Fossil Wiki:Notability

On Fossil Wiki, notability refers to whether or not a topic merits its own article. Article topics need to be notable, or "worthy of notice." It is important to note that topic notability on Fossil Wiki is not necessarily dependent on things like fame, importance, or the popularity of a topic &mdash; although those may contribute.

A topic is presumed to be notable enough to merit an article if it meets the general notability guidelines below.

These notability guidelines only outline how suitable a topic is for its own article. They don't directly limit the content of articles. For Fossil Wiki's policies regarding content, see Neutral point of view, Verifiability, and No original research.

General notability guideline
If a topic has received significant coverage in reliable sources that are independent of the subject, it is presumed to satisfy the inclusion criteria for a stand-alone article.


 * Significant coverage: means that sources address the subject directly in detail, and no original research is needed to extract the content. Significant coverage is more than trivial but may be less than exclusive.
 * Reliable: means sources need editorial integrity to allow verifiable evaluation of notability. Sources may encompass published works in all forms and media. Availability of secondary sources covering the subject is a good test for notability.
 * Sources: for notability purposes, should be secondary sources, as those provide the most objective evidence of notability. The number and nature of reliable sources needed varies depending on the depth of coverage and quality of the sources. Multiple sources are generally preferred.
 * Presumed: means that substantive coverage in reliable sources establishes a presumption, not a guarantee, of notability. Editors may reach a consensus that although a topic meets this criterion, it is not suitable for inclusion.

A topic for which this criterion is deemed to have been met by consensus, is usually worthy of notice, and satisfies one of the criteria for a stand-alone article in the encyclopedia. Verifiable facts and content not supported by multiple independent sources may be appropriate for inclusion within another article.

Notability requires objective evidence
The common theme in the notability guidelines is the requirement for verifiable objective evidence to support a claim of notability. Substantial coverage in reliable sources constitutes such objective evidence, as do published peer recognition and the other factors listed in the subject specific guidelines.

Fossil Wiki is not a news source: it takes more than just a short burst of news reports about a single event or topic to constitute evidence of sufficient notability &mdash; if in doubt, ask for advice in The Field Site.

Articles not satisfying the notability guidelines
Although articles should demonstrate the notability of their topics, and articles on topics that do not meet this criterion are generally deleted, it is important to not just consider whether notability is established by the article, but whether it readily could be. Remember that all Fossil Wiki articles are not a final draft, and an article can be notable if such sources exist even if they have not been added at present. Merely asserting that such sources exist is seldom persuasive, especially as time passes and actual proof does not surface. If it is likely that significant coverage in independent sources can be found for a topic, deletion due to lack of notability is inappropriate unless active effort has been made to find these sources. For articles of unclear notability, deletion should be a last resort.

If an article fails to cite sufficient sources to demonstrate the notability of its subject, look for sources yourself, or:
 * Ask the article's creator or an expert on the subject for advice on where to look for sources.
 * Do a Google search for possible book titles about the subject; or do a news search to see if any news articles have covered the subject in question.

If appropriate sources cannot be found after a good-faith search for them, consider merging the article's content into a broader article providing context.


 * If the article meets our criteria for speedy deletion, one can place Delete on the page.
 * For cases where you are unsure about deletion or believe others might object, please discuss it on the article's talk page.

Notability is not temporary
If a subject has met the general notability guideline, there is no need to show continual coverage or interest in the topic, though subjects that do not meet the guideline at one point in time may do so as time passes and more sources come into existence. However, articles should not be written based on speculation that the topic may receive additional coverage in the future.

Notability does not directly limit article content
The notability guidelines determine whether a topic is notable enough to be a separate article on Fossil Wiki. They do not regulate the content of articles, except for lists of people. Instead, various content policies govern article content.

Keep in mind that we are not Wikipedia. We do not gloss over an article's topic, or give the bare minimum facts, saying that that is what an encyclopedia does &mdash; remember that Fossil Wiki aims to be as comprehensive as possible, and therefore every article should be as detailed as possible.