Difference between revisions of "Help:Stub"

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{{nutshell|An article too short to provide more than rudimentary information about a subject should be marked as a '''stub''' by adding a '''stub template''' Anyone can edit a stub article, or remove a stub template from an article which is no longer a stub.}}
{{nutshell|title=This HELP page|''An entry too short to provide more than rudimentary information about a subject should be marked as a '''stub''' by adding a '''<nowiki>{{stub}}</nowiki>''' template. Anyone can edit a stub entry, or remove a stub template from an article which is no longer a stub.''}}




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== Basic information ==
== Basic information ==
A '''stub''' is an article containing only one or a few sentences of text that, although providing some useful information, is too short to provide detailed coverage of a subject, and that is capable of expansion.  
A '''stub''' is a page containing only one or a few sentences of text that, although providing some useful information, is too short to provide detailed coverage of a subject, and that is capable of expansion.  


Non-article pages, such as disambiguation pages, lists, categories, templates, talk pages, and redirects, are not regarded as stubs.  
Non-article pages, such as disambiguation pages, lists, categories, templates, talk pages, file pages, and redirects, are not regarded as stubs.  


Sizable articles are usually not considered stubs, even if they have significant problems or are noticeably incomplete. With these larger articles, a cleanup template]] is usually added instead of a stub template.  
Sizable entries are usually not considered stubs, even if they have significant problems or are noticeably incomplete. With these larger articles, a <nowiki>{{cleanup}}</nowiki> template and/or <nowiki>{{expand}}</nowiki> template is usually added instead of a stub template.  


Stub tags are useful for experienced editors looking for articles to expand.  
Stub tags are useful for experienced editors looking for articles to expand.  


=== How big is too big? ===
=== How big is too big? ===
Contributing editors may decide that an article with more than ten sentences is too big to be a stub or that articles with more than 250 words is too big to be a stub. The main thing to consider is whether a page provides enough detailed information about a subject and that widely known facts are already included on the page with some detail.
Contributing editors may decide that an entry with more than ten sentences is too big to be a stub or that articles with more than 250 words is too big to be a stub. The main thing to consider is whether a page provides enough detailed information about a subject and that widely known facts are already included on the page with some detail.


'''There is no set size at which an article stops being a stub.''' While very short articles are very likely to be stubs, there are some subjects about which very little can be written. Conversely, there are subjects about which a lot could be written, and their articles may still be stubs even if they are a couple of paragraphs long. As such, it is impossible to state whether an article is a stub based solely on its length, and any decision on the entry has to come down to an experienced editor's best judgement. Similarly, stub status usually depends on the length of prose text alone – lists, templates, images, and other such peripheral parts of an article are usually not considered when judging whether an article is a stub.
'''There is no set size at which an article stops being a stub.''' While very short articles are very likely to be stubs, there are some subjects about which very little can be written. Conversely, there are subjects about which a lot could be written, and their articles may still be stubs even if they are a couple of paragraphs long. As such, it is impossible to state whether an article is a stub based solely on its length, and any decision on the entry has to come down to an experienced editor's best judgement. Similarly, stub status usually depends on the length of prose text alone – lists, templates, images, and other such peripheral parts of an article are usually not considered when judging whether an article is a stub.


=== Ideal stub article ===
=== Ideal stub article ===
Any registered user may start a stub article.  
Any registered user may start a stub page.  


When you write a stub, bear in mind that it should contain enough information for other editors to expand upon it.  The key is to provide adequate details or context about the subject. Your initial research may be done either through books or reliable websites. You may also contribute knowledge acquired from other sources, but it is useful to conduct some research beforehand to ensure that your facts are accurate and unbiased, to avoid the need for further clean-up. Use your own words: directly copying other sources without giving them credit is plagiarism, and may in some cases be a violation of copyright.
When you write a stub, bear in mind that it should contain enough information for other editors to expand upon it.  The key is to provide adequate details or context about the subject. Your initial research may be done either through books, newspapers, or reliable websites. You may also contribute knowledge acquired from other sources, but it is useful to conduct some research beforehand to ensure that your facts are accurate and unbiased, to avoid the need for further clean-up. Use your own words: directly copying other sources without giving them credit is plagiarism, and may in some cases be a violation of copyright.


Begin by defining or describing your topic. Write clearly and informatively. State, for example, what a person is known for, where a place is located and what it is famous for, or the basic details of an event and when it happened.
Begin by describing or defining your topic. Write clearly and informatively. State, for example, what a person is known for, where a place is located and what it is famous for, or the basic details of an event and when it happened. This is normally called a lead sentence or lead paragraph.  Here's an example:


Next, try to expand upon this basic information. Internally link relevant words, so that users unfamiliar with the subject can understand what you have written and/or see how it relates to other people or things. Avoid linking words other than names needlessly; instead, consider which words may require further definition for a casual reader to understand the article. Lastly, a critical step: add sources for the information you have put into the stub. This can be done simply by including links to external sites.
: '''Joseph Calleja''' (born 22 January 1978) is a world-renowned Maltese tenor.


A page is marked as a stub by simply placing the word stub between double pairs of curly brackets, like this: <nowiki>{{stub}}</nowiki>.
: or


Once you create and save the article, other editors will also be able to enhance it.
: '''Oscar Lucas''' (2 March 1921 - 11 August 1996) was a Maltese Jazz musician and Band Leader.


=== How to mark an article as a stub ===
Next, try to expand upon this basic information. Internally link relevant words, so that users unfamiliar with the subject can understand what you have written and/or see how it relates to other people or things. Continuing on the previous example:
After writing a short article, or finding an unmarked stub, you should insert a ''stub template tag'', which looks like this: <nowiki>{{stub}}</nowiki>


The stub template tag is placed at the ''top'' of the article, so that the stub notification appears before article content.  
: He began singing at the age of 16, having been discovered by vocal coach [[Brian Cefai]], and eventually continued his studies with [[Paul Asciak]].


The stub template text has three parts: (1) an M3P related resources link to provide easy access to other pages that link to the stub's subject, (2) a short message encouraging other registered users to expand the page, and (3) a category tag placing the article in a [[:Category:Stub|stub category]] alongside other stubs.  
Avoid linking words other than names needlessly; instead, consider which words may require further definition for a casual reader to understand the article. Lastly, a critical step: add sources for the information you have put into the stub. This can be done simply by including links to external sites. For example:


: * [http://www.josephcalleja.com Joseph Calleja's Official Website]


;PAGE HAS ONLY BEEN EDITED FULLY UP TO HERE. FURTHER EDITING STILL REQUIRED FROM HERE ON...
A page is marked as a stub by simply placing the word stub between double pairs of curly brackets, like this: <nowiki>{{stub}}</nowiki>. This is normally placed at the very top of the page.  


=== Removing stub status ===
Once you create and save the stub entry, you and other editors will also be able to expand and enhance it.
Once a stub has been properly expanded and becomes a larger article, any editor may remove its stub template. No [[Wikipedia:administrators|administrator]] action or formal permission is needed.  Stub templates are usually located at the bottom of the page, and usually have a name like {{tlx|something-stub}} if you are using the classic wikitext editor rather than VisualEditor.


Many articles still marked as stubs have in fact been expanded beyond what is regarded as stub size. If an article is too large to be considered a stub but still needs expansion, the stub template may be removed and appropriate {{tl|expand section}} templates may be added (no article should contain both a stub template and an expand template).
=== How to mark an article as a stub ===
After writing a short article, or finding an unmarked stub, you should insert a ''stub template tag'', which looks like this: <nowiki>{{stub}}</nowiki>


[[Wikipedia:Be bold|Be bold]] in removing stub tags that are clearly no longer applicable.
The stub template tag is placed at the ''top'' of the article, so that the stub notification appears before article content.  


=== Locating stubs ===
The stub template text has three parts: (1) an M3P related resources link to provide easy access to other pages that link to the stub's subject, (2) a short message encouraging other registered users to expand the page, and (3) a category tag placing the article in a [[:Category:Stubs|stub category]] alongside other stubs.  
* [[:Category:Stub categories]] ''the main list of stub categories and of articles contained within them''  
* [[:Category:Stubs]] ''deprecated, but still receives a few articles periodically''
<!--* [[User:Triddle/stubsensor]] ''a script which detects long articles with the stub tag attached to them and is used to organize periodic [[User:Triddle/cleanup|cleanup projects]]'' (appears inactive)-->
* [[Wikipedia:Most wanted stubs]] (This page is currently inactive and is retained for historical reference. Either the page is no longer relevant, or consensus on its purpose has become unclear. )
* [[Special:Shortpages]]
* By setting ''stub threshold'' in [[Special:Preferences|Preferences]] to a maximum number of bytes for a page to be placed in class "stub" for markup purposes.


== Creating stub types ==
=== Removing stub status ===
'''Please propose new stub types at [[Wikipedia: WikiProject Stub sorting/Proposals| WikiProject Stub sorting/Proposals]] so that they may be discussed prior to creating them.'''
Once a stub has been properly expanded and becomes a larger article, any editor may remove its stub template. No administrator action or formal permission is needed.  Stub templates are usually located at the top of the page, and look like this: <nowiki>{{stub}}</nowiki>.
 
In general, a ''stub type'' consists of a ''stub template'' and a dedicated ''stub category'', although [[Wikipedia:Glossary#Upmerge|"upmerged" templates]] are also occasionally created which feed into more general stub categories. 
 
If you identify a group of stub articles that do not fit an existing stub type, or if an existing stub category is growing very large, you can propose the creation of a new stub type which is debated at [[Wikipedia:WikiProject Stub sorting/Proposals]].
 
=== Example ===
 
An example of a stub template is {{tlx|Writer-stub}}, which produces:
 
<div class="boilerplate metadata" id="stub"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="background-color: transparent"><tr ><td >[[File:Quill and ink.svg|30px| ]]</td><td>''&nbsp;This article about a [[writer]], [[poet]] or [[playwright]] is a [[Wikipedia:Stub#Ideal_stub_article|stub]].  You can help Wikipedia by [{{SERVER}}{{localurl:{{NAMESPACE}}:{{PAGENAME}}|action=edit}} expanding it]''.</td></tr></table></div>
 
The stub category, [[:Category:Writer stubs]], lists all articles containing the {{tlx|Writer-stub}} template.
 
=== Guidelines ===
 
Several guidelines are used to decide whether a new stub type is useful. These include the following:
 
# Is there a stub type for this topic already? (Check [[Wikipedia:WikiProject Stub sorting/Stub types]].)
# Will the new type be well-defined? (Stub categories are a tool used by editors to expand articles. Good topic definition makes stubs easier to sort accurately.)
# Does the new stub type cover ground not covered by other type, or create a well-defined subtype that does?
# <span id="numerosity"/>Will there be a significant number of existing stubs in this category? (Ideally, a newly created stub type has 100–300 articles.  In general, any new stub category should have a ''minimum'' of 60 articles. This threshold is modified in the case of the ''main'' stub category used by a [[Wikipedia:WikiProject|WikiProject]].)
# Would your new stub type overlap with other stub types? (Stub types form a hierarchy and as such are usually split in specific ways. Compare other stub splits at [[Wikipedia:WikiProject Stub sorting/Stub types]].)
# If you are breaking a subtype out of an existing type, will the new creation reduce the size of the parent by a significant amount?  (This is not an absolute necessity, but is often a catalyst for the creation of stub categories.  Stub categories containing over 800 articles are typically considered to be "over-sized", and in need of such sub-types.)
 
If you think you have satisfied these guidelines, it is ''highly recommended'' that you propose the new stub type at [[Wikipedia:WikiProject Stub sorting/Proposals|stub type proposals page]]. This allows for debate on matters relating to the stub type that may not have occurred to the proposer, and also allows for objections if the split does not satisfy stub guidelines. If there are no objections within five days, you may create the new stub type.
 
=== New stub templates ===
Once the creation of a new stub type has been discussed at [[Wikipedia: WikiProject Stub sorting/Proposals]] and agreed upon, a template can be created. The name of this should follow the [[Wikipedia:WikiProject Stub sorting/Naming guidelines|stub type naming conventions]], and will usually be decided during the discussion process.
 
All stub templates should link to a stub category. This may be a category specific to the topic of the template, or the template might be "upmerged" to one or more less specific categories&nbsp;– for example, a template for Andorran history might link to a stub category for European history and a general Andorran stub category.  This is often thought to be desirable when a stub type is proposed in anticipation of future use, but is not currently over the size threshold;  or where an existing stub type has a finite number of well-defined subdivisions, with some numerically viable as subtypes, and others not.
 
Adding a small image to the stub template (the "stub icon") is generally discouraged because it increases the strain on the Wikipedia servers but may be used, so long as the image must be [[public domain]] or have a free license&nbsp;– [[fair use]] images must not be used in templates. Stub icons should be small, preferably no more than about 40px in size.
 
The standard code for stub templates is found at: {{tl|asbox}}. This template can be used ('''without''' substitution).
<!--  THESE TEMPLATES ARE NOW DEPRECATED USE ASBOX: Standard code for stub templates is found at {{tl|metastub}}:
:<code><nowiki>{{subst:metastub | article=article related to [[foo]] | id=foo-stub | category=Foo}}</nowiki></code>
 
which produces this:
 
<div class="notice metadata plainlinks" id="stub" style="clear:both;">''This article related to [[foo]] is a [[Wikipedia:Stub|stub]]. You can help Wikipedia by [{{fullurl:{{FULLPAGENAME}}|action=edit}} expanding it].''</div>
 
And if an image is appropriate, use {{tl|metapicstub}}:
 
:<code><nowiki>{{subst:MetaPicstub|article=article about [[foo]]| id=stub | category=Foo| image=foo.svg | size=40 | alt=Foo}}</nowiki></code><br />
which produces this:
<table class="notice metadata plainlinks" id="stub" style="background: transparent;"><tr><td>[[File:foo.svg|40px|]]</td><td>''This article about [[foo]] is a [[Wikipedia:Stub|stub]].  You can [[Wikipedia:Stub#Ideal stub article|help]] Wikipedia by [{{fullurl:{{FULLPAGENAME}}|action=edit}} expanding it].''</td ></tr ></table >
 
'''''Be sure to {{tl|subst}} the template code when creating the template!'''''
-->
 
=== New stub categories ===
The name of the stub category should also have been decided during the proposal process and will also follow the [[Wikipedia:WikiProject Stub sorting/Naming guidelines|naming guidelines]].
 
The text of a stub category should contain a definition of what type of stubs are contained in it and an indication of what template is used to add stubs to it. The {{tl|WPSS-cat}} template should also be placed on the category, to indicate that it has been created after debate at [[Wikipedia: WikiProject Stub sorting/Proposals]]. The new stub category should also be added to the [[Wikipedia:WikiProject Stub sorting/Stub types]] list.
 
The new stub category should be correctly added into other categories. These should include at least three specific categories:
*The analogous permanent category ("permcat")
*At least one higher level ("parent") stub category
*[[:Category:Stub categories]]
 
Thus, for example, [[:Category:France stubs]], should be in an equivalent permcat ([[:Category: France]]), parent stub category ([[:Category:Europe stubs]]), and [[:Category:Stub categories]].
 
The creation of stub categories can be partially automated by using {{tl|Stub category}} as follows:
 
<code><nowiki>{{Stub Category|article=[[A]]|newstub=B|category=C}}</nowiki></code>
:<code>A</code>: Insert the description of the category here.
:<code>B</code>: Insert the name of the new stub template here.
:<code>C</code>: Insert the name of an appropriate parent non-stub category.
 
In the example given above, the formatting would look like this:
 
<code><nowiki>{{Stub Category|article=[[France]]|newstub=France-stub|category=France}}</nowiki></code>
which would produce this:
{{cmbox
| type = notice
| image = [[File:Puzzle stub cropped.png|40px]]
| text = This category is for [[Wikipedia:Stub|stub articles]] relating to [[France]]. You can help by expanding them.
 
{{#if:France-stub|<br/>To add an article to this category, use {{tl2|France-stub}} instead of {{tl2|stub}}.|}}
}}
 
This syntax also automatically adds the new category to [[:Category:Stub categories]], though parent stub categories and {{tl|WPSS-cat}} still need to be added manually. It also automatically [[Wikipedia:Glossary#Piped link|pipes]] the stub category with "Σ", so that appears at the end of the list of subcategories in non-stub category C. This effectively moves it away from navigation categories to place it alongside other editing- and cleanup-related categories.


'''''If you have some doubts or comments regarding any part of the process, do not hesitate to address them at [[Wikipedia talk:WikiProject Stub sorting]].'''''
Some entries still marked as stubs have in fact been expanded beyond what is regarded as stub size. Do not hesitate to remove stub tags that are clearly no longer applicable, especially if you've just added substantial information on that particular entry.


== Stubbing existing articles ==
==== Using expand instead of stub ====
On occasion, an article may have severe problems that require much of its content to be removed.  This may be done in response to an article that is heavily [[WP:NPOV|biased]], either [[WP:SPAM|for]] or [[WP:ATTACK|against]] its subject; an article that has some verifiable material but is otherwise full of [[WP:OR|original research]]; in response to an [[WP:OTRS|OTRS complaint]]; or a variety of other reasons.
If an entry seems too large to be considered a stub but still needs expansion, the stub template may be removed and the more appropriate <nowiki>{{expand}}</nowiki> templates may be added instead. No entry should contain both a stub template and an expand template. This is because a <nowiki>{{stub}}</nowiki> implies both the fact that an entry is short and needs expanding, whereas an <nowiki>{{expand}}</nowiki> template is used to simply request that the information on a particular subject is expanded, even if there's already substantial information about that subject.


If enough content is removed that all that remains is a stub, a stub template should be added to the article, if it does not already have one.
== Stubbing existing entries ==
 
On occasion, an entry may have severe problems that require much of its content to be removed; such as self-promotional text without any factual information. If enough content is removed that all that remains is a stub, a stub template should be added to the article, if it does not already have one.
== Stub types, WikiProjects, and Assessment templates ==
When a new [[Wikipedia:WikiProject|WikiProject]] commences, one of the first things its creators often do is decide whether or not a specific stub type should be created for it. Often there is no real problem, as WikiProject topics frequently coincide with subjects of specific stub types. On other occasions, there will be no specific stub type, and thus a new type should be proposed.
 
Occasionally, a WikiProject will seek to have a stub type which runs contrary to the way stubs are normally split, and this can create conflict between that project and WikiProject Stub sorting, or, more importantly, between that one stub type and one or more ''other'' stub types. Even where there is an existing stub type, there may be conflict, as often the definition of a topic as used for stub sorting may not be identical to that used by its specific WikiProject. It should be remembered in cases like this that, while a specific WikiProject may be looking for a solution for its concerns, WikiProject Stub sorting is attempting to make a coherent and cohesive system that works for ''all'' editors. The system needs to be as compatible as possible with the needs of ''all'' WikiProjects, and also with the needs of casual editors who are not part of any WikiProject.
 
[[Wikipedia:Assessment|Assessment templates]] are a way around this problem, and more often than not a far more useful tool for WikiProjects. Assessment templates have several distinct advantages over stub types for WikiProjects. The templates are placed on article talk pages, where they are less likely to be seen as controversial (the placing of stub templates on controversial articles has frequently been a source of [[Wikipedia:Edit warring|edit warring]]). They allow all articles within a topic area to be assessed and catalogued by a related project – not just stub articles. They allow an indication to be made of exactly what work needs to be done on an article. They also allow workgroups that are subgroups of WikiProjects to have their own specific templates that are better suited to their tasks.
 
 
 
Templates are transcluded, which means that all stub notifications can be changed simply by editing a specific template. 


== Locating stubs ==
* [[:Category:Stubs]] contains a list of all pages marked as stubs.
* [[Special:Shortpages]] contains a list of short pages that may or may not be marked as stubs.


== See also ==
== See also ==
* [[:Category:Working lists]]
* [[:Category:Working Lists]]
* [[Special:Wanted page]]
* [[Special:Wantedpages]]


== External links ==
== External links ==
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[[Category:M3P Guidelines]]

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 | * An entry too short to provide more than rudimentary information about a subject should be marked as a stub by adding a {{stub}} template. Anyone can edit a stub entry, or remove a stub template from an article which is no longer a stub.
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A stub is a good way to create a page about a subject that can be populated with further details later.

The objective of this help page is to provide a general guide for dealing with stubs.

Basic information

A stub is a page containing only one or a few sentences of text that, although providing some useful information, is too short to provide detailed coverage of a subject, and that is capable of expansion.

Non-article pages, such as disambiguation pages, lists, categories, templates, talk pages, file pages, and redirects, are not regarded as stubs.

Sizable entries are usually not considered stubs, even if they have significant problems or are noticeably incomplete. With these larger articles, a {{cleanup}} template and/or {{expand}} template is usually added instead of a stub template.

Stub tags are useful for experienced editors looking for articles to expand.

How big is too big?

Contributing editors may decide that an entry with more than ten sentences is too big to be a stub or that articles with more than 250 words is too big to be a stub. The main thing to consider is whether a page provides enough detailed information about a subject and that widely known facts are already included on the page with some detail.

There is no set size at which an article stops being a stub. While very short articles are very likely to be stubs, there are some subjects about which very little can be written. Conversely, there are subjects about which a lot could be written, and their articles may still be stubs even if they are a couple of paragraphs long. As such, it is impossible to state whether an article is a stub based solely on its length, and any decision on the entry has to come down to an experienced editor's best judgement. Similarly, stub status usually depends on the length of prose text alone – lists, templates, images, and other such peripheral parts of an article are usually not considered when judging whether an article is a stub.

Ideal stub article

Any registered user may start a stub page.

When you write a stub, bear in mind that it should contain enough information for other editors to expand upon it. The key is to provide adequate details or context about the subject. Your initial research may be done either through books, newspapers, or reliable websites. You may also contribute knowledge acquired from other sources, but it is useful to conduct some research beforehand to ensure that your facts are accurate and unbiased, to avoid the need for further clean-up. Use your own words: directly copying other sources without giving them credit is plagiarism, and may in some cases be a violation of copyright.

Begin by describing or defining your topic. Write clearly and informatively. State, for example, what a person is known for, where a place is located and what it is famous for, or the basic details of an event and when it happened. This is normally called a lead sentence or lead paragraph. Here's an example:

Joseph Calleja (born 22 January 1978) is a world-renowned Maltese tenor.
or
Oscar Lucas (2 March 1921 - 11 August 1996) was a Maltese Jazz musician and Band Leader.

Next, try to expand upon this basic information. Internally link relevant words, so that users unfamiliar with the subject can understand what you have written and/or see how it relates to other people or things. Continuing on the previous example:

He began singing at the age of 16, having been discovered by vocal coach Brian Cefai, and eventually continued his studies with Paul Asciak.

Avoid linking words other than names needlessly; instead, consider which words may require further definition for a casual reader to understand the article. Lastly, a critical step: add sources for the information you have put into the stub. This can be done simply by including links to external sites. For example:

* Joseph Calleja's Official Website

A page is marked as a stub by simply placing the word stub between double pairs of curly brackets, like this: {{stub}}. This is normally placed at the very top of the page.

Once you create and save the stub entry, you and other editors will also be able to expand and enhance it.

How to mark an article as a stub

After writing a short article, or finding an unmarked stub, you should insert a stub template tag, which looks like this: {{stub}}

The stub template tag is placed at the top of the article, so that the stub notification appears before article content.

The stub template text has three parts: (1) an M3P related resources link to provide easy access to other pages that link to the stub's subject, (2) a short message encouraging other registered users to expand the page, and (3) a category tag placing the article in a stub category alongside other stubs.

Removing stub status

Once a stub has been properly expanded and becomes a larger article, any editor may remove its stub template. No administrator action or formal permission is needed. Stub templates are usually located at the top of the page, and look like this: {{stub}}.

Some entries still marked as stubs have in fact been expanded beyond what is regarded as stub size. Do not hesitate to remove stub tags that are clearly no longer applicable, especially if you've just added substantial information on that particular entry.

Using expand instead of stub

If an entry seems too large to be considered a stub but still needs expansion, the stub template may be removed and the more appropriate {{expand}} templates may be added instead. No entry should contain both a stub template and an expand template. This is because a {{stub}} implies both the fact that an entry is short and needs expanding, whereas an {{expand}} template is used to simply request that the information on a particular subject is expanded, even if there's already substantial information about that subject.

Stubbing existing entries

On occasion, an entry may have severe problems that require much of its content to be removed; such as self-promotional text without any factual information. If enough content is removed that all that remains is a stub, a stub template should be added to the article, if it does not already have one.

Locating stubs

See also

External links


W This page is adapted from similar material on Wikipedia.

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