Guns and Hunting Wiki:Policies

Policies are the backbone of the wiki. Like guidelines and rules, all users, regardless of status and position, are expected to follow them. None of these policies are ever set in stone, however. Anyone who disagrees with a policy is welcome to suggest changes in the Wiki Suggestions forum. Here is a listing of our policies:

Site and Community Policies

 * Be bold - Don't be afraid to make edits and change things.
 * Consensus - Consensus is how the wiki operates and is the model for its decision making.
 * Don't delete discussions - Do not remove discussion from a talk page unless it is blatant vandalism. This policy applies to user talk pages as well.
 * Don't game the system - Do not try to escape punishment by gaming the rules.
 * Ignore all rules - Use common sense first and then see if a policy applies to the situation in question.
 * Red Link policy - Don't make red links to prove a point, only use them for pages that need to be created.
 * Signature policy - Images used in, or as, a signature must not exceed 30 pixels in height. Signatures must also clearly state the user's name.
 * Voting policy - Users must have an account in order to vote in community discussions or consensuses unless they demonstrate prior knowledge regarding wikis.
 * Userpage policy - A set of rules to conform to when designing your userpage.

Page and File Policies

 * Categorizing - Quick and easy guide about how not to categorize pages.
 * Criteria for speedy deletion policy - Most deletions on the wiki are a result of speedy deletion. See this policy to check to make sure if a page meets the criteria to be speedy deleted. If a user thinks that an article should be deleted, but it does not meet the criteria, than he or she may bring it up at Articles for Deletion.
 * Edit summary guideline - Always give a reason for undoing an edit.
 * Image policy - Some guidelines to follow when uploading images.
 * Manual of Style - Articles should follow the format, grammar, and other rules demonstrated in this manual.

User Policies

 * All editors are equal - All editors, regardless of status and position, are treated equally and have the same amount of say in their opinion.
 * Assume good faith - Unless it is obvious vandalism, always assume that a user's contributions to the wiki are to improve it.
 * Blocking guidelines - Destructive editors and vandals that need to be blocked should be barred from editing the wiki in increasing periods of time depending on the magnitude of vandalism or controversial edits and if they were blocked previously.
 * Sock puppetry - One editor, one account.
 * User treatment policy - Be considerate and not disruptive.
 * Warning guideline - Give out warnings appropriately to users that need them.

See also Project:Simplified Ruleset