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As explained in more detail at Wikipedia:Lead section § Introductory text, all but the shortest articles should start with introductory text (the "lead"). The lead should establish significance, include mention of consequential or significant criticism or controversies, and be written in a way that makes readers want to know more.
While upholding the goals of accuracy and neutrality, every effort should be made to also render articles accessible and pleasant to read for the broadest audience. Some editors conflate the encyclopedic style with the spare and technically precise style found in scholarly monographs and peer-reviewed papers aimed at a specialist audience.
Editors should structure articles with consistent, reader-friendly layouts and formatting (which are detailed in this guide). Where more than one style or format is acceptable under the MoS, one should be used consistently within an article and should not be changed without good reason. Edit warring over stylistic choices is unacceptable. [b]
There are five heading levels used in writing articles (the top-level one being reserved for the auto-displayed page name). [b] Terms in description lists (example: Glossary of the American trucking industry) Table headers and captions (but not image captions) A link to the page on which that link appears, called a self link
A simple article should have, at least, (a) a lead section and (b) references. The following list includes additional standardized sections in an article. A complete article need not have all, or even most, of these elements.
Do not write #1; number one works instead. Comic books are an exception. Write 12,000 for twelve thousand, not 12.000; conversely, decimal points are thus: 3.14, not 3,14. Both 10 June 1921 and June 10, 1921, are correct, but should be consistent within an article.
When writing about a topic, basing content on the best respected and most authoritative reliable sources helps to prevent bias, undue weight, and other NPOV disagreements. Try the library for reputable books and journal articles, and look online for the most reliable resources.
– the article is about the subject, not a term for the subject. [I] For articles that are actually about terms, italicize the term to indicate the use–mention distinction. [J] For topics notable for only one reason, this reason should usually be given in the first sentence. [K] If the article is about a fictional character or place, make ...