Essay on editing Wikipedia
 | This is an essay on notability. It contains the advice or opinions of one or more Wikipedia contributors. This page is not an encyclopedia article or a Wikipedia policy, as it has not been reviewed by the community. |
 | This page in a nutshell: Significant coverage cannot be measured by word count. |
For a contrary view, see Wikipedia:One hundred words.
The general notability guideline defines significant coverage as discussion of a topic in reliable sources that "addresses the topic directly and in detail". Coverage that is direct and in detail must cover an aspect of a topic through a description, discussion, or analysis that has enough depth to allow editors to write an article from a neutral point of view with enough context for a reader to understand the topic.
Significance cannot be based on a count of words in a single source. Even several paragraphs about a source might be trivial in context. For example, a gossip column about a celebrity may contain unimportant information or a run-of-the-mill news story might discuss a routine local event, such as a high school band concert.
See also
[edit]- Special:PermanentLink/1277061546#Balderdash – User:SMcCandlish's colorful rebuttal to "One hundred words"