Wikipedia:Simplified ruleset

This is an explanatory essay about WP:List of policies.

This page provides additional information about concepts in the page(s) it supplements. This page is not one of Wikipedia's policies or guidelines as it has not been thoroughly vetted by the community.

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Wikipedia is a free, volunteer-created encyclopedia, consisting of articles written in a particular style. Wikipedia is a continuous process with no end. If you write something good, it could be around for weeks, months, or even years and read all over the world. It might also be improved or incorporated into new revisions by other editors. Part of the fun and challenge of editing here is watching what happens to your contributions over time.

The Wikipedia community continues to evolve as well. Over time, policies and customs have developed as millions of editors learn from each other how to create balanced, well-sourced, informative articles, and how to work together and resolve conflicts. This page offers essentials to help you write well and avoid needless fights.

The bedrock of Wikipedia is reliable sources of information—scholarly and media publishers with a reputation for being accurate. Wikipedia does not have its own views on what is "correct", but tries to summarize what good sources have said, presenting differing views objectively and without bias. All statements should be realistically checkable from their sources: cite where you found information. With reliable sources at the center of what we do, editors' original ideas, interpretations, and research are not appropriate here.

Don't worry if you don't understand everything at first. And don't hesitate to ask questions. As time goes on, you'll learn how to be a great contributor on Wikipedia!