Wikipedia:Stand-alone lists: Difference between revisions

{{short description|Project page}}

{{Subcat guideline|content guideline|Stand-alone lists|WP:SAL|WP:STAND|WP:STANDALONE}}

{{Nutshell|Stand-alone lists, like other articles, are subject to [[Wikipedia:Core content policies|Wikipedia's Core content policies]]. They should be used for [[#Appropriate topics for lists|appropriate topics]], and have clear [[#Selection criteria|selection criteria]]. A well-written [[#Lead|lead section]] is important, especially if there is little or no other non-list content.}}

{{Guideline list}}

 

 

== List contents ==

 

====Specialized list articles====

* '''[[Wikipedia:Outlines|Outlines]]''', from the general ([[Outline of mathematics]]) to the somewhat specific ([[Outline of algebraic structures]]), are part of Wikipedia's [[Wikipedia:Contents|Contents]] navigation system, and are indexed at [[Wikipedia:Contents/Outlines]]. A type of [[tree structure]], they are hierarchies of subjects organized as a structured list including headings, subheadings, and list items (usually bulleted, and preferably annotated). ''For more information, see [[outline (list)]], and [[Wikipedia:WikiProject Outlines|WikiProject Outlines]].''

* '''[[:Category:Wikipedia indexes|Indices]]''', alphabetized lists of articles on a given subject, are part of Wikipedia's [[Wikipedia:Contents|Contents]] navigation system, and are listed at [[Wikipedia:Contents/Indices]]. Examples include [[Index of psychology articles]] and [[Index of Syria-related articles]]. ''For more information, see [[index (publishing)]], and [[Wikipedia:WikiProject Indexes|WikiProject Indexes]].''

* '''[[Wikipedia:Timeline|Timelines]]''', using a [[Wikipedia:Timeline standards|standardized layout]] to present a chronological summary of a topic; examples include [[Timeline of architectural styles]] and [[Graphical timeline of the Big Bang]]. There is a special [[Wikipedia:Timeline syntax|MediaWiki timeline syntax]], but most Wikipedia timeline list articles do not presently use this recently<!--as of 2015--> introduced feature. ''For more information, see [[timeline]].''

* '''[[Order of battle]]''' &ndash; a representation of armed force components that shows the hierarchical organization and [[command structure]].

* '''[[Wikipedia:Manual of Style/Glossaries|Glossaries]]''', using one of several [[WP:Manual of Style/Glossaries#Glossary formatting styles|glossary formatting styles]], are usually alphabetized lists of terms with annotations defining them in an encyclopedic way; examples include [[Glossary of philosophy]] and [[Glossary of pinball terms]]. The format can also be used for some other purposes. Non-encyclopedic glossary material may be migrated to [[Wiktionary]] {{crossref|(see {{section link||Lists of words}} for more information)}}. ''For more information, see [[glossary]], and [[Wikipedia:WikiProject Glossaries|WikiProject Glossaries]].''

*'''[[Wikipedia:Set index articles|Set index articles]]''' &ndash; document a set of items that share the same (or a similar) name. They are different from [[Wikipedia:Disambiguation|disambiguation]] pages in that they are full-fledged articles meant to document multiple subjects, while disambiguation pages are for navigation purposes only. Not all set index articles are lists.

 

====Lists of lists====

Wikipedia has many articles that are primarily or entirely lists of other lists (see [[List of lists of lists]]). On lists of lists, nonexistent lists should not be included. That is, all the links in a "lists of lists" should be active (blue, not red).

 

===Selection criteria===

<!-- Wikipedia:Notability (people)#Lists of people links here -->

{{see also|Wikipedia:Notability (people)#Lists of people|Wikipedia:Notability#Stand-alone lists|Template:List criteria}}

{{further information|Wikipedia:Manual of Style/Lists#Adding individual items to a list}}

 

 

When establishing membership criteria for a list, ask yourself if any of the following are true:

 

* {{anchor|all notable}} ''Every entry meets the [[Wikipedia:Notability|notability criteria]]'' for its own [[WP:What is an article?|article]] in the English Wikipedia. [[Wikipedia:Red link|Red-linked entries]] are acceptable if the entry is [[Wikipedia:Verifiability|verifiably]] a member of the listed group and it is reasonable to expect an article could be forthcoming in the near future. Red-linked entries should be accompanied by citations sufficient to show that the entry is sufficiently notable for an article to be written on it (i.e., citations showing [[WP:SIGCOV|significant coverage in reliable sources independent of the subject]]). This standard prevents Wikipedia from becoming a collection of [[WP:IINFO|indiscriminate lists]]; prevents individual list articles from becoming targets for [[WP:SPAM|spam]] and [[WP:PROMO|promotion]]; and keeps individual lists to a size that is manageable for readers.

 

"Creation guide" lists—lists devoted to a large number of [[Wikipedia:Red link|redlinked]] (unwritten) articles, for the purpose of keeping track of which articles still need to be written—don't belong in the main namespace. Write these in your userspace, or in a [[WP:Wikiproject|Wikiproject]]'s space, or list the missing articles at [[Wikipedia:Requested articles]].

 

====Taxonomic links====

 

===Bulleted and numbered lists===

* Do not use lists if a passage is read easily as plain paragraphs.

* Use proper wikimarkup- or template-based list code ''(see [[WP:Manual of Style/Lists]] and [[Help:List]])''.

* Use numbers rather than bullets only if:

** a need to refer to the elements by number may arise;

 

==Titles<span id="Naming conventions"></span>==

{{Subcat guideline|section=y|naming convention|lists, stand alone|WP:LISTNAME|WP:NCLIST|WP:NCSAL}}

{{Bad summary|section|Wikipedia:Naming conventions (lists)#Long (split) list naming recommendations}}

* [[Help:Table]]

* [[Portal:Contents/Outlines]]