User:Wracking/Notability

Subject-specific guidelines
In some topic areas, there are subject-specific notability guidelines (SNGs) to help clarify when a standalone article can or should be written. SNGs may provide topic-related guidance for when articles should not be created, provide examples of sources and types of coverage considered significant for the purposes of determining notability, or have other specialized functions.


 * Academics
 * Astronomical objects
 * Books
 * Events
 * Films
 * Geographic features
 * Music

Scope
This guideline applies to:


 * people engaged in scholarly research or higher education

Criteria
The subject of the article must meet one of the criteria.


 * 1) Impactful, highly-cited research: The person's research has made significant impact in their scholarly discipline, broadly construed, as demonstrated by independent reliable sources.
 * 2) National or international award: The person has received a highly prestigious academic award or honor at a national or international level.
 * 3) Always qualify: Nobel Prize, MacArthur Fellowship, Fields Medal, Bancroft Prize, Pulitzer Prize for History
 * 4) Member or fellow of a highly selective association: The person has been an elected member of a highly selective and prestigious scholarly society or association (e.g., a National Academy of Sciences or the Royal Society) or a Fellow of a major scholarly society for which that is a highly selective honor (e.g., the IEEE).
 * 5) Textbook author: The person's academic work has made a significant impact in the area of higher education, affecting a substantial number of academic institutions.
 * 6) Named chair or distinguished professor: The person has held a named chair appointment or "Distinguished Professor" appointment at a major institution of higher education and research (or an equivalent position in countries where named chairs are uncommon).
 * 7) Highest-level administrative position: The person has held a highest-level elected or appointed administrative post at a major academic institution or major academic society.
 * 8) Impactful outside of academia: The person has made substantial impact outside academia in their academic capacity.
 * 9) Head editor: The person has been head or chief editor of a major well-established academic journal in their subject area.

Scope
This guideline applies to:


 * astronomical objects – naturally occurring physical bodies, associations, or structures that exist in outer space
 * galaxies, nebulae, star clusters, star systems, individual stars, planets, minor planets, asteroids, comets, and moons
 * bodies of matter that are held together by masses other than their own, such as circumstellar discs, accretion discs, or zodiacal dust
 * regions defined by the large-scale structure of the Universe, such as galaxy filaments and cosmic voids)
 * groups that appear solely due to Earth's viewing perspective, such as asterisms and optical double stars).

This guideline does not apply to:


 * artificial objects in space, such as artificial satellites and spacecraft
 * the airspace of Earth
 * extraterrestrial geologic features (such as craters or mountains)
 * extraterrestrial material that has been transported to Earth, such as Moon rocks, meteor showers, and meteorites
 * fictional objects, such as those that appear in science fiction

Criteria
The subject of the article must meet one of the criteria.


 * 1) Visible to the naked eye: The object is, or has been, visible to the naked eye. This includes any star in the HR catalogue.
 * 2) Listed in an important catalog: The object is listed in a catalogue of high historical importance (e.g. Messier catalogue), or a catalogue of high interest to amateur astronomers (e.g. Caldwell catalogue).
 * 3) Being listed in comprehensive databases (e.g. SIMBAD or NED) or surveys (e.g. 2MASS or 2dFGRS) isn't enough for notability.
 * 4) Multiple instances of significant commentary: The object has been the subject of multiple non-trivial published works, which contain significant commentary on the object. This includes published works in all forms, such as newspaper articles, books, television documentaries and articles in peer-reviewed scientific journals.
 * 5) Discovered before 1850: The object was discovered before 1850, prior to the use of astrophotography or automated technology.

Scope
This guideline applies to:


 * books and e-books, including manga

This guideline does not provide specific criteria for the following subjects, though it may be instructive by analogy.


 * comic books
 * graphic novels
 * magazines
 * reference works such as dictionaries, thesauruses, encyclopedias, atlases and almanacs
 * music-specific publications such as instruction and notation books and librettos
 * instruction manuals
 * exam prep books

Criteria
The subject of the article must meet one of the criteria.
 * 1) 2+ appearances in independent media: The book has been the subject of two or more non-trivial published works appearing in sources that are independent of the book itself. This can include published works in all forms, such as newspaper articles, other books, television documentaries, bestseller lists, and reviews. This excludes media re-prints of press releases, flap copy, or other publications where the author, its publisher, agent, or other self-interested parties advertise or speak about the book.
 * 2) Award winner: The book has won a major literary award.
 * 3) Significantly impacting a notable film, art form, or movement:  The book has been considered by reliable sources to have made a significant contribution to a notable or significant motion picture, or other art form, or event or political or religious movement.
 * 4) Subject of instruction: The book is, or has been, the subject of instruction at two or more schools, colleges, universities or post-graduate programs in any particular country.
 * 5) Exceptionally significant author: The book's author is so historically significant that any of the author's written works may be considered notable. This does not simply mean that the book's author is notable by Wikipedia's standards; rather, the book's author is exceptionally significant, and the author's life and body of written work would be a common subject of academic study.

Criteria
Notability criteria for events is more complicated. Editors should consider the following factors related to an event and its media coverage: This criteria has been interpreted as follows:
 * Event:
 * Lasting effects: An event that is a precedent or catalyst for something else of lasting significance is likely to be notable.
 * Large geographical impact: Notable events usually have significant impact over a wide region, domain, or widespread societal group.
 * Coverage:
 * In-depth: An event must receive significant or in-depth coverage to be notable.
 * Continued: Notable events usually receive coverage beyond a relatively short news cycle.
 * Diverse: Significant national or international coverage is usually expected for an event to be notable. Wide-ranging reporting tends to show significance, but sources that simply mirror or tend to follow other sources, or are under common control with other sources, are usually discounted.


 * 1) Events are probably notable if they have enduring historical significance and meet the general notability guideline, or if they have a significant lasting effect.
 * 2) Events are also very likely to be notable if they have widespread (national or international) impact and were very widely covered in diverse sources, especially if also re-analyzed afterwards (as described below).
 * 3) Events having lesser coverage or more limited scope may or may not be notable; the descriptions below provide guidance to assess the event.
 * 4) Routine kinds of news events (including most crimes, accidents, deaths, celebrity or political news, "shock" news, stories lacking lasting value such as "water cooler stories," and viral phenomena) – whether or not tragic or widely reported at the time – are usually not notable unless something further gives them additional enduring significance.

Scope
This guideline applies to:


 * films and film-related topics

Criteria
For the majority of topics related to film, the criteria established at the general notability guideline are sufficient to follow. Editors may consider evidence of notability and other inclusion criteria to identify notable films.

Evidence of notability: The criteria below are presented as rules of thumb for easily identifying films that Wikipedia should probably have articles about. The following are attributes that generally indicate, when supported with reliable sources, that the required sources are likely to exist:


 * 1) Widely distributed with full reviews: The film is widely distributed and has received full-length reviews by two or more nationally known critics.
 * 2) Historically notable: The film is historically notable, as evidenced by one or more of the following:
 * 3) * Publication of at least two non-trivial articles, at least five years after the film's initial release.
 * 4) * The film was deemed notable by a broad survey of film critics, academics, or movie professionals, when such a poll was conducted at least five years after the film's release.
 * 5) * The film was given a commercial re-release, or screened in a festival, at least five years after initial release.
 * 6) * The film was featured as part of a documentary, program, or retrospective on the history of cinema.
 * 7) Received major award: The film has received a major award for excellence in some aspect of filmmaking.
 * 8) Preserved in national archive: The film was selected for preservation in a national archive.
 * 9) Taught at universities: The film is "taught" as a subject at an accredited university or college with a notable film program.

Other inclusionary criteria: Some films that do not pass the above tests may still be notable, and should be evaluated on their own merits. The article's ability to attest to a film's notability through verifiable sources is significant. Some inclusionary criteria to consider are:


 * 1) Unique accomplishment: The film represents a unique accomplishment in cinema, is a milestone in the development of film art, or contributes significantly to the development of a national cinema, with such verifiable claims as "The only cel-animated feature film ever made in Thailand" (See The Adventure of Sudsakorn)
 * 2) Major part of notable person's career: The film features significant involvement (i.e., one of the most important roles in the making of the film) by a notable person and is a major part of their career.
 * 3) * An article on the film should be created only if there is enough information on it that it would clutter up the biography page of that person if it was mentioned there.
 * 4) Production and successful distribution in non-major film producing country: The film was successfully distributed domestically in a country that is not a major film producing country, and was produced by that country's equivalent of a "major film studio".  Articles on such a film should assert that the film in question was notable for something more than merely having been produced, and if any document can be found to support this, in any language, it should be cited.

Scope
This guideline applies to:


 * geographical features (any reasonably permanent or historic feature of the Earth, whether natural or artificial)

This guideline does not apply to:


 * geographical features in fictional works
 * the features of other astronomical objects
 * micronations

Criteria
Criteria for geographical features is based on the type of geographical feature. A feature cannot be notable, under either WP:GNG or any SNG, if the only significant coverage of the feature is in maps, though rare exceptions may apply.

Often notable

 * Named natural feature: Named natural features are often notable, provided information beyond statistics and coordinates is known to exist. This includes mountains, lakes, streams, islands, etc. The number of known sources should be considered to ensure there is enough verifiable content for an encyclopedic article. If a Wikipedia article cannot be developed using known sources, information on the feature can instead be included in a more general article on local geography. For example, a river island with no information available except name and location should probably be described in an article on the river.


 * Officially-assigned status of cultural or national heritage: Artificial geographical features that are officially assigned the status of cultural heritage or national heritage, or of any other protected status on a national level and for which verifiable information beyond simple statistics is available, are presumed to be notable.


 * Populated, legally recognized place: Populated, legally recognized places are typically presumed to be notable, even if their population is very low. Even abandoned places can be notable, because notability encompasses their entire history. Census tracts, Abadi, and other areas not commonly recognized as a place (such as the area in an irrigation district) are not presumed to be notable. The Geographic Names Information System and the GEOnet Names Server do not satisfy the "legal recognition" requirement and are also unreliable for "populated place" designation.
 * Road network: International road networks (such as the International E-road network), Interstate, national, state and provincial highways are typically notable. Topic notability for county roads, regional roads (such as Ireland's regional roads), local roads, streets and motorway service areas may vary, and are presumed to be notable if they have been the subject of multiple published secondary sources which contain significant coverage and are reliable and independent of the subject.

Case-by-case

 * Populated, not legally recognized place: Populated places without legal recognition are considered on a case-by-case basis in accordance with the GNG. Examples may include subdivisions, business parks, housing developments, informal regions of a state, unofficial neighborhoods, etc. – any of which could be considered notable on a case-by-case basis, given non-trivial coverage by their name in multiple, independent reliable sources. If a Wikipedia article cannot be developed using known sources, information on the informal place should be included in the more general article on the legally recognized populated place or administrative subdivision that contains it.
 * Disputed region: Disputed regions are generally considered case-by-case. Their notability for Wikipedia is independent of the validity of their claims. Sometimes it may be more appropriate to merge these articles into ones on a broader conflict or political movement, or to merge articles on multiple disputed names for the same region into one article.
 * Building: Buildings, including private residences, transportation facilities and commercial developments, may be notable as a result of their historic, social, economic, or architectural importance, but they require significant in-depth coverage by reliable, third-party sources to establish notability.
 * Bridge or dam: Artificial features related to infrastructure (for example, bridges and dams) can be notable under Wikipedia's GNG. Where their notability is unclear, they generally redirect to more general articles or to a named natural feature that prompted their creation, e.g., to an article about the notable road it carries or the notable obstacle it spans.
 * Train station: Train stations have no inherent notability and are not presumed notable for simply being train stations, but may be notable if they satisfy the WP:GNG criteria, the criteria of another subject-specific notability guideline, or other criteria within this notability guideline.

Scope
This guideline applies to:


 * topics related to music, including artists, bands, albums, and songs

Criteria
Criteria for this sub-guideline are based on the type of subject.

Musicians and ensembles
The subject of the article must meet one of the criteria.
 * 1) Subject of multiple non-trivial, independent works from reliable sources: Has been the subject of multiple, non-trivial, published works appearing in sources that are reliable, not self-published, and are independent of the musician or ensemble itself.
 * 2) * This criterion includes published works in all forms, such as newspaper articles, books, magazine articles, online versions of print media, and television documentaries except for the following:
 * 3) ** Any reprints of press releases, other publications where the musician or ensemble talks about themselves, and all advertising that mentions the musician or ensemble, including manufacturers' advertising.
 * 4) ** Works consisting merely of trivial coverage, such as articles that simply report performance dates, articles giving release information or track listings, or publications of contact and booking details in directories.
 * 5) ** Articles in a school or university newspaper (or similar), in most cases.
 * 6) Has been on a national music chart: Has had a single or album on any country's national music chart.
 * 7) Has received "gold" certification: Has had a record certified gold or higher in at least one country.
 * 8) Has received non-trivial, independent coverage of national or international concert tour: Has received non-trivial coverage in independent reliable sources of an international concert tour, or a national concert tour in at least one sovereign country.
 * 9) 2+ albums on a major record label: Has released two or more albums on a major record label or on one of the more important indie labels (i.e., an independent label with a history of more than a few years, and with a roster of performers, many of whom are independently notable).
 * 10) Contains 2+ independently notable musicians: Is an ensemble that contains two or more independently notable musicians, or is a musician who has been a reasonably prominent member of two or more independently notable ensembles. This should be adapted appropriately for musical genre; for example, having performed two lead roles at major opera houses. Note that this criterion needs to be interpreted with caution, as there have been instances where this criterion was cited in a circular manner to create a self-fulfilling notability loop (e.g., musicians who were "notable" only for having been in two bands, of which one or both were "notable" only because those musicians had been in them.)
 * 11) Prominent representative of a style or scene: Has become one of the most prominent representatives of a notable style or the most prominent of the local scene of a city; note that the subject must still meet all ordinary Wikipedia standards, including verifiability.
 * 12) Nominated for major award: Has won or been nominated for a major music award, such as a Grammy, Juno, Mercury, Choice or Grammis award.
 * 13) Placed 1, 2, or 3 in a major competition: Has won first, second, or third place in a major music competition.
 * 14) Performed music for notable work of media: Has performed music for a work of media that is notable, such as a theme for a network television show, performance in a television show or notable film, inclusion on a notable compilation album. (But if this is the only claim, it is probably more appropriate to have a mention in the main article and redirect to that article. Read the policy and notability guideline on subjects notable only for one event, for further clarifications).
 * 15) In radio or TV rotation: Has been placed in rotation nationally by a major radio or music television network.
 * 16) Featured on national radio or TV: Has been a featured subject of a substantial broadcast segment across a national radio or television network.

Individual members of a band, reality television performers
Articles about individual band members and reality television performers must demonstrate independent notability.


 * 1) Members of notable bands are redirected to the band's article, not given individual articles, unless they have demonstrated individual notability.
 * 2) Singers and musicians who are only notable for participating in a reality television series may be redirected to an article about the series, until they have demonstrated that they are independently notable.

Composers and lyricists
This criteria applies to composers, songwriters, librettists and lyricists. The subject of the article must meet one of the criteria.


 * 1) Wrote a notable composition: Has credit for writing or co-writing either lyrics or music for a notable composition.
 * 2) Wrote musical theatre that had a reasonable run in a notable theatre: Has written musical theatre of some sort (e.g., musicals, operas) that was performed in a notable theatre that had a reasonable run, as such things are judged in their particular situation, context, and time.
 * 3) Wrote work used as inspiration by notable composer: Has had a work used as the basis for a later composition by a songwriter, composer, or lyricist who meets the above criteria.
 * 4) Won major music competition: Has written a composition that has won (or in some cases been given a second or other place) in a major music competition not established expressly for newcomers.
 * 5) Major influence or teacher of notable composer: Has been listed as a major influence or teacher of a composer, songwriter, or lyricist that meets the above criteria.
 * 6) In standard reference books: Appears at reasonable length in standard reference books on their genre of music.

Other people
Composers and performers outside mass media traditions may be notable if they meet at least one of the following criteria:


 * 1) Covered in sub-culture publications: Is frequently covered in publications devoted to a notable music sub-culture.
 * 2) Composed a number of notable pieces for a notable genre: Has composed a number of notable melodies, tunes, or standards used in a notable music genre.
 * 3) Reliable sources consider them influential in a genre: Is cited in reliable sources as being influential in style, technique, repertory, or teaching for a particular music genre.
 * 4) Reliable sources say they established a tradition in a genre: Is cited by reliable sources as having established a tradition or school in a particular music genre.
 * 5) Major influence of notable musician: Has been listed as a significant musical influence on musicians or composers who meet the above criteria.

Recordings
Notability aside, a standalone article is only appropriate when there is enough material to warrant a reasonably detailed article; articles unlikely ever to grow beyond stubs should be merged into the artist's article or discography. A recording may be notable if it meets at least one of these criteria:


 * 1) Subject of multiple non-trivial, independent works from reliable sources: The recording has been the subject of multiple, non-trivial, published works appearing in sources that are reliable, not self-published, and are independent from the musician or ensemble who created it.
 * 2) * This criterion includes published works in all forms, such as newspaper articles, books, magazine articles, online versions of print media, and television documentaries except for the following:
 * 3) ** Any reprints of press releases, other publications where the musician or ensemble talks about the recording, and all advertising that mentions the recording, including manufacturers' advertising.
 * 4) ** Articles in a school or university newspaper (or similar), in most cases.
 * 5) Has been on a national music chart: The recording has appeared on any country's national music chart.
 * 6) Has received "gold" certification: The recording has been certified gold or higher in at least one country.
 * 7) Nominated for major award: The recording has won or been nominated for a major music award, such as a Grammy, Juno, Mercury, Choice or Grammis award.
 * 8) Notable performance medium: The recording was performed in a medium that is notable, e.g., a theme for a network television show, performance in a television show or notable film, inclusion on a notable compilation album, etc. (But if this is the only claim, it is probably more appropriate to have a mention in the main article and redirect to that article. Read the policy and notability guideline on subjects notable only for one event, for further clarifications).
 * 9) In radio or TV rotation: The recording was in rotation nationally by a major radio or music television network.
 * 10) Featured on national radio or TV: The recording has been a featured subject of a substantial broadcast segment across a national radio or television network.