Wikipedia talk:Five pillars/icons proposal
| The fundamental principles of Wikipedia may be summarized in five "pillars": | ||
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Wikipedia is an encyclopedia | |
| All information in Wikipedia needs to be verifiable, that is, attributable to reliable, published sources. Wikipedia is not the place to publish original research; articles may not contain any new analysis or conclusion beyond what the individual sources say. Likewise, all content should be encyclopedic. Material that you wouldn't find in an encyclopedia, an almanac, or a gazetteer, is probably inappropriate for Wikipedia (see What Wikipedia is not), although it might be suitable for some of our fellow Wikimedia projects. | ||
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Wikipedia is written from a neutral point of view | |
| All Wikipedia articles must be written from a neutral point of view. Articles must not take sides, but instead should describe—accurately and without bias—all the significant viewpoints on the topic published in reliable sources, giving due weight with respect to their prominence. Argumentation or advocacy does not belong in Wikipedia articles. | ||
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Wikipedia is free content that anyone can use, edit, and distribute | |
| Since all editors freely license their work to the public, no editor owns an article and any contributions can and will be mercilessly edited and redistributed. Respect copyright laws, and never plagiarize from sources. Borrowing non-free media is sometimes allowed as fair use, but strive to find free alternatives first. | ||
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Wikipedia's editors should treat each other with respect and civility | |
| Be polite and respectful at all times and assume good faith on the part of other editors. In case of disagreement, seek consensus on the appropriate talk pages and follow dispute resolution procedures. Personal attacks, edit warring or any other disruptive behaviour are highly discouraged. | ||
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Wikipedia has no firm rules | |
| Wikipedia has policies and guidelines, but they are not carved in stone; their content and interpretation can evolve over time. The principles and spirit matter more than literal wording, and sometimes improving Wikipedia requires making exceptions. Be bold but not reckless in updating articles. And do not agonize over making mistakes: every past version of a page is saved, so mistakes can be easily corrected. | ||
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