Wikipedia:Biography dos and don'ts

This is an information page.

It is not an encyclopedic article, nor one of Wikipedia's policies or guidelines; rather, its purpose is to explain certain aspects of Wikipedia:Manual of Style/Biographies. It may reflect differing levels of consensus and vetting.

Biography articles follow particular rules for consistency and ease of use.

When editing biographies:

DO:
Use the subject's common name as the article title.
State vital years in the lead, after the subject's name.
Identify key information in the first paragraph.
Use full name in the first sentence, and surname after.
Follow the guidance for living persons as needed.
Write in the appropriate tense.
Put {{authority control}} at the foot; add IDs in Wikidata.

DON'T:
Don't create pages for people who are not notable.
Don't promote the subject.
Don't rely on unreliable sources.
Don't make statements that will become out of date.
Don't give undue weight to traits unrelated to notability.
Don't use titles or honorifics with the subject's name.
Don't add the page to inappropriate categories.

Also:

Do consider joining WikiProject Biography.

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Simple rule set - Simple style manual - Style tips - Wikitext cheatsheet

See also