User:Monsieur Crow/SmashWiki:Neutral Point of View
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All encyclopaedic content on SmashWiki must be written from a neutral point of view. As such, all topics and content on all mainspace and smasherspace articles should represent all sides of an issue as fairly and proportionately as possible, without bias from editors.
Basics
At its core, NPoV dictates that editors on SmashWiki must attempt their best to describe disputes, but not engage in them. While editors may have their own points of view on a topic or subject, users should strive for good faith in providing accurate, complete information, and should not attempt to promote one point of view over another.
Some methods to avoid bias, as outlined by Wikipedia's own policy on NPoV, include:
- Avoid stating opinions as facts. While the Smash community or editors may have a collective opinion on a certain topics, these opinions should not be stated in SmashWiki's voice. Rather, attribution of a particular source, or being described as a widespread should be used, alongside other such actions. For example, on Kirby (SSBM), editors should not state that "Kirby is the worst character in Melee", but it may state that "Kirby is widely considered the worst character in the game due to his poor approach, combo ability, and KO ability, among other factors."
- Avoid stating contested assertions as facts. If a number of different viewpoints exist on an issue, treat each of these as dissenting opinions, and do not present them as facts.
- Avoid stating facts as opinions. Uncontested assertions can be made in SmashWiki's voice, provided such facts are given appropriate sourcing. For instance, it is widely accepted that Meta Knight is the most viable character in Brawl, due to a combination of being top of the tier list and commanding a large playerbase.
- Avoid judgmental language. A neutral point of view neither sympathises with nor disparages its subject or what sources may say about a subject; avoid using words such as "best", "worst", "fantastic", and "gimmicky", especially without an appropriate context.
- Avoid giving undue prominence to certain views. Reporting on opinions should reflect the relative level of support they have. For instance, it is widely accepted among players that the tier list holds true and that tiers exist; while a number of players may oppose the concept of tiers or not believe that tiers exist, this view is ultimately in the minority in the present day, and it should not be presented as a mainstream view or as being equal to the larger argument.
In the event that an article does not appear to feature a neutral point of view, remember to always assume good faith from editors. Try using a talk page to discuss why the article does not appear neutral in tone, and place the tone template on any pages or sections that may require rewriting for imbalances in neutrality.
