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The Bold, Revert, Discuss cycle
The Bold, Revert, Discuss cycle is one good way to think about the consensus editing process.
1 Be Bold: If you think you can make an article better, but you aren't sure whether others will disagree with the changes you want to make, you should start by boldly editing as you think best, making sure to cite source that verify any information additions.
2 Revert: If your edit gets reverted by another editor, that's okay! You've simply met an editor with a different view about the article. This is your chance to see Wikipedia's consensus model in action. Check the edit summaries and the Talk page to see why the other editor reverted your edit. (Do not simply make your edit again; that's not building consensus, that's the beginning of an edit war: It's actually seen as very aggressive, and could get you temporarily blocked!)
3 Discuss: Start a discussion on the Talk page (if the other editor has not done so already) — politely! After all, you both want to improve Wikipedia. Explain why you made the edit. Work with the other editor(s) to develop a consensus. Be confident, but listen and consider all objections. When you've found some common ground, you can make more edits.
