Wikipedia:Arguments to make in deletion discussions
Wikipedia discussions |
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Arguments to avoid in |
Arguments to make |
Common outcomes |
References
- Keep: I have added valid references to this page. NewRefs (talk)
- Keep: References are available. I cannot add them myself, but here they are. RefsAvailable (talk)
- Delete: Article has no references, and no reliable ones appear to exist. NoRefs (talk)
- Delete: Non-notable subject. Article has no references, and I can't find any coverage of the subject. The lone external link is subject's own site. OwnSite (talk)
When notability is in doubt, and that is the reason given for deletion, the very best way to counteract that is to demonstrate notability. Especially if the topic sounds obscure or trivial or gives the appearance of original research without the references, proving otherwise will solve this problem.
If you feel you do not have what it takes to improve an article itself when it is up for deletion, you can recommend sources that others can use. Google News, Google Books, and Google Scholar are good places to find sources.
On the other hand, if the page does not appear to be notable, and you believe it should be deleted, the best way to get the page deleted is to prove that. Simply having no references on the page may not be grounds for deletion; you will have to demonstrate that none can ever likely be found. As for articles with a single external link to the subject's own site or MySpace page, this may very well be self-promotion (as in the case of the garage band).
Wikipedia policies and guidelines
- Keep: Per WP:ThisPolicy, which states in these exact words that an article like this is perfectly acceptable. PolicyFavorsKeeping (talk)
- Delete: Per WP:ThisPolicy, which states in these exact words that this type of article does not belong. PolicyFavorsDeleting (talk)
An AfD discussion is not a vote. It is a discussion of whether policies (and broadly accepted guidelines, such as many of the topic-specific notability guidelines) allow or disallow the type of article. Referencing policies, and where appropriate, guidelines is what will make or break it. Even if ten editors state an article should be deleted, and one editor states the article should be kept, but the one who wants it kept gives a good argument citing policy, while the other ten give none, this is sufficient grounds for keeping an article. In the case of guidelines, which carry less weight, it may be less clear cut, but basically the more support an argument has from well-accepted guidelines that reflect Wikipedia community consensus, the more likely it is to prevail.
When you make your comment on an AfD board, familiarize yourself with as many Wikipedia policies and guidelines as possible. There are so many, it may take time to know them all. Keep in mind that what you are saying is not a vote, and without citing one or more policies and/or guidelines, agreeing with someone else's citation of a policy, or rebutting someone else's citation of a policy, your comments will have little if any weight against the consensus formed by others and the decision made by the closing admin.
Per essay
- Keep per WP:ThisEssay, which suggests that an article like this is acceptable for the following compelling reasons... EssayFavorsKeeping (talk)
- Delete per WP:ThisEssay, which at these places perfectly sums up the reasons this article is not acceptable. EssayFavorsDeleting (talk)
An essay, unlike a policy, can be unilaterally written by one person. Though it can be edited freely like any article, it is not subject to challenge or scrutiny like a policy (if people strongly disagree with it, they tend to write a competing essay). Generally, any editor who knows anything about writing an essay has enough wiki knowledge that they will be making good edits. Most essays are written in good faith by users who are coming up with valid interpretations of existing policy, often based on their own experiences. Many essays cite policies within to support the author's cause, and some essays do eventually become policy. Especially if the essay was written by someone other than the one who wrote the article, or even if it was written by the same person, if it was written before the article was proposed for deletion, it should be taken into account when cited in favor of a cause.