User:Noleander/Featured Article Checklist

Limit sections to 2-levels deep ( ===Title=== )
Include tables or block quotes, to break up prose
Keep under 10K words
"See also" section strongly discouraged ... all related links should be in body or in NavBox
Do not start any section title with "The ..."
Section titles should be very terse, ideally one word

Each section should give who/what/where context
Big paragraphs = Good; Small paragraphs = Bad. Merge unrelated paragraphs if necessary.
Avoid short, choppy sentences. Merge them into longer sentences using semicolons, commas, or "and"
Long sentences can be okay if punctuation such as , - ; (progressively longer pauses) are used judiciously.
Sentences should flow from one into the next
Paragraphs should flow into each other: first sentence of each should refer to prior paragraph
Use professional, aloof phrasing: no slang or familiarity
No dramatic, POV, or superlative words: best, wild, horrible, stunning, tremendous, outstanding
Run thru spell checker
Vary wordings for spice: dont repeat the same verb or adjective if a synonym is available.
Vary sentence beginnings: dont start all with "Smith [verb] …" or "He [verb] …". Mix it up.
Avoid 3 or more commas in one sentence: use ndashes or semicolons if multiple pauses are needed
Avoid vague words: 'also', 'now', 'some', 'a variety of', 'several', 'many' ... generally prose gets better when they are eliminated.

Use {{ndash}} (or ndash;) not hyphens … esp page num ranges, or date ranges (no spaces for ranges; yes space for pauses)

Measurements used as adjectives with full word: 12-day trial; 12 days (not adj); 12 d. trial (not full word) (ditto for miles, mm, etc)

Dont start any sentence with And or But
Avoid quotes marks unless quoting someone: use italics for emphasis
leave final punctuation ,. outside quotes "blah blah". unless it is part of quote per WP:LQ
Dont put ellipses at the start of a quote, even if quote starts mid-sentence
Avoid abbreviations, especially months: Feb -> February
Spell out most things: % -> percent; 12 -> twelve; US -> United States WW I -> World War etc
Job titles: normally lower case, but uppercase if before name: President Nixon; when he was president he ...

Footnotes & refs: format must be 100% uniform!!
ISBN numbers: uniform & all there
alphabetize
Consider separating Expla Notes from citations-notes?
If 2 cites are identical: consolidate with "name" tool: <ref name=AA>info</ref> then later <ref name=AA/>

Tool (see below) will do this automatically

Exception: Non-free (copyrighted) pics must be uploaded to WP not Commons;
Non-free images must identify the copyright holder, and must include a detailed fair-use rationale per WP:FAIR USE, especially (1) reduced resolution; (2) no free alternative; (3) directly relevant to named article; (4) historically important; (5) significantly helps readers understanding of article. Emphasize that "picture conveys information in a way prose alone cannot".

Add {{personality rights}} to images of identifiable persons (Commons only)
Include correct free/public domain tag: "pre 1923" vs "pre 1978 and copyright not expired" etc
Excellent captions that relate the image to the article
use {{-}} for tall pictures to break for next section

Use template {{-}} to break after a picture
Use – for ndashes without spaces; {{ndash}} with spaces
Use ; for bold small sec title
Use template {{quote box}} for decorative quotes (so can align left or right); use blockquote markup for indented quotes
Current year dollars: e.g.: $500,000 (${{formatnum:{{Inflation|US|500000|1977}}}} in {{CURRENTYEAR}} dollars{{inflation-fn|US}}) .
Miles/km or feet/meter conversions: {{convert|26.2|mi|km}}