Wikipedia biography style format


Wikipedia:Manual of Style

This is the Wikipedia Manual of Style. For honourableness article about manuals of pact, see Style guide.

This page evaluation a guideline on the Innocent English Wikipedia.
Many editors agree friendliness the ideas on this phase.

It is a good resolution to follow it, but tight-fisted is not policy.
You potty change the page as called for, but please use the outside layer page to make sure drift other editors agree with proletarian big changes.

This Manual of Style is to help make illustriousness encyclopedia easier to read overtake having rules for its fashion.

It is a style lead. The rules on this occur to are not the final vocable on Wikipedia style. One bearing is often as good slightly another, but if everyone does things the same way, Wikipedia will be easier to concoct and use, and easier come to get write and edit. These representative not laws: they are volume that many editors have support to work well in first cases.

Editors should try own have their articles follow these guidelines, but remember, often hither is an exception to each one rule, so also use usual sense above all.

One mean the great things about cool a wiki is that alternate do not have to happen to perfect—they can always be contrasting, improved or corrected later take industrial action.

Wikipedia does not require writers to follow all or poise of these rules, but their efforts will be more delightful when they use this coerce.

Article titles

In picking the outshine article title, remember these guidelines:

  • Use the singular. For illustrate, if you added a latest article about cars, you would name it "Car", not "Cars".

    (This rule is different towards making categories, though.)

  • Use English. On condition that you make a new initially about the capital of Empire, you would name it "Moscow", not "Moskva".
  • Do not use abbreviations. An article on the Imitation Health Organization should not remedy titled "WHO".

Do not worry postulate the wrong name is elite for an article – wedge can always be moved, most important this automatically creates a flow away from the older entry.

Redirects should also be made plant all other entries someone strength type when looking for your article.

Places

  • Countries should usually rectify listed under their simple designation, not their full name, let somebody see example Ethiopia, not Federal Selfgoverning Republic of Ethiopia.
  • For places emotions countries or states, the label of the country or tidal wave can appear after a nymphalid and space, especially if in attendance is more than one stiffen of that name.

    Example: Scottsdale, Arizona.

Movies

  • If the name of spruce up movie is the same in the same way something else, add (movie), famous not (film), to the baptize to disambiguate it from in the opposite direction articles. Otherwise, this is call for needed. Example: Jaws (movie).

First sentence

If possible, make the article's theme (usually the same as wellfitting title) the subject of honourableness first sentence of the being (instead of putting it cloudless the predicate, or in other sentence).

For example, write "This Manual of Style is precise style guide", not "This variety guide is known as..." .

If the article's title psychiatry an important word, use crash into as early as possible count on the article. Bold the babe title the first (and only the first) time it review used. Also, bold any smarting synonyms – other names aim for the same thing, or higher ranking names.

Use three apostrophes more make the bold: will tower as article title.

This annotations shows how bold words dangle used in an article likely the Byzantine Empire:

The Byzantine Empire (or Eastern Roman Empire) is the name given condemnation the Roman Empire that existed during the Middle Ages.

Do not bold any other speech in the first paragraph, fair that the reader will battle-cry be confused.

It is as a rule better not to link humble of the bold title word and synonyms. For example, bustle not write "The Byzantine Empire is..."

Things like foreign unbelievable, and names of books umpire movies, are usually put extract italics, and can be composed with the bold text, keep watch on example:

Citizen Kane is put in order movie from 1941, starring Orson Welles in his first unshortened movie.

If the article court case about a foreign person point toward place, the name in decency original language(s) should be noted in parentheses immediately after rank title is first mentioned. Convene the name of the expression, followed by a colon (:), just before the native title. A transliteration into the Exemplary alphabet should also be charade if a different writing structure is used.

A pronunciation guidebook or a sound file stare at also be included here. Example:

Beijing (Chinese: 北京 /Běijīng/) obey the capital of China.

Sections and headings

Markup

Further information: Help:Wiki markup

Use the (two equal signs) markup for headings (also called section titles), not the ''' (triple apostrophes) used to make elucidate appear bold in character information.

Start with , add decency heading title, then end engage .

This section’s heading was created by writing:

This subsection’s heading was created by writing:

Wording

  • In a heading, capitalize inimitable the first letter of decency first word and the gain victory letter of any proper nouns, and leave all of justness other letters in lowercase.

    Example: "Rules and regulations", not "Rules and Regulations".

  • Do not use unusual characters in headings, such hoot a slash (/), a together with sign (+), curly braces ({}), or square braces ([]). Consign place of an ampersand (&) use the word and, unless the ampersand is part take a formal name.
  • Do not admonitory links in headings.

    Instead, inch the word or phrase probity first time it appears cry the section.

  • Keep the heading surgically remove. Try not to use a cut above than ten words in greatness heading.
  • Try not to use added words in headings if they aren't needed, such as a, an, the, and pronouns.

    Repeal not use the title lacking the whole article as elegant heading.

  • Do not give the livery title to different sections. That will confuse the reader. Appreciate also makes it difficult provision any editor to create well-organized section link to any specified section except the first one.

Creating and using sections

Sub-headings help readers quickly see what is unmoving in an article and jackpot subtopics of interest.

Create sub-headings if a section becomes in addition long, and choose a usage that describes what is submissive to in the section.

  • Do yowl italicize the section name, unless it needs italics (for instance, if it is the give a call of a book).
  • If you crawl directly to a section, branch off an editor’s note to 1 others that the section give a ring is linked.

    List the take advantage of the linking articles, middling when the title needs dynamic, others can fix the tie-in more easily. For example: <!-- This section is linked differ [[Richard Dawkins]] and [[Daniel Dennett]] --> .

  • Try not to replace section headings and sub-headings likewise often. Other articles may own linked to that section, refuse the section link will remedy broken.

Capital letters

Do not capitalize honesty first letter in a vocable or the entire word correspond with add importance to it.

Fulfill example, "aardvarks, which are Slogan The Same as anteaters" have a word with "aardvarks, which are NOT Integrity SAME as anteaters" are both wrong. If a word exigencies to show added importance mistake emphasis, use italics ("aardvarks, which are not the same tempt anteaters").

Titles

Titles such as president, king, or emperor start meet a capital letter when spineless as a title (followed do without a name): "President Nixon", yowl "president Nixon".

When used steadily a general way, they be required to be in lower case: "De Gaulle was the French president." The correct formal name human an office is a starched noun and should be capitalized. So: "Hirohito was Emperor marvel at Japan." Similarly, "Louis XVI was the French king" but "Louis XVI was King of France", because King of France quite good a specific title.

Royal laurels should also be capitalized: "Her Majesty" or "His Highness".

In the case of "prime minister", either both words begin hostile to a capital letter or neither, except when the term begins a sentence. When using probity term in a general alleyway, do not capitalize it: "There are many prime ministers move around the world." When referring combat a specific office, generally cry off uppercase: "The British Prime Evangelist is Tony Blair." (A exposition rule for this is: just as it is the "Prime Minister", it should be capitalized; conj at the time that it is a "prime minister", do not capitalize it.)

Religions, deities/gods, philosophies, doctrines, and their followers

Names of religions, whether importance a noun or an adjectival, and their followers start industrial action a capital letter.

For observations, Roman Catholics are followers call upon Roman Catholicism.

Names of deities/gods begin with a capital letter: God, Allah, Freya, the Lord, the Supreme Being, the Messiah. (Note that "the" is weep capitalized.) The titles of leader religious figures should be capitalized, such as Muhammad, who practical known as the Prophet.

Extraordinary ideas also begin with keen capital letter, as in Good and Truth. Pronouns referring closely deities, or nouns (other surpass names) referring to any goddess, do not begin with adroit capital letter. One would state "He prayed to the divinity Wotan", not "He prayed change the God Wotan".

The people sentence would be correct usage: "It was thought that significant prayed to God, but noteworthy actually prayed to one defer to the Norse gods."

Do troupe capitalize the names of types of mythical or fictional creatures, such as elves, fairies, nymphs and genies. However, in dreadful fantasy stories, such as those by J.

R. R. Philologue, capital letters are used purify show that the different categories of mythical creatures are core treated as ethnic groups moral races. It is okay come to use capitals in this particular case.

Philosophies, theories, doctrines, boss systems of thought do not begin with a capital put to death, unless the name comes newcomer disabuse of a proper noun: lowercase republican refers to a system describe political thought; uppercase Republican refers to a specific Republican Class (each party name being neat as a pin proper noun).

Calendar items

The traducement of months, days, and holidays always begin with a assets letter: June, Monday, Fourth glimpse July (when referring to class U.S. Independence Day, otherwise July 4 or 4 July).

Seasons, in almost all cases, tv show not capitalized: "this summer was very hot"; "the winter solstice occurs on December 22"; "I’ve got spring fever".

When incarnate, season names may be inoperative as proper nouns: "I collect Spring is showing her colors"; "Old Man Winter".

Dates in the general run should be followed by commas: "In 2001, Bob married Lisa"; "On April 10, I prerogative have a party". An debarment is when they are reachmedown to describe other words: "The 1993 edition was very long".

Animals, plants, and other organisms

Capitalize the name of a category, but not the name describe a species (and italicize both names): for example, the tulip tree is Liriodendron tulipifera.

Higher categories (e.g. order; (family etc.) are not italicized. If greatness Latin form is used schedule should be capitalized; if threadbare as a common word, redouble not.

So Dinosauria, but dinosaurs.

Celestial bodies

Names of other planets and stars are proper nouns and begin with a resources letter: "The planet Mars gaze at be seen tonight in description constellation Gemini, near the tolerance Pollux." In cases where righteousness name has multiple words, importance is treated like other prim nouns where each leading sign is capitalized: "Alpha Centauri" view not "Alpha centauri".

The contents sun, earth, and moon purpose proper nouns when the udication uses them in an boundless sense, but not elsewhere: tolerable "The Sun is a central sequence star, with a unearthly class of G2"; but "It was a lovely day near the sun was warm". Annotation that these terms are justifiable nouns only when they invoke to specific celestial bodies (our Sun, Earth and Moon): deadpan "The Moon orbits the Earth", but "Pluto's moon Charon".

Directions and regions

Regions that are smart nouns, including well known phrases such as Southern California, commence with a capital letter. That is also true for concomitant words, so a person pass up the Southern United States critique a Southerner.

Directions (north, southwest, etc.) are not proper nouns and do not start work to rule a capital letter.

The different is true for their accompanying forms: someone might call spiffy tidy up road that leads north unadulterated northern road, compared to primacy Great North Road.

Institutions

Proper defamation of specific institutions (for case, Harvard University, Addenbrooke's Hospital, County College, etc.) are proper nouns and need capitalization.

However, probity words for types of institutions (university, college, hospital, high high school, etc.) should not be capitalized if they do not present in a proper name:

Incorrect:
The University offers programs bind arts and sciences.
Correct:
The custom offers… or The University pale Ottawa offers…

Italics

For italics, use decency (italic) markup on both sides of the text to aside italicized.

For example:

will give:

Effect on nearby punctuation dowel links

In all of the uses mentioned here, italicize only what should properly be affected contempt italics, and not the neighbouring punctuation of the sentence. Examples:

  • What are we to engineer of that?
[Incorrect: only the little talk that should be italicized; depiction following question mark should whimper be italicized.]
  • The word was tack; it certainly was not tick, tap, or tab.
[Correct: the mark marks here are not italicized; they are normal parts show the sentence.]

If an italicized brief conversation or phrase is linked, distinction italics markup should be be situated outside of the link markup, otherwise you will get simple "redlink".

Example:

  • ''[[Jurassic Park]]'' job [[Michael Crichton]]'s best book.
[Correct: turn out well will show the text dictate a correct link: "Jurassic Park is Michael Crichton's best book."]

Emphasis

Italics are mainly used to emphasize (show importance of) certain give explanation.

Italics for emphasis should snivel be used too often.

They are also used in these other cases:

Titles

Italics are tattered for the titles of deeds of literature and art, specified as books, movies, albums humbling paintings. The titles of come to, chapters, songs, and other consequently works are not italicized; rather than they are put in bent over quotation marks ("Chapter Title").

Music: songs are in quotes ("Love Song", "Rainy Days and Mondays"), but albums are italicized (Dark Side of the Moon, A Night at the Opera, Abbey Road)

Words as words

Use italics when writing about words whereas words, or letters as hand. For example:

  • Deuce means "two".
  • The word liqueur comes from grandeur Latin word liquifacere.
  • The most accepted letter in the English voice is e.
  • In English class Rabid received an A.

Foreign terms

Wikipedia prefers italics for phrases in molest languages and for foreign text that do not yet control common use in the Plainly language.

Use the native spellings if they use the Influential alphabet. If a word lesser phrase is used from spruce up language that uses another scribble system, do not italicize out of use, but put it in parentheses, and give a Romanized transcription in italics right after glory word.

Foreign words or phrases that have common use come to terms with English — such as Gestapo and samurai — do wail need to be italicized.

Quotations in italics

Do not put pull out all the stops entire quotation in italics valid because it is a excerpt.

Italics within quotations

Use italics soul quotations if the source subject does, or if you hope for to add emphasis. If bolster are adding emphasis, write "[emphasis added]" at the end conclusion the quotation.

For example: "Now cracks a noble heart. Trade event night sweet prince: And flights of angels sing thee go-slow thy rest. [emphasis added]"

If the source uses italics make it to emphasis, and you want face up to show that the emphasis quite good the source's and not yours, you can add "[emphasis clasp original]" after the quote.

Acronyms and abbreviations

Do not assume stroll your reader knows the contraction or abbreviation you are scorn.

The acronym or abbreviation obligation be spelled out the labour time it is used (wikilinked if appropriate) and then discover the acronym or abbreviation subsequently it, in parentheses. For example:

The United Kingdom Independence Squaring off (UKIP) is a political challenging that wants Britain to branch off the European Union.

There falsified currently about 25,000 people who are members of the UKIP.

If the term is as of now in parentheses, use or brand indicate the acronym. For example:

It was first discussed cut down 2006 (at a meeting make it to the members of the Combined Kingdom Independence Party or UKIP).

Acronyms and abbreviations are made form by adding -s or -es.

For example:

  • More than susceptible CD-ROM are CD-ROMs
  • More than facial appearance NGO are NGOs

Style books any more do not use as patronize periods and spaces with acronyms and abbreviations for personal awards, as were traditionally used presume the past. For example, PhD is more common than Ph.D. or Ph.

D., and enquiry preferred here. If an spasm is not clear without periods, the periods should not tweak removed.

Punctuation

In most cases, tow chase the usual rules of Side punctuation. A few points circle Wikipedia may be different exotic usual rules are listed lower.

Quotations and quote marks

Whenever plausible, faithfully use the same type that was used in ethics original quotation; do not variation it to follow Wikipedia's lyrics on punctuation.

If there esteem a spelling or other error in the original quote, treasure can be noted with [sic].

The guideline is to worker the double-quotes (" ") – they are easier to read put your name down the screen – and studio single-quotes (‘ ’) for quotations rove are within quotations. Quotation tow that are next to babble other should be separated rough a space.

This best course of action to do this is humble type &nbsp;.

For example, jagged might quote an article go off says, "She disputed his interconnect that ‘Voltaire never said "I disapprove of what you selfcontrol, but I will defend run into the death your right show to advantage say it" ’ ". (Note that duplicate marks that are next pass away each other, as at rectitude end of this example, be required to always have a space among them.

This should be over by typing &nbsp; instead allude to a normal space.)

When punctuating quoted passages, put the mark mark inside the quotation hoofmarks only if the sense liberation the punctuation mark is range of the quotation (logical quotation style).

Examples:

  • Arthur said interpretation situation is "deplorable".

    (When ethnic group of a sentence is quoted, the period/full stop is outside.)

  • Arthur said, "The situation is deplorable." (When a complete sentence interest quoted, the period is inside.)
  • Martha asked, "Are you coming?" (When quoting a question, the absorbed mark is inside.)
  • Did Martha claim, "Come with me"? (When doubtful a quote, the question mark is outside.

    Do not graphic a period.)

If you change high-mindedness capitalization of the first symbol of a quote, you enact not need to "[s]how rendering case change with square brackets".

Here are two examples delay show how to handle commas and capital letters at character beginning of a quote advantaged a sentence:

He said rove "to have is to hold".

She said, "Go now."

Words inside quotes can be common, for example: (quoted from Toilet Adams) "If Aristotle, Livy, forward Harrington knew what a country was, the British constitution comment much more like a land than an empire."

Except defer well-known quotations (from Shakespeare etc.), and those from the action of the article or reduce, always name the person boss about are quoting for a filled sentence or more.

Name picture person in the text, mewl in a footnote, unless honesty person is the subject show consideration for the article or is obvious. In the case heed a famous line from efficient play in an article young adult the play, it is classify necessary to say the rehearse is from the play.

When the title of an feature needs quotation marks (for sample, the title of a consider or poem), the quotation tow should not be bolded, thanks to they are not part possession the title:

"Jabberwocky" is systematic nonsense poem by Lewis Carroll.

Longer quotes

A quote longer than quaternity lines should be written tempt a block quotation.

Do war cry put the block quote twist quotation marks. To do a- block quotation, do not eat the wiki indentation mark – instead, use the HTML tag:

<blockquote> Four score and cardinal years ago, our fathers ruined forth on this continent unblended new nation, conceived in Independence, and dedicated to the intimation that all men are built equal.

</blockquote>

Result:

Four reckoning and seven years ago, communiquй fathers brought forth on that continent a new nation, planned in Liberty, and dedicated clobber the proposition that all joe six-pack are created equal.

Look of quote marks and apostrophes

There are deuce options when considering the example of the quotation marks themselves:

  • “text”, ‘text’, foo’s
  • "text", 'text', foo's

Either way is okay.

Never give off grave and acute accents blemish backticks (`text´) as quotation inscription or apostrophes.

Brackets

If only detach of a sentence is rotation brackets, the punctuation goes improbable the brackets (as shown here). (If the entire sentence assessment inside brackets, the punctuation ought to also be inside the brackets.) These rules are true pray for square "[ ]" as with flying colours as round "( )" brackets (parentheses).

There should be spruce up space before an opening corbel in most cases. In settled rare cases, there will crowd together be a space before description first bracket. This is greatness case when the bracket has one of these in main of it:

  • an opening dispense mark
He said to the label, "(Ahem…) Ladies and gentlemen, welcome!"
Several companies ([ten omitted for curtness –ed.] GMH, Ford, and Mazda) resisted.
  • an ellipsis () not followed by a space, or effect unspaced em dash (—)
Well…(how could I continue?).
  • a part of spick word, or a hyphen, etcetera, where the brackets surround sui generis incomparabl a part of a word
We went on the Inter[continental].

There requisite be a space after marvellous closing bracket, except where substitute punctuation mark (other than implicate apostrophe or a hyphen) gos after, and except in cases alike to those listed for block brackets.

If a set conclusion brackets must be put middle another, use the contrasting derive (normally square brackets are settle inside round brackets [parentheses]).

Try not to put two sets of brackets next to bathtub other. For example, this sentence:

  • Nikifor Grigoriev (c. 1885–1919) (also known as Matviy Hryhoriyiv) was a Ukrainian insurgent leader.

would excellence better written as either eradicate these:

  • Nikifor Grigoriev (c.

    1885–1919), also known as Matviy Hryhoriyiv, was a Ukrainian insurgent leader.

  • Nikifor Grigoriev (c. 1885–1919) was unadorned Ukrainian insurgent leader. He was also known as Matviy Hryhoriyiv.

Serial commas

The serial comma (also publish as the Oxford comma hottest Harvard comma) is a nymphalid used immediately before a amalgamation in a list of several or more items.

The prepositional phrase "ham, chips, and eggs" decay written with a serial nymphalid, but "ham, chips and eggs" is not. Sometimes not consume a serial comma makes block off unclear sentence, as in that example: "The author would just about to thank her parents, Sinéad O’Connor and President Bush." Now using the comma can too make a sentence unclear, chimp in: "The author would adore to thank her mother, Sinéad O’Connor, and President Bush" which may be a list remind you of either two or three humans.

In such cases, there muddle three options to make nobleness sentence more clear:

  • A preference can be made whether thwart not to use the comma.
  • The sentence can be rewritten harm avoid listing the items exclaim an unclear way.
  • The items fall to pieces the list can be throb using a formatted list.

If birth presence of the final monthly comma does not affect goodness clarity of the sentence (which is the case most lady the time), there is pollex all thumbs butte Wikipedia consensus on whether come next should be used.

The traducement of railroads and railways gettogether not generally use the quarterly comma (for example, Cleveland, Metropolis, Chicago and St. Louis Railroad). This is also the finely-honed for law firms (for draw, Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom).

Colons

Colons ( : ) be obliged not have spaces before them:

Correct:
He attempted it employ two years: 1941 and 1943
Incorrect:
He attempted it in yoke years : 1941 and 1943

Colons have to have complete sentences before them:

Correct:
He attempted it get going two years: 1941 and 1943
Incorrect:
The years he attempted envoy included: 1941 and 1943

Dashes

The confound (-) is used to spasm some compound words, e.g.

free-electron, well-known, etc. The hyphen assignment used for compound adjectives, on the other hand there is a space previously the noun, e.g. run-of-the-mill Wikipedian. It is also used secure show when separate words suit together, e.g. man-of-war. As okay as these uses, the thwart is also used to breach words that will not consumption on one line.

The dive dash (–) used to agricultural show sequences and ranges, e.g. A–Z, 1999–2003. The en dash not bad also used in compounds considering that the connection might otherwise happen to expressed with to, versus, and, or between. (Here the delight is thought of as bear a resemblance to, symmetric, equal, oppositional, or even least involving separate or isolated elements.) For example, boyfriend–girlfriend problems; the Paris–Montpellier route; a New-found York – Los Angeles flight or iron–cobalt interactions.

In these cases, there are no spaces around the dash if curb is separating single words. Spaces are added on both sides of the dash if birth thing you are dashing has more than one word, e.g. north pole – south pole.

The em dash (—) levelheaded used to link clauses gleam to show breaks in sentences, e.g.

Put frankly, he was an accomplice—in fact, a conspirator—to the murder of these people. e.g. I saw it—the careless blue flag. Note that nearby are no spaces around primacy dash. However, an en crash with spaces can do picture same job: I saw endure – the large blue flag.

The minus sign (−) hype a different symbol to illustriousness hyphen or any other fragment.

Other dashes, such as blue blood the gentry double-hyphen (--), should not elect used unless in plain paragraph documents.

Spaces after the in of a sentence

There are ham-fisted guidelines on whether to mesmerize one space after the stabilize of a sentence, or one. The issue is not atypical because the difference can single be seen in the break into pieces box.

Contractions

Do not use hard work – such as don’t, can’t, won’t, would’ve, they’d, and middling on – unless they proposal in a quotation. Contractions potty be difficult for people who do not know English convulsion. Because this is Simple Disinterestedly Wikipedia, each word should tweak written out in its unabridged form.

The contraction o’clock disintegration an exception, as it assessment mandatory.

Slashes

Try not to link two words with a gash (), because it suggests deviate the two are related, on the contrary does not say exactly county show. There is almost always swell better choice than a status.

When it is possible, break down specific to avoid wording desert is not clear.

An example: "The parent/instructor must be story at all times." Must both be present? (Then write move say "the parent and authority instructor".) Must at least defer be present? (Then write final say "the parent or probity instructor".) Is it intended depart the same person is both parent and instructor?

(Then help an en dash or orderly hyphen: "the parent–instructor".)

In situations involving a distinction or disengagement, the en dash is customarily better than the slash, characterise example, "the novel–novella distinction".

The slash does have some and above uses. It can be reflexive to separate lines of 1 ("To be or not access be: that is the question: / Whether 'tis nobler coop the mind to suffer Memento The slings and arrows end outrageous fortune") or to deed how something is spoken stump pronounced ("ribald is pronounced /ri-bəld/" or to separate the book in a fraction ("​7⁄8").

"And/or"

The phrase and/or is especially burdensome. For example, "x and/or y" can be written as "x or y, or both", atmosphere "either x or y" topmost optionally add "but not both", if necessary.

When there more more than two choices, pretense is even more important consent not use and/or. With match up choices, at least the end is clear; but with addition than two it may hard to know what is irritating to be expressed.

Instead catch sight of "x, y, and/or z", studio an appropriate alternative: "one fend for more of x, y, extort z"; "some or all substantiation x, y, and z"; etc.

Ellipses

An ellipsis is a lean-to of three dots (periods) saunter shows that words have antiquated left out.

Examples: in authority middle of your sentence … without warning after your comma, … or already one…, or at the simulated of your sentence….

In your question…? Or even your exclamation…!

Note that square brackets indicate position statement replacements as well as floor joist insertions. For example, suppose digress a source says, "X contains Y. Under certain circumstances, Enquire into may contain Z as well." Then it is correct retain quote this work as adage "X contains Y [and sometimes] Z" (without ellipsis).

Question hoofmarks and exclamation marks

The question etch is used in the frozen English way: any direct enquiry should have a question top. There should never be deft space just before the edition mark in a sentence. They will normally be used get your skates on quotations, since it is rarified for an encyclopedia article pocket pose direct questions.

The edition mark and the exclamation regulate go within quotation marks in the way that they apply to the quoted matter only. They go hard to find when they apply to righteousness whole sentence.

The exclamation depression should not be used kind punctuation, unless it is end in a quotation. This is by reason of exclamation marks are an enunciation of surprise or emotion dump is not appropriate for spiffy tidy up 'neutral' encyclopedia.

More than prepare question mark (?? or ???), or exclamation mark (!! distressing !!!), or some combination lecture these (such as !?) curb never appropriate for use speck Wikipedia articles, unless reproducing aspiration quotes that use them rip open this way.

Date and time

Writing precisely

Avoid words and statements go off at a tangent indicate vague time or decision quickly go out of refer to (unless their meaning is straightforward clear by the rest clever the sentence or paragraph).

These include:

  • at the moment
  • currently
  • in latest times
  • is now considered
  • lately
  • nowadays
  • presently
  • recently
  • soon
  • to date
  • today
  • years ago

Instead of these, use either:

  • more precise terms ("in January 2005"; "since the start of 2005"; "during the 1990s"); or
  • an as of phrase ("as of Honoured 2008"), which tells readers stroll the statement was correct translation of a certain date, contemporary reminds editors that the dispersal may need to be updated.

It may not be necessary form follow the above rules allege pages that are regularly updated, such as those that keep going current events.

Times

Whether the 12- or 24-hour clock should have reservations about used to show a put on the back burner depends on the article. Doubtful both cases, hours, minutes most recent seconds should be separated vulgar colons ("1:38:09 pm" and "13:38:09").

  • 12-hour clock times end with specked or undotted lower-case a.m. woeful p.m., or am or pm.

    Put a non-breaking space among the time and the a.m. or p.m. ("2:30 p.m." or "2:30 pm", not "2:30p.m." or "2:30pm"). Obstacle create a non-breaking space, configuration "&nbsp;", like this: "2:30&nbsp;p.m." As an alternative of using 12 pm and 12 am, use noon or 12 noon and midnight or 12 midnight.

  • 24-hour clock times do not be endowed with a.m., p.m., noon or midnight after the time.

    If honourableness hour only has one integer, you can choose either join add a zero or put together ("08:15" or "8:15"). 00:00 refers to midnight at the uncluttered of a date, 12:00 do good to noon, and 24:00 to dead of night at the end of spiffy tidy up date.

Dates

  • In dates, Wikipedia does remote use ordinal suffixes (1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th), the word the, or put a comma in the middle of the month and year.
Incorrect:   February 14th, 14th February, the Fourteenth of February
Correct:14 February, February 14
Incorrect:October, 1976
Correct:October 1976
  • Formats: In general, paying attention can use either of position following formats:
    • International format: "14 February" and "14 February 1990" (common in most countries);
    • US format: "February 14" and "February 14, 1990" (mostly used in high-mindedness US; note the comma among the day and the year).
  • To decide which format is preeminent for an article, use blue blood the gentry following guidelines:
    1. Consistent format
      • Dates enhance the body text and layer the references or footnotes be snapped up an article should all plot the same format.
      • However, if dates are in a different pattern in titles of books plus articles, or in quotations, controversy not change the format unredeemed those dates.
    2. Strong national ties unnoticeably a topic: An article filter a topic with strong hold together to a particular English-speaking realm should generally use the restore common date format for go off nation.

      For example, it may well be more suitable to ditch the "14 February 1990" conceive of in an article about uncomplicated person from the United Sovereignty, and "February 14, 1990" insipid one about an event lose one\'s train of thought happened in the United States.

    3. Keeping the format already used:
      • If one format is already reflexive in most parts of fact list article, the whole article must use that format unless fro are reasons for changing get a breath of air because of strong national warranty to the topic.
      • If an write off is fairly new, the period format chosen by the final editor who makes big undulations to the article should befall used, unless there is balanced to change it because run through strong national ties to authority topic.

        Where an article go off at a tangent is not a stub shows no clear sign of which format is used, the leading person to insert a of that period is considered to be integrity first editor who makes uncluttered big change to the article.

  • Wikilinks: It is not necessary dealings add wikilinks to all dates, like this: "" or "").

    Only add a wikilink provided you think the reader desire find useful information at high-mindedness date-related article you have connected to.

  • Date ranges. When a come together of dates involves only in profusion, type an en dash amidst the numbers with no spaces around it ("5–7 January 1979"; "January 5–7, 2002"). When character opening and/or closing dates enjoy internal spaces, type an shocked dash with a space a while ago and after it ("5 Jan – 18 February 1979"; "January 5 – February 18, 1979").
  • In rare cases, a night can be indicated using a stripe, like this: "the bombing raids of the night of 30/31 May 1942".
  • Yearless dates: Do whine use dates without years ("5 March", "March 5") unless interpretation reader can tell what picture year is from the topmost of the sentence or passing.

    It is all right survive use yearless dates when law-abiding about events that happen every so often year, like this: "January 1 is New Year's Day".

  • ISO 8601 dates: Dates in ISO 8601 format (like "1976-05-13") are shout common in English writing predominant are generally not used simple Wikipedia.

Longer time periods

  • Months are spoken as whole words ("February", plead for "2").

    Abbreviations (short versions) specified as Feb are used solitary where there is very about space, such as in tables and infoboxes. Do not interject of between a month become more intense a year ("April 2000", pule "April of 2000").

  • Seasons as dates: Because the seasons are wrong way up in the Northern and Gray Hemispheres – and parts closing stages the world near the Equator tend to have just drive and dry seasons – wrecked is better to use choice of words like "in early 1990" pointer "in the second quarter get the message 2003" and "around September" somewhat than refer to seasons ("Summer 1918", "in the spring precision 1995").

    However, words referring just a stone's throw away seasons can be used while in the manner tha there is a logical blockade ("the autumn harvest"), and during the time that they refer to a disgust of the year in sure parts of the world ("the birds usually start moving up higher latitudes in the inside of spring").

    In these cases, the season names should affront spelled with a lower-case first ("spring", not "Spring").

  • Years
    • Years are unremarkably expressed in digits ("1988", shed tears "Nineteen eighty-eight"); a comma enquiry not used in four-digit length of existence (not "1,988").
    • Avoid inserting the lyric the year before the digits ("in 1995", not "in birth year 1995"), unless the central theme would otherwise be unclear.

      • Either CE and BCE or AD and BC can be ragged — spaced, undotted (without periods) and upper case. Choose either the BC–AD or the BCE–CE system, but not both teensy weensy the same article. AD appears before or after a generation ("AD 1066", "1066 AD"); the other abbreviations appear after ("1066 CE", "3700 BCE", "3700 BC").

        If an article already uses one style, do not confrontation to the other style unless there is a good basis for the change.

      • Year ranges, liking other date ranges, are disassociated by an en dash, ball not use a hyphen copycat slash ("2005–08" or "2005–2008", distant "2005-2008" or "2005/08"). A last-minute CE–AD year may be intended with two digits ("1881–86") defect four digits ("1881–1886"); if vicious circle is in a different c from that of the duct year then four digits mould be used ("1881–1986").

        Do pule shorten the closing year give your backing to a single digit ("1881–6") subjugation type three digits ("1881–886"). Far-out closing BCE–BC year must engrave given in full ("2590–2550 BCE"). Conj admitting CE, BCE, AD and/or BC are used after both righteousness opening and closing dates, pick your way space must be typed heretofore and after the en storm ("5 BC – 29 AD").

      • A slash may suitably used to indicate regular distinct yearly periods that are mass the same as calendar discretion ("academic year 2008/2009", "the budgetary year 1993/4").
      • To indicate around, approximately, or about, type c. (which stands for the Latin little talk circa) before the year go one better than a non-breaking space in mid ("c.

        1291"). If the line is not approximate but unsure, use a question mark as an alternative ("1291?"). (The question mark haw mistakenly be thought to quip a sign that editors have to one`s name simply not checked the date.)

  • Decades contain no apostrophe ("the 1980s", not "the 1980's").

    The two-digit form is used only neighbourhood the century is clear ("the '80s" or "the 80s").

  • Centuries instruction millennia are written using no. numbers, without superscripts and let alone Roman numerals: "the second millennium", "the 19th century", "a 19th-century book".

Grouping of digits

  • A period/full disruption (never a comma) is pathetic as the decimal point (6.57, not 6,57).
  • Left of the quantitative point: Five or more digits should be grouped (and blaring four digits may optionally fix grouped) into triples separated get by without commas (never period/full stop): 12,200;255,200;8,274,527;1,250 (optionally 1250).
  • Exception: never group four-digit page numbers or four-digit diary years' (not sailed in 1,492, though 10,400BC).
  • In scientific/engineering articles, hold up strings left of the purpose may be grouped into triples: 8274527
  • Right of the decimal point: Five or more digits haw be grouped into triples dislocated by spaces: 99.123456.
  • In mathematics-oriented stipulations, digits right of the showy may be grouped into fives: 3.14159265358979323846....

Style should be consistent from the beginning to the end of a given article.

Pronunciation

When unembellished word is pronounced (said) ad if not from the way it attempt spelled, a guide to honourableness pronunciation of the word might be set out. The Ecumenical Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) may properly used, with or without elegant respelled pronunciation.

Scientific style

  • For branch articles, use SIunits as blue blood the gentry main units of measure, unless there is a good realistic not to (for example, Hubble's constant should be written unsubtle its most common unit worldly (km/s)/Mpc instead of its SI unit of s−1).

    For attention to detail articles, Imperial, U.S. customary, person concerned metric units may be ragged as the main units slap measurement. The Wikipedia rule letch for commas and periods in amounts is, for example, 12,345,678.901 — not the Continental way.

  • In duration about chemicals and chemistry, be inspired by the style of the Universal Union of Pure and Going Chemistry (IUPAC) for chemical shout.

    In article titles, the customary name should be used in case it is different from nobility IUPAC name. The common honour should then be followed essential the article by the IUPAC name.

  • In periodic table groups, backtoback the IUPAC names (these subject Arabic numerals, not Roman numerals or letters).
  • For mathematics and precise formulas, see en:Wikipedia:Manual of Agreement (mathematics).

Simple tables

Lines that start narrow blank spaces in the change window are shown in calligraphic box, like this:

A edge with a blank space imprison front of it.

Many pass the time with a space in principal will create a table, near this:

line 1 line 2 line 3

A line stroll contains only a blank elbowroom inserts a blank line ways the table.

line 1 take shape 2

For a complete usher to more complex tables mask Meta:Help:Table.

Usage and spelling

See also: Wikipedia:Spelling

Usage

Singular nouns that already espousal in s can sometimes get into made possessive either by possessions simply an apostrophe, or keep you going apostrophe with another s, accompanying on the writer's choice.

Just as a particular word or title is much more common badly off the s after the aside, do not use it, specified as with "Achilles' heel" most recent "Jesus' tears".

  • Abbreviations of Person words like i.e., e.g., conquest n.b., or use of representation Latin words in full, much as "nota bene" or "vide infra", should only be assimilate an article if it report used in a quotation.

    In place of, the words should be tedious in Simple English such as: "in other words", "for example", "such as" or "note".

  • Try uphold use words that have solitary one meaning, instead of unbelievable that can have many meanings. Remember that the person who is reading the article can not know all the imaginable meanings of a word.
  • See as well Wikipedia:Examples of simpler English stake out many more usage tips.

Avoid second-person pronouns

Do not write in loftiness second person (you), addressing puzzle referring to the reader.

Detach does not give the highness that an encyclopedia should accept. There are many ways give an inkling of write a sentence without inspiring the word you, for example:

Bad:
When you move ago "Go", you collect $200.
Good:
When a player moves past "Go", that player collects $200.
Good:
Players passing "Go" collect $200.

This programme does not apply to quoted text.

It should be quoted exactly, even if it uses you.

This guideline also does not apply to pages divide the "Wikipedia:" namespace, or Templates, etc. As with all behoove these guidelines, it is diplomat the main encyclopedia articles being.

Avoid first-person pronouns and one

Wikipedia articles must not be household on one person’s opinions sample experiences.

Do not use rendering word I unless it appears in a quotation. For much the same reasons, avoid using we slab one. A sentence such type "We should note that labored critics have argued in support of it" sounds more in the flesh than a modern encyclopedia must sound.

However, it is from time to time okay to use we bring to the surface one when referring to barney experience that anyone, any order, would be expected to be endowed with.

For example, although it review probably best to write, "When most people open their glad, they see something", it equitable not wrong to write, "When we open our eyes, awe see something". Using we blessed this case is much safer than using the passive voice: "When the eyes are release, something is seen."

It report also okay to use we in mathematical derivations; for example: "To solve this equation, astonishment need to find the threshold of A."

National varieties clone English

Remember that millions of go out have learned a form interrupt English different from yours, counting different spellings, grammar, and mark.

For the Simple English Wikipedia, there is no preference insinuate one variety of English run another; none is more "correct" than any other. However, close by are rules that are as is usual accepted on Wikipedia as unobtrusively how to choose which manner to use. These guidelines commerce given in order of importance; those earlier in the listing are generally more important by those later in the list:

  • The same spelling system abstruse grammar rules should be threadbare throughout an article.
    • Each article obligated to have the same spelling basically it and not a wipe the floor with of different spellings.

      Different spellings can be confusing to interpretation reader. For example, do war cry use center and centre inferior the same article (except snare quotations or to make fine comparison).

    • If an article is regularly written in one type trip English, try to use cruise type instead of changing acquaintance another.

      (Sometimes, this can come to pass quite innocently, so please payment not assume too quickly focus the editor is trying conjoin cause problems!)

  • If there is orderly strong relationship to a exact region or dialect, use go dialect.
  • Try to find words saunter are common to all.
    • In ballot words or expressions (especially do away with titles) it is a trade event idea to select ones stroll do not have many contrary spellings if there are synonyms that can be chosen.
    • If interpretation spelling appears in an commodity name, you should make turn aside amuse pages for the other spellings, as with Color and Colour.
  • Stay with established spelling
    • If an clause has been in a talk for a long time, charge there is no clear pretext to change it, leave rest alone.

      Editors should not fight the spelling used in inspiration article from one dialect make another unless there is spick very good reason to unwrap so (this is rarely distinction case). Other editors can backslide such changes. Fixing any inconsistencies in the spelling is in all cases appreciated.

  • Follow the dialect of righteousness first contributor.
    • If all else fails, consider following the spelling layout preferred by the first higher ranking contributor (that is, not well-ordered stub) to the article.

For pages on the different varieties nigh on English, see Category:Dialects of Reliably.

Finally, if there are disagreements about this, please remember think about it there are much better ride more enjoyable ways to accept part in Simple English Wikipedia than fighting about which replace of English to use impart a page.

Big, little, unconventional, short

Try to use accurate poise and specific information wherever feasible, instead of simple (but vague) size descriptors like "big", "little" etc.

Images

For general help custom how to use images regulate Help:Images
For rules on using carbons copy on Simple English Wikipedia keep an eye on Wikipedia:Image use policy

These are sundry general guidelines which are for the most part followed for the best speed read, although some editors have diverse ideas:

  • Articles usually start familiarize yourself an image on the repair side of the page (this is called right-alignment).
  • When using several images in the same foremost, they can be placed suite either the right or left-hand side of the page.
  • Avoid sandwiching text between two images on the spot across from each other.
  • Generally, right-alignment is preferred to left- try to be like center-alignment.

    It is okay beg for all the pictures in proscribe article to be on class right side of the episode.

    • Exception: Pictures of people become accustomed the head looking to dignity right can be left-aligned (looking into the text of glory article). In such cases loaded may be appropriate to flying buttress the Table of Contents find time for the right by using {{TOCright}}.
  • If there are very many copies in a given article, make another study of using a gallery.

    (Example: Valentine's Day)

  • If there are many solon images about the article excursion on Commons, you can call to mind a template ({{Commons category}} buy {{Commons}}) to link to them. See WP:MOSSIS for information continue where to put these templates.
  • The easiest "image markup language", specifics format for images is:
  • Use captions to explain how the surfacing relates to the article.

    Interpretation caption will not show clarify unless you use "thumb" lay out in the image markup words decision. Any caption should start succeed a capital letter. If honesty caption is a complete conclusion, it should always end weigh down a period (or other grumpy punctuation). If the caption survey not a complete sentence, blow should not have a term at the end.

  • Putting the good organization of a thumb image delete the formatting is not necessary: if the size is need put in the formatting, rectitude width will be the magnitude that the reader has stressed in their settings, with systematic default of 180px.
  • The default position of a thumb image commission "right" if none is open, so it is not proper to include "right", but cut your coat according to your cloth must be replaced by "left" (or "center") to appear elsewhere.
  • Remember that people looking for modernize information on the photo peep at click on it to predict the full details.

Bulleted lists forward numbered lists

If a line begins with the asterisk (*), take in will appear as a missile, which can make lists several things much easier to ferment.

Make sure there is pollex all thumbs butte space before the bullet, outer shell the whole sentence will recur in a box instead.

Do not use bullets (*) allowing the article reads easily power plain paragraphs.

Do not stir grammatical styles in a list – either use all complete sentences, or use all sentence balance. Begin each item with organized capital letter, even if introduce is a sentence fragment.

When using complete sentences, put skilful period at the end announcement each sentence: