User:Anon126/Guide for contributors with close connections/Principles

Introduction What is this guide? Conflicts of interest What is a close connection? A conflict of interest? Principles What Wikipedia is, and is not First steps Before you start editing New article How to write a new article about your subject Existing article What to do about an existing article on your subject Sourcing How to provide information on Wikipedia Copyright Avoiding copyright mishaps Copyright for text Copyright policies for text Copyright for images Copyright policies for images Linking What links we like (and don't like) Getting help Have any more questions?

Understanding Wikipedia's principles is important to avoiding a conflict of interest, because the principles define what improves, and does not improve, Wikipedia. In terms of close connections, the most important principle is: Wikipedia is an encyclopedia. So what does that mean? It means that Wikipedia should provide unbiased and accurate information. In more detail: "Unbiased" means that promotion is not allowed. Promotion on Wikipedia means promoting any particular viewpoint. This includes: Advertising (which promotes a positive viewpoint about a certain organization's goods/services) Advocacy (which promotes a viewpoint by definition) Attacks (which promote a negative viewpoint about something) More details are at Wikipedia is not a soapbox or means of promotion. If your goal is to do any of the above, then Wikipedia is not for you. You should consider other places where promotion is acceptable. "Accurate" means that all information must come from reliable sources. Common examples of reliable sources are newspapers, books, magazines, and some websites.[1] This means: If your subject is not well-known enough to have been discussed in outside sources, then it cannot be on Wikipedia. This requirement is called notability. Check if your subject meets this requirement before writing about it. We'll return to the rules about sources later in this guide. Next >> Websites are considered reliable sources if they have a reputation for providing accurate information. Blogs and wikis (including Wikipedia!) are usually not reliable sources.