This is a checklist for articles, currently under construction. Please feel free to help. Explanations of individual items are placed into noinclude tags, so they won't appear when the page is substed.
This is a checklist for technical and editorial issues in articles. It does not concern itself with the content, but rather with the many other little things that need to be done to every article.
It's meant to be substed to the article's talk page. Editors can then go through the list, improve the article as needed, and discuss the issues as needed. In most circumstances, a signature at the end of a line will suffice to confirm that an item was checked on a certain date.
Optional: There are links to parent articles at the top of the article
Introduction
Readers read articles in different ways, depending on circumstances. The introduction section exists to make life easier for readers who don't want to read an entire long article at a particular time.
The first sentence identifies and defines the subject of the article
The first sentence should answer the basic question about an article: Who or what exactly is it about? Sometimes, you just want to know who or what is somebody or something. Other times, you may simply want to find out immediately that a search has lead you to a wrong article.
The first paragraph establishes notability and provides context for the definition
The first paragraph should enable the reader to place the subject in the semantic web.
The introduction section provides an overview of the whole article
On one hand, a good introduction section serves as a shortcut for readers who are interested just in the overview on the subject. On the other, it provides information to the in-depth reader to understand the table of contents and navigate through the rest of the article.
The name of the article is included in the first sentence, if possible
Other important names are listed in the first paragraph
Important names include official names, native spellings etc.
Other relevant names are listed in the intro or an appropriate section
A long list of names can quickly make the first sentence hard to read and understand. Non-essential names should be included elsewhere.
Article body
The article is divided into apropriate sections
Sections are logically ordered
All text is correctly placed in sections
Each major section begins with an introductory sentence or paragraph
Optional: Detailed sections are split off into detailed articles
Split-off articles are properly linked
Overviews of split-off articles are provided in appropriate sections
Final sections
There is a see also section to provide instantly locatable links to related articles
Optional:Long lists of links are broken up into sections or multi-level lists
There is a references section to provide sources and references for the article
All sources are properly listed
Optional:Long lists of references are broken up into sections or multi-level lists
See Sourcing below for more.
Optional:There is an external links section which provides links to appropriate resources on the web
Linked websites provide useful, topical information
Linked pages are available, and their URLs are current
Each link is properly described
Optional:There is a further reading section, which provides a list of printed books and/or articles on the subject
Listed books provide useful topical information
ISBNs are provided
Provided ISBNs are valid ISBNs
Provided ISBNs are correct ISBNs
Language
The article is written in a standard written variant of English
Choice of language variant is suitable and consistent
Choice of notations (measures, years, etc.) is suitable and consistent
Rare words and words with a specialized meaning are explained and/or linked
Text flow
Major sections make sense if read immediately after the previous section
Major sections make sense if read immediately after the previous major section
Major sections make sense if read immediately after the intro
Minor sections make sense if read immediately after the previous section
Sourcing
All non-obvious facts are either cited from a source, or marked with citation needed
All presented POVs are attributed to the originator, and either cited from a source or marked with citation needed
All sources are properly listed in the References section
The first paragraph is free of footnotes and any needed references are handled in the rest of the intro section.
Layout and formatting
The article uses standard layout, unless there is a good reason to do otherwise
There is a single blank line between paragraphs
Formatting and interpunction is consistent throughout the article
Bold
The name of the article is bolded in the first sentence
Other appropriate names are bolded on first use
Italic
Names of complete works (books, films, albums, etc.) are italicized
Cited individual words or expressions are italicized
Expressions used in the article with a specialized meaning are italicized on first use
Quotes
Names of smaller works or parts of complete works (chapters, acts, poems, songs, etc.) are "placed in quotes"
Meanings of cited individual words or expression are "placed in quotes"
Literally quoted statements are "placed in quotes"
Links and redirects
All relevant links are included
Only relevant links are included
Other articles are linked only once, unless there is a good reason to do otherwise
Appropriate redirects to the article are provided
There are no double redirects
Categories
The article is placed in appropriate categories
Images
All images are properly tagged and attributed on image pages
All images are aligned to the right and use the default thumbnail size, unless there is a good reason to do otherwise
If the article contains non-free images:
All non-free images are essential for the particular article
All non-free images are marked with fair-use justifications
Tags
Optional: {{expand}} is placed in appropriate articles
Optional: links to other projects are appropriately placed
Talk page
Old discussions are archived
Reader questions are answered (or redirected to an appropriate forum) on the user's talk page
Resolved disputes are archived and, if appropriate, summarised on the top of the page
Archived discussions are linked at the top of the page
Remaining issues are refactored by subject or, if more appropriate, summarised and archived