This page is part of the Military history WikiProject's online Academy, and contains instructions, recommendations, or suggestions for editors working on military history articles. While it is not one of the project's formal guidelines, editors are encouraged to consider the advice presented here in the course of their editing work. |
Wikipedia has a powerful and unique role to play in recording military history. As well as pursuing high standards of accuracy, verification and neutrality, the quality of prose and formatting of our military history articles should aim to be of a professional standard. Good prose is important to maintaining and increasing the authority and reputation of Wikipedia's military history articles and their contribution to our understanding of history in a broader sense.
On the personal level, many topics involve the ultimate sacrifice by people whose memory is still very much alive, and we need to do justice to this memory in article prose.
The writing in MilHist articles does not need to be beautiful; the challenge is, rather, that it be engaging as well as plain and easy to read. Here are general tips on what to aim for in copy-editing MilHist articles.