exceptions include "mph" for the mile per hour, "psi" for pounds per square inch, etc."
      • [When dimensions are given, values each number [sic] should be followed by a unit] "name or symbol"


  • Wikipedia:Manual of Style (text formatting)
    • In the lead section, changed "This is Wikipedia's style manual for text formatting. Use it for guidance on when to apply various formatting techniques, such as bold, italics and underlining." to "This page provides guidance on when to format text in articles."