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Biographies Subject Guide in Summary

The Wikipedia Biographies Guide begins with some general advice for editing on Wikipedia.  It stresses the importance of maintaining a neutral voice and using reliable sources. Accordingly, it notes that writing about controversy is perfectly acceptable, so long as both sides are well represented and well sourced.  It advises the avoidance of paraphrasing and the overuse of direct quotation. It also reminds readers that an early start will yield greater success, as it will allow more time for revision and discussion with the Wiki-community of editors.  The guide, true to its name, also discusses those issues specifically relevant to biographies. It offers different guidelines for writing about living and dead people. For example, primary sources, such as the person’s own work, are completely prohibited for living persons.  The guide then sets forth a template one should use to write a biographical article on Wikipedia, with a distinct form applied to individuals of a scientific field, whose distinct lifestyle warrants a distinct form. The guide concludes with a brief summary, again making the point that the article must be neutral and accurate.