User:Mtesta4/sandbox

Summary of Subject Guide: Biographies (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e9/Editing_Wikipedia_Articles_Biographies.pdf)

This subject guide is that for biographies. Generally, it is necessary to be accurate when writing about people. In order to do this, reliable sources must be used, especially when talking about somebody's life and their achievements. Additionally, it is important to engage with editors to help produce an accurate article; often, editors will have commentary on portions you might include. Rather than ignoring them, it is smart to take their suggestions into account. Like any article, it is important to be mindful of close paraphrasing and plagiarism. When choosing a person, it is important generally to choose a person with a lot written about them and to find new valid sources or verify existing ones, especially sources that are unbiased. Most importantly, when writing about a living person, include information that is solely notable about their life and their achievements. To do this, use well-published sources, not self-published blog posts, for example. A good source will not have biased language. Including poorly sourced information can lead to a contributor being blocked completely from editing. It is important to keep the added information neutral and as an author, you can not advocate for certain viewpoints. Lastly, a good biographical article will be organized with several sections such as a lead, early life, career, experiences, and legacy and additional contributions. It is therefore important to be impersonal and only include fact-based information.