Search results
Results from the WOW.Com Content Network
Wikipedia articles cover topics at several levels of detail: the lead contains a quick summary of the topic's most important points, and each major subtopic is detailed in its own section of the article. The length of a given Wikipedia article tends to grow as people add information to it.
The three basic elements of a story are plot, character and theme. Anything that is not necessary for a reader's understanding of these three elements, or is not widely recognized as an integral or iconic part of the work's notability, should not be included in the summary.
This primary page is supported by further detail pages, which are cross-referenced here and listed at Wikipedia:Manual of Style/Contents. If any contradiction arises, this page has precedence. [a] Editors should write articles using straightforward, succinct, and easily understood language.
Similarly, if the page is a list, do not introduce the list as "This is a list of X" or "This list of Xs ...". A clearer and more informative introduction to the list is better than verbatim repetition of the title. A good example of this is the List of Benet Academy alumni. (See also Format of the first sentence below.)
In the second example above, the numbering resets after the blank line. This problem is less noticeable with other list types, but it still affects the underlying HTML code and may have disruptive effects for some readers; see WP:LISTGAP for details. In order to be a list, each line must begin the same way. This holds true for mixed lists.
Write in a professional tone; avoid loaded language. Add citations as you go. This is much easier than writing first and trying to remember later where you found each piece of information. You don't have to write the article all at once! Save your progress frequently, with an appropriate edit summary. The Publish button saves your progress.
Get AOL Mail for FREE! Manage your email like never before with travel, photo & document views. Personalize your inbox with themes & tabs. You've Got Mail!
A list item should not end with a full stop unless it consists of a complete sentence or is the end of a list that forms one. When elements contain (or are) titles of works or other proper names, these retain their original capitalization, regardless how the rest of the list is formatted.