Chalo Chatu:Article titles
An article title on Chalo Chatu is the formal, stable name of a page, appearing at the top of the article and forming part of the URL. It should clearly identify the subject and reflect how that subject is commonly known in reliable sources. As Chalo Chatu aspires to be a reputable reference work usable on platforms like Wikipedia, our article title conventions emphasize clarity, accuracy, and alignment with verified naming from trusted sources.
This policy establishes naming conventions to:
- Promote a consistent and professional editorial standard.
- Ensure that titles are useful for search, citation, and navigation.
- Preserve the encyclopedia's credibility as a national knowledge repository.
Guiding Principles
A good Chalo Chatu article title should meet five core criteria:
- Recognizability: The title should reflect what most readers and reliable sources call the subject.
- Naturalness: The title should sound like natural, standard English; avoid jargon, slang, or forced grammar.
- Precision: The title must distinguish the topic unambiguously.
- Conciseness: Titles should be no longer than necessary to identify the subject.
- Consistency: Titles should align with established naming patterns for similar topics.
Best Practices
Use Reliable, Verifiable Names
Titles must follow what independent and reliable sources (such as national newspapers, government documents, encyclopedias, or academic publications) consistently call the subject. For instance:
- Correct: Levy Mwanawasa
- Incorrect: President of Zambia Levy Mwanawasa
If multiple names are in use, choose the one with the most widespread and verifiable usage.
Prefer Common Names over Official Names
While official or ceremonial names are important, use the name most commonly used in English-language reliable sources. For example:
- Preferred: Copperbelt Province
- Avoid: Province of the Copperbelt in Zambia
Avoid Promotional or Biased Language
Titles must reflect Chalo Chatu's neutral point of view. Avoid pejorative terms, slogans, or unproven claims.
- Neutral: Youth unemployment in Zambia
- Biased: Zambian youth crisis
Special Naming Considerations
Disambiguation
When more than one topic could share the same name, use disambiguation terms in parentheses:
Singular and Sentence Case
Use singular nouns where appropriate, and capitalize only the first word and proper nouns:
- Correct: Pathfinder Club in Zambia
- Incorrect: Pathfinder Clubs In Zambia
Abbreviations
Avoid using abbreviations unless they are more recognizable than the full name:
- Acceptable: ZNS (with redirect from Zambia National Service)
- Preferred: Bank of Zambia, not just "BoZ"
Foreign and Local Names
Use English where possible, but accept Zambian language names when they are authentic and verifiable:
- Mutinta Hichilema – use correct spelling
- Provide redirects for common misspellings or alternate forms
Historic or Event Titles
When naming civil unrest or national events, use descriptive and verifiable titles:
Redirects
Create redirects for:
- Alternate spellings
- Common abbreviations
- Former names
- Local language equivalents
When to Rename
Only rename articles after reaching consensus. Use Chalo Chatu:Requested moves or start a discussion before changing stable titles.
Technical Limitations
Avoid the following characters in article titles: # < > [ ] | { } _
Use templates like or DISPLAYTITLE for formatting.
Compliance with Chalo Chatu Values
This policy upholds the platform’s commitment to:
- Verifiability and editorial transparency
- High editorial standards comparable to platforms like Wikipedia or Britannica
- Cultural preservation and accurate naming of Zambian institutions, people, events, and concepts
