Changes: Memory Alpha:Policies and guidelines

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Memory Alpha has some policies that have been proposed by the administrators and generally accepted by the members. Please read through the policies below to familiarize yourself with our common practices and rules. If you have any questions, suggestions, or complaints, please post them on the talk page.

General policies

Remember that above all else, Memory Alpha is an encyclopedia. Like the television shows and films, it is primarily family oriented. It is a community that is solely devoted to the development of the Star Trek reference database; it is not a chat room or discussion forum. The talk pages are specifically for discussing the writing of articles, and nothing else.

The following are general policies concerning the overall goals and functions of Memory Alpha:

Bots - bots on Memory Alpha
Content and resource policies - what we accept, and what we don't accept
Cite your sources
Copyrights - that unavoidable legalese
Deletion policy - for when deleting pages becomes necessary
Etiquette - useful advice for when disagreements arise
File use policy - the rules for uploading files
Point of view - maintaining the proper POV in articles
Protection policy
Spoiler policy - let the reader beware!
Your user page
Help: Redirect - the rules for using redirects

See also: Most common Memory Alpha faux pas for some useful information for newcomers.

Specific guidelines

Style guidelines

Always fill summary field
Avoid making your articles orphans
Balance parts of a page
Category tree - guidelines on the use and creation of categories
Disambiguation - for potential article title conflicts
Don't include copies of primary sources
Follow highlighting conventions
Manual of Style
Naming conventions - how to name new articles
Subpages
Memorable quotes - how to handle quotes and quotations
Consider writing articles in news style

Miscellaneous

Dealing with vandalism
Editing the main page
The Babel Project

Enforcement

For day-to-day operations on Memory Alpha, enforcement can be handled by the general membership. Simply pointing out each other's mistakes (politely, of course) is generally sufficient.

For problem cases, the administrators may intervene and enforce a policy, or temporarily lock a page to let things cool down. In extreme and unusual cases, these administrators will step in to ban a user who has proven to be unusually disruptive.

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+{{shortcut|MA:POLICY}}
-{{ma nav}}
+{{help ma nav}}
-{{international needs translation|[[:cs:Memory Alpha:Pravidla a doporučení|Czech]], [[:eo:Memory Alpha:Gvido|Esperanto]], [[:es:Memory Alpha:Políticas y guías|Español]], [[:pl:Memory Alpha:Zasady i zalecenia|Polski]], [[:sv:Memory Alpha:Policy och riktlinjer|Svenska]]}}
+Memory Alpha has some policies that have been proposed by the {{ma|administrators}} and generally accepted by the members.  Please read through the policies below to familiarize yourself with our common practices and rules.  If you have any questions, suggestions, or complaints, please post them on the [[Memory Alpha talk:Policies and guidelines|talk page]].
-Memory Alpha has some policies that have been proposed by the [[Memory Alpha:administrators|administrators]] and generally accepted by the members.  Please read through the policies below to familiarize yourself with our common practices and rules.  If you have any questions, suggestions, or complaints, please post them on the [[Memory Alpha talk:Policies and guidelines|talk page]].
-The [[Memory Alpha:Policy changes|policy changes]] page contains information about all new suggestions and clarifications incorporated into our policies. Add that page to your [[Help:Watchlist|watchlist]] to be kept up-to-date.
 == General policies ==
-Remember that above all else, '''Memory Alpha is an encyclopedia'''.  Like the television shows and films, it is primarily family oriented.  It is a community that is solely devoted to the development of the ''Star Trek'' reference database; it is not a chat room or discussion forum.  The [[Help:talk page|talk page]]s are specifically for discussing the writing of articles, and nothing else.
+Remember that above all else, '''Memory Alpha is an encyclopedia'''.  Like the television shows and films, it is primarily family oriented.  It is a community that is solely devoted to the development of the ''Star Trek'' reference database; it is not a chat room or discussion forum.  The [[Help:Talk pages|talk page]]s are specifically for discussing the writing of articles, and nothing else.
 The following are general policies concerning the overall goals and functions of Memory Alpha:
+*{{ma|Bots}} - bots on Memory Alpha
-* [[Memory Alpha:Editing policy|Editing policy]]: A guide on how to edit articles, and how to style them.
+*{{ma|Content policy|Content}} and {{ma|Resource policy|resource}} policies - what we accept, and what we don't accept
-* [[Memory Alpha:Naming conventions|Naming conventions]]: How to name new articles.
+*{{ma|Cite your sources}}
-* [[Memory Alpha:Disambiguation|Disambiguation]]: For potential article title conflicts.
+*{{ma|Copyrights}} - that unavoidable legalese
-* [[Memory Alpha:Image use policy|Image use policy]]: The rules for uploading images.
+*{{ma|Deletion policy}} - for when deleting pages becomes necessary
-* [[Memory Alpha:Copyrights|Copyrights]]: That unavoidable legalese...
-* [[Memory Alpha:Etiquette|Etiquette]]: Useful advice for when disagreements arise.
+*{{ma|Etiquette}} - useful advice for when disagreements arise
+*{{ma|File use policy}} - the rules for uploading files
-* [[Memory Alpha:Deletion policy|Deletion policy]]: For when deleting pages becomes necessary.
+*{{ma|Point of view}} - maintaining the proper POV in articles
-* [[Memory Alpha:Canon policy|Canon policy]]: What we accept, and what we don't accept.
+*{{ma|Protection policy}}
-* [[Memory Alpha:Spoiler policy|Spoiler policy]]: Let the reader beware!
+*{{ma|Spoiler policy}} - let the reader beware!
-* [[Help:Redirect|Redirects]]: The rules for using redirects.
+*{{ma|Your user page}}
-* [[Memory Alpha:Category tree|Category policy]]: Guidelines on the use and creation of categories.
+*[[Help: Redirect]] - the rules for using redirects
-* [[Memory Alpha:Bot|Bot policy]]: Bots on Memory Alpha
+'''See also:''' {{ma|Most common Memory Alpha faux pas}} for some useful information for newcomers.
-'''See also:''' [[Memory Alpha:Most common Memory Alpha faux pas|Most common Memory Alpha faux pas]] for some useful information for newcomers, and [[Memory Alpha:Policy changes|Policy changes]] for a link to what might recently have been discussed or updated.
-== Enforcement ==
-For day-to-day operations on Memory Alpha, enforcement can be handled by the general membership.  Simply pointing out each other's mistakes (politely, of course) is generally sufficient.
-For problem cases, the [[Memory Alpha:administrators|administrators]] may intervene and enforce a policy, or temporarily lock a page to let things cool down. In extreme and unusual cases, these administrators will step in to ban a user who has proven to be unusually disruptive.
-'''See also:''' [[Memory Alpha:Bans and blocks|Bans and blocks]], [[Memory Alpha:Protection policy|Protection policy]]
 == Specific guidelines ==
 === General guidelines ===
+*{{ma|Be bold in updating pages}}
-* [[Memory Alpha:Contribute what you know or are willing to learn about|Contribute what you know or are willing to learn about]] (and create stubs responsibly)
+*{{ma|Build the web}}
-* [[Memory Alpha:Be bold in updating pages|Be bold in updating pages]]
+*{{ma|Contribute what you know or are willing to learn about}} (and create stubs responsibly)
-* [[Memory Alpha:Strive for community solutions|Strive for community solutions]]
+*{{ma|Editing guidelines}} - a guide on how to edit articles, and how to style them
-* [[Memory Alpha:Build the web|Build the web]]
-* [[Memory Alpha:Make omissions explicit|Make omissions explicit]]
+*{{ma|Make omissions explicit}}
+*{{ma|Strive for community solutions}}
-* [[Help:What links here|What links here]]?
+*{{ma|Use common sense}}
+*[[Help: What links here]]
 === Behavior guidelines ===
+*{{ma|Bans and blocks}}
-* [[Memory Alpha:Sign your posts on talk pages|Sign your posts on talk pages]]
+*{{ma|Be considerate to new members}}
-* [[Memory Alpha:No personal attacks|No personal attacks]] (and move personal debates to email)
-* [[Memory Alpha:Log in before making drastic changes|Log in before making drastic changes to existing articles]]
+*{{ma|Log in before making drastic changes}}
+*{{ma|No personal attacks}} (and move personal debates to email)
-* [[Memory Alpha:Username|Username]]
+*{{ma|Sign your posts on talk pages}}
-* [[Memory Alpha:Bans and blocks|Bans and blocks]]
+*{{ma|Username}}
-* [[Memory Alpha:Protected page|Don't protect pages unless necessary]]
-* [[Memory Alpha:Be considerate to new members|Be considerate to new members]]
 === Content guidelines ===
+*{{ma|Avoid blanket statements}}
-* [[Memory Alpha:Perfection is not required|Perfection is not required]]
+* Use {{ma|category sort keys}} properly
-* [[Memory Alpha:Define and describe|Define and describe]]
+*{{ma|Check your facts}}
-* [[Memory Alpha:Establish context|Establish context]] (instead of presuming too much knowledge)
+*{{ma|Define and describe}} subjects
-* [[Memory Alpha:Explain jargon|Explain jargon]]
+*{{ma|Establish context}} (instead of presuming too much knowledge)
-* Deal appropriately with [[Memory Alpha:patent nonsense|patent nonsense]]
+*{{ma|Explain jargon}}
-* Use the correct [[Memory Alpha:point of view|point of view]]
+* Don't {{ma|nitpick}}
-* [[Memory Alpha:Check your facts|Check your facts]]
+* Use {{ma|external links}} properly
-* [[Memory Alpha:Cite your sources|Cite your sources]] (and use proper references)
+*{{ma|Find or fix a stub|Find and fix stubs}}
-* [[Memory Alpha:Make articles useful for readers|Make articles useful for readers]] (and consider the audience in writing)
+*{{ma|Inform and entertain}} the readers
-* [[Memory Alpha:Avoid blanket statements|Avoid blanket statements]]
+*{{ma|Make articles useful for readers}} (and consider the audience in writing)
-* [[Memory Alpha:Inform and entertain|Inform and entertain]]
+* Remember that {{ma|perfection is not required}}
-* [[Memory Alpha:Describe external links|Describe external links]]
+* Deal appropriately with {{ma|patent nonsense}}
-* [[Memory Alpha:Don't use external links where we'll want Memory Alpha links|Don't use external links where we'll want Memory Alpha links]]
-* [[Memory Alpha:Find or fix a stub|Avoid and fix stub articles]]
+* Use [[Memory Alpha:Template|templates]] when appropriate
+* Note {{ma|pages needing attention}}
-* [[Memory Alpha:Category sort keys|Use category sort keys]]
-* Use [[Memory Alpha:Template|templates]] when appropriate.
 === Style guidelines ===
+*{{ma|Always fill summary field}}
-* [[Memory Alpha:Manual of Style|Manual of Style]]
+*{{ma|Avoid making your articles orphans}}
-* [[Memory Alpha:Don't include copies of primary sources|Don't include copies of primary sources]]
+*{{ma|Balance parts of a page}}
-* [[Memory Alpha:Avoid making your articles orphans|Avoid making your articles orphans]]
+*{{ma|Category tree}} - guidelines on the use and creation of categories
-* [[Memory Alpha:Always fill summary field|Always fill summary field]]
+*{{ma|Disambiguation}} - for potential article title conflicts
-* [[Memory Alpha:Follow highlighting conventions|Follow highlighting conventions]]
+*{{ma|Don't include copies of primary sources}}
-* [[Memory Alpha:Balance parts of a page|Balance parts of a page]]
+*{{ma|Follow highlighting conventions}}
-* [[Memory Alpha:Do not use subpages|Do not use subpages]]
+*{{ma|Manual of Style}}
-* Consider writing articles in [[Wikipedia:News style|news style]]
+*{{ma|Naming conventions}} - how to name new articles
+*{{ma|Subpages}}
+*{{ma|Memorable quotes}} - how to handle quotes and quotations
+* Consider writing articles in {{w|news style}}
 === Miscellaneous ===
+*{{ma|Dealing with vandalism}}
-* [[Memory Alpha:Your user page|Your user page]]
+*{{ma|Editing the main page}}
-* [[Memory Alpha:Dealing with vandalism|Dealing with vandalism]]
-* [[Memory Alpha:Editing the main page|Editing the main page]]
+*[[Memory Alpha:Babel|The Babel Project]]
-* [[Memory Alpha:Editing MediaWiki namespace text|Editing MediaWiki namespace text]]
+== Enforcement ==
-* [[Memory Alpha:Babel|The Babel Project]]
+For day-to-day operations on Memory Alpha, enforcement can be handled by the general membership.  Simply pointing out each other's mistakes (politely, of course) is generally sufficient.
+For problem cases, the [[Memory Alpha:administrators|administrators]] may intervene and enforce a policy, or temporarily lock a page to let things cool down. In extreme and unusual cases, these administrators will step in to ban a user who has proven to be unusually disruptive.
+===See also===
+*{{ma|Bans and blocks}}
+*{{ma|Protection policy}}
+{{international needs translation|[[:cs:Memory Alpha:Pravidla a doporučení|Czech]], [[:eo:Memory Alpha:Gvido|Esperanto]], [[:es:Memory Alpha:Políticas y guías|Español]], [[:pl:Memory Alpha:Zasady i zalecenia|Polski]], [[:sv:Memory Alpha:Policy och riktlinjer|Svenska]]}}
 [[Category:Memory Alpha policies and guidelines| {{PAGENAME}}]]
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 [[fr:Memory Alpha:Recommandations et règles à suivre]]
+[[it:Memory Alpha:Politiche e linee guida]]
 [[nl:Memory Alpha:Beleid en Richtlijnen]]
-[[pl:Memory Alpha:Zasady i wskazówki]]
+[[pl:Memory Alpha:Zasady i zalecenia]]
-[[pt-br:Memória Alfa:Políticas e diretrizes]]
+[[pt:Memória Alfa:Políticas e diretrizes]]
+[[ru:Правила и рекомендации]]
+[[sr:Uspomene Alfe:Politike i smjernice]]
 [[sv:Memory Alpha:Policy och riktlinjer]]