Wikipedia:Notability/Proposed

Wikipedia strives to be a comprehensive online compendium that contains information on all branches of knowledge, but not a directory or an indiscriminate collection of information. To be included in this encyclopedia, articles should be of general interest, so that the subject is of concern beyond those directly connected to it, and of more than fleeting significance. Thus, the topic of any article should be notable. A notable topic, by definition, is one that is "worthy of notice"; this is a concept distinct from "fame" or "importance".

A subject is presumed to be notable if it has received coverage in reliable and independent sources, or if it meets one of the agreed subject specifc standards. The table to the right lists guidelines in specific fields where editors have reached, or are working towards, consensus regarding encyclopedic notability for general classes of topics.

Notability guidelines pertain to the suitability of article topics but do not directly limit the content of articles. However, article content should avoid trivia, and list articles should restrict themselves to listing notable members.

The general presumption of notability

A topic is presumed to be notable if:

it has received coverage in reliable secondary sources that are independent of the subject.

• "Coverage" means that sources address the subject directly and no original research is needed to extract the content.² It does not require that a topic be the sole focus of a source, but does require that the source speaks on the subject in detail, rather than a mention in passing or name drop.
• It is preferable to have multiple sources. These should be independent of each other; in evaluating this independence consider whether the sources are sufficiently independent intellectually such that each is not a restatement of the other (e.g., wire services, based on common research). The number needed varies depending on the depth of coverage and quality of the sources.³ In the absence of multiple sources, it must be possible to verify that the source reflects a neutral point of view, is credible and provides sufficient detail for a comprehensive article. Lack of multiple sources suggests that the topic may be more suitable for inclusion in an article on a broader topic.
• "Reliable" means sources need editorial integrity to allow verifiable evaluation of notability, per the reliable source guideline. The type of source material that can be used encompasses published works in all forms and media. While secondary sources do not, in and of themselves, convey notability, they are considered a good test for and reflection of notability.⁴
• "Independent" excludes works produced by those closely affiliated with the subject including: self-publicity, advertising, self-published material by the subject, autobiographies, press releases, etc.⁵

The above presumption of notability indicates that a particular topic is likely to be worthy of notice and inclusion in the encyclopedia as a separate article.

Where articles do not demonstrate notability

Content of borderline notability, of narrow scope, or of very localized interest, is generally merged with another article - for instance, information on the parents of a celebrity is generally incorporated in the article on the celebrity itself.

Articles of disputed notability may be marked with the {{notability}} template to notify that there is some question about it's notability. Discussion on the talk page may produce sources demonstrating notability or other consensual agreement that the subject is notable, or consensus that it should be merged into another article.

Ultimately the notability of articles can be challenged via the deletion policy to determine whether there is a consensus among editors that the subject is suitable for inclusion in Wikipedia.