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This page sets out advice on how to write an effective article, including information on layout, style, and how to make an article clear, precise and relevant to the reader.
This page provides guidance on how to write effective articles, focusing on layout, style, and ensuring clarity, precision, and relevance for readers.


==Layout==
== Layout ==
Layout matters. Good articles start with introductions, continue with a clear structure, and end with standard appendices such as references and related articles.


==== Introductory material ====
A well-structured article starts with a clear introduction, maintains an organized body, and ends with standard appendices such as references and related articles.
Good articles start with a brief lead section introducing the topic. We discuss lead sections in greater detail [[#Lead section|below]]. The lead section should come above the first header; it is almost never useful to add something like <nowiki>==Introduction==</nowiki>. Sometimes, the first section after the lead is a broad summary of the topic, and is called "Overview", although more specific section titles and structures are generally preferred.


==== Paragraphs ====
=== Introductory Material ===


Paragraphs should be short enough to be readable, but long enough to develop an idea. Overly long paragraphs should be split up, as long as the cousin paragraphs keep the idea in focus.
An article should begin with a brief lead section introducing the topic. The lead should come above the first header, without needing a separate "Introduction" section. If necessary, the first section after the lead may provide an overview, although more specific section titles are encouraged.


One-sentence paragraphs are unusually emphatic, and should be used sparingly. Articles should rarely, if ever, consist solely of such paragraphs.
=== Paragraphs ===


Some paragraphs are really tables or lists in disguise.
Paragraphs should be concise, focused, and sufficiently developed. Avoid overly long paragraphs, and split them if needed to maintain focus. One-sentence paragraphs are used for emphasis but should be rare.


==== Headings ====
=== Headings ===
Headings help clarify articles and create a structure shown in the table of contents.


Headings are hierarchical. The article's title uses a level 1 heading, so you should start with a level 2 heading (<nowiki>==Heading==</nowiki>) and follow it with lower levels: <nowiki>===Subheading===</nowiki>, <nowiki>====Subsubheading====</nowiki>, and so forth. Whether extensive subtopics should be kept on one page or moved to individual pages is a matter of personal judgment. See also below under [[#Summary style]].
Headings should clarify the article’s structure and guide readers through its content. Start with a level 2 heading for the article title, followed by lower levels as appropriate. For clarity, headings should not be wikilinked.


Headings should not be Wikilinked. This is because headings in themselves introduce information and let the reader know what subtopics will be presented; Wikilinks should be incorporated in the text of the section.
=== Images ===


==== Images ====
When possible, include images that directly relate to the text they illustrate. Properly positioned images help enhance readability. Use concise captions and ensure images are contextually relevant.
If the article can be illustrated with pictures, find an appropriate place to position these images, where they relate closely to text they illustrate. If there might be doubt, draw attention to the image in the text (''illustration right'').


=== Size ===
=== Size ===


Long articles should be avoided, with articles ideally containing fewer than 50KB of prose. For longer articles, break them into smaller sections, using the "Main article" template to link to subarticles. Each subtopic should stand on its own with clear summaries.


Excessively long articles should usually be avoided. Articles should ideally contain less than 50KB worth of prose. When articles grow past this amount of readable text, they can be broken up into smaller articles to improve readability and ease of editing, or may require trimming to remain concise. The headed sub-section should be retained, with a concise version of what has been removed under an italicized header, such as ''Main article: [[History of Television]]'' (a list of templates used to create these headers is available at [[:Category:Chalo Chatu page-section templates]]). Otherwise, context is lost and the general treatment suffers. Each article on a subtopic should be written as a stand-alone article—that is, it should have a lead section, headings, et cetera.
=== Articles Covering Subtopics ===


When an article is long and has many sub articles, try to balance the main page. Do not put undue weight into one part of an article at the cost of other parts. In shorter articles, if one subtopic has much more text than another subtopic, that may be an indication the subtopic should have its own page, with only a summary presented on the main page.
Chalo Chatu articles naturally grow by expanding subtopics into individual articles. As articles develop, summary sections should be linked to more detailed articles. For example, the article on Zambia can contain summaries with links to more in-depth pieces on specific topics like Zambian sports or history.


==== Articles covering subtopics ====
== Information Style and Tone ==
Wikipedia articles tend to grow in a way that leads to the natural creation of new articles. The text of any article consists of a sequence of related but distinct subtopics. When there is enough text in a given subtopic to merit its own article, that text can be [[WP:Summary style|summarized]] in the present article and a link provided to the more detailed article.<!--note:nearly verbatim from [[WP:SS]]<ref>A similar approach is an [[WP:Article series|article series]], in which related articles are connected to each other with a special-purpose index box. An example of this is [[Isaac Newton#Biography]], where articles on various periods of his life are listed in {{tl|IsaacNewtonSegments}}.</ref> Note: commenting out this footnote because [[WP:Article series]] needs some work.--> [[Zambia]] is an example of an article covering subtopics: it is divided into subsections that give an overview of the sport, with each subsection leading to one or more subtopic articles.


Chalo Chatu uses a '''Britannica-style''' encyclopedic tone, combined with '''locally informed narratives''' centered on '''Zambia for Zambia by Zambians'''.


==Information style and tone==
* '''Formal and Objective Tone''': Articles should maintain an academic tone, avoiding first- or second-person perspectives. Use gender-neutral pronouns when necessary and avoid jargon, slang, or overly complex language.
Two styles, closely related and not mutually exclusive, tend to be used for Wikipedia articles. The tone , however, should always remain formal, impersonal , and
* '''Clear, Accessible Writing''': The style should cater to a wide audience, from those with limited background knowledge to experts. Avoid jargon unless it is necessary for the subject, and provide explanations when it is used.
dispassionate.
These styles are summary style, which is the arrangement of a broad topic into a main article and side articles, each with subtopical sections; and the inverted pyramid style (or news style, though this term is ambiguous), which prioritizes key information to the top, followed by supporting material and details, with background information at the bottom.
A feature of both styles, and of all Wikipedia articles, is the presence of the
lead section, a summarizing overview of the most important facts about the topic. The
infobox template found at the top of many articles is a further distillation of key points.


=== Summary style ===
== Use of Styles ==


Summary style may apply both across a category of articles and within an article.  Material is grouped and divided into sections that logically form discrete subtopics, and which over time may spin off to separate articles, to prevent excessive article length as the main article grows.  As each subtopic is spun off, a concise summary of it is left behind with a pointer (usually using the {{tlx|Main}} template) to the new side article.
Two commonly used styles for writing articles are '''Summary Style''' and '''Inverted Pyramid Style''':


There are three main advantages to using summary style:
=== Summary Style ===
* Different readers want varying amounts of detail, and this style permits them to choose how much they are exposed to.  Some readers need just a quick summary and are satisfied by the lead section; others seek a moderate amount of info, and will find the main article suitable to their needs; yet others want a lot of detail, and will be interested in reading the side articles.
* An article that is too long becomes tedious to read. Progressively summarizing and spinning off material avoids overwhelming the reader with too much text at once.
* An excessively detailed article is often one that repeats itself or exhibits writing that could be more concise.  The development of summary-style articles tends to naturally clear out redundancy and bloat, though in a multi-article topic this comes at the cost of some necessary cross-article redundancy (i.e., a summary of one article in another).


The exact organizing principle of a particular summary-style article is highly context-dependent, with various options, such as chronological, geographical, and alphabetical (primarily in lists), among others.
Summary style organizes articles into main topics and subtopics. Subtopics may develop into full articles, each linked back to the main article for ease of navigation.


Some examples of summary style are the featured article ''[[Chalo Chatu]]''.
=== Inverted Pyramid Style ===
 
This style is particularly useful for articles that prioritize key information first, followed by supporting details and background material. It is especially useful in articles about events or subjects with less complex structuring.
 
== Lead Section ==
 
The '''lead''' section is crucial as it provides an overview of the article. It should briefly summarize the most important points about the topic, with the first sentence answering two key questions: '''What is the subject?''' and '''Why is it notable?'''
 
=== Opening Paragraph ===
 
The first sentence should establish what the subject is and why it matters, with subsequent sentences summarizing the article’s key points.
 
== Use of Color ==
 
Color should be used sparingly and only as a secondary visual aid. It is important to be mindful of accessibility issues, such as color blindness or display contrast issues.
 
== Final Tips for Clarity and Structure ==
 
* '''Avoid Honorifics''': Titles like "Dr." or "Mr." should be omitted from articles.
* '''Integrate Changes''': When editing, avoid adding disjointed sections. Changes should flow with the existing content.
* '''Avoid Persuasive Writing''': Articles should avoid persuasive language, focusing instead on presenting factual, neutral information.
 
== Providing Context ==
 
Assume that the reader may have no prior knowledge of the subject. Provide sufficient background information to make the article accessible to everyone, and ensure that links to related topics help readers build a comprehensive understanding.
 
[[Category:Chalo Chatu How-to]]
[[Category:Chalo Chatu Essays on Building the Encyclopedia]]
[[Category:Chalo Chatu Editor Help]]
[[Category:Chalo Chatu Essays About Editing]]
[[Category:Chalo Chatu Page Help]]
[[Category:Chalo Chatu]]

Latest revision as of 20:50, 8 August 2025

This page provides guidance on how to write effective articles, focusing on layout, style, and ensuring clarity, precision, and relevance for readers.

Layout

A well-structured article starts with a clear introduction, maintains an organized body, and ends with standard appendices such as references and related articles.

Introductory Material

An article should begin with a brief lead section introducing the topic. The lead should come above the first header, without needing a separate "Introduction" section. If necessary, the first section after the lead may provide an overview, although more specific section titles are encouraged.

Paragraphs

Paragraphs should be concise, focused, and sufficiently developed. Avoid overly long paragraphs, and split them if needed to maintain focus. One-sentence paragraphs are used for emphasis but should be rare.

Headings

Headings should clarify the article’s structure and guide readers through its content. Start with a level 2 heading for the article title, followed by lower levels as appropriate. For clarity, headings should not be wikilinked.

Images

When possible, include images that directly relate to the text they illustrate. Properly positioned images help enhance readability. Use concise captions and ensure images are contextually relevant.

Size

Long articles should be avoided, with articles ideally containing fewer than 50KB of prose. For longer articles, break them into smaller sections, using the "Main article" template to link to subarticles. Each subtopic should stand on its own with clear summaries.

Articles Covering Subtopics

Chalo Chatu articles naturally grow by expanding subtopics into individual articles. As articles develop, summary sections should be linked to more detailed articles. For example, the article on Zambia can contain summaries with links to more in-depth pieces on specific topics like Zambian sports or history.

Information Style and Tone

Chalo Chatu uses a Britannica-style encyclopedic tone, combined with locally informed narratives centered on Zambia for Zambia by Zambians.

  • Formal and Objective Tone: Articles should maintain an academic tone, avoiding first- or second-person perspectives. Use gender-neutral pronouns when necessary and avoid jargon, slang, or overly complex language.
  • Clear, Accessible Writing: The style should cater to a wide audience, from those with limited background knowledge to experts. Avoid jargon unless it is necessary for the subject, and provide explanations when it is used.

Use of Styles

Two commonly used styles for writing articles are Summary Style and Inverted Pyramid Style:

Summary Style

Summary style organizes articles into main topics and subtopics. Subtopics may develop into full articles, each linked back to the main article for ease of navigation.

Inverted Pyramid Style

This style is particularly useful for articles that prioritize key information first, followed by supporting details and background material. It is especially useful in articles about events or subjects with less complex structuring.

Lead Section

The lead section is crucial as it provides an overview of the article. It should briefly summarize the most important points about the topic, with the first sentence answering two key questions: What is the subject? and Why is it notable?

Opening Paragraph

The first sentence should establish what the subject is and why it matters, with subsequent sentences summarizing the article’s key points.

Use of Color

Color should be used sparingly and only as a secondary visual aid. It is important to be mindful of accessibility issues, such as color blindness or display contrast issues.

Final Tips for Clarity and Structure

  • Avoid Honorifics: Titles like "Dr." or "Mr." should be omitted from articles.
  • Integrate Changes: When editing, avoid adding disjointed sections. Changes should flow with the existing content.
  • Avoid Persuasive Writing: Articles should avoid persuasive language, focusing instead on presenting factual, neutral information.

Providing Context

Assume that the reader may have no prior knowledge of the subject. Provide sufficient background information to make the article accessible to everyone, and ensure that links to related topics help readers build a comprehensive understanding.

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