Memory Alpha:Policies and guidelines

Memory Alpha has some policies that have been proposed by the and generally accepted by the members. Please read through the policies below to familiarize yourself with our common practices and rules. If you have any questions, suggestions, or complaints, please post them on the talk page.

General policies
Remember that above all else, Memory Alpha is an encyclopedia. Like the television shows and films, it is primarily family oriented. It is a community that is solely devoted to the development of the Star Trek reference database; it is not a chat room or discussion forum. The talk pages are specifically for discussing the writing of articles, and nothing else.

The following are general policies concerning the overall goals and functions of Memory Alpha:

See also: for some useful information for newcomers.
 * - bots on Memory Alpha
 * and policies - what we accept, and what we don't accept
 * - that unavoidable legalese
 * - for when deleting pages becomes necessary
 * - useful advice for when disagreements arise
 * - the rules for uploading images
 * - maintaining the proper POV in articles
 * - let the reader beware!
 * Help: Redirect - the rules for using redirects
 * - let the reader beware!
 * Help: Redirect - the rules for using redirects
 * Help: Redirect - the rules for using redirects

General guidelines

 * (and create stubs responsibly)
 * - a guide on how to edit articles, and how to style them
 * Help: What links here
 * - a guide on how to edit articles, and how to style them
 * Help: What links here
 * Help: What links here
 * Help: What links here
 * Help: What links here

Behavior guidelines

 * (and move personal debates to email)
 * (and move personal debates to email)
 * (and move personal debates to email)
 * (and move personal debates to email)

Content guidelines

 * Use properly
 * subjects
 * (instead of presuming too much knowledge)
 * Don't
 * Use properly
 * the readers
 * (and consider the audience in writing)
 * Remember that
 * Deal appropriately with
 * Use templates when appropriate
 * Note
 * Remember that
 * Deal appropriately with
 * Use templates when appropriate
 * Note

Style guidelines

 * - guidelines on the use and creation of categories
 * - for potential article title conflicts
 * - how to name new articles
 * - how to handle quotes and quotations
 * Consider writing articles in
 * - how to name new articles
 * - how to handle quotes and quotations
 * Consider writing articles in
 * - how to name new articles
 * - how to handle quotes and quotations
 * Consider writing articles in
 * Consider writing articles in

Miscellaneous

 * The Babel Project
 * The Babel Project
 * The Babel Project

Enforcement
For day-to-day operations on Memory Alpha, enforcement can be handled by the general membership. Simply pointing out each other's mistakes (politely, of course) is generally sufficient.

For problem cases, the administrators may intervene and enforce a policy, or temporarily lock a page to let things cool down. In extreme and unusual cases, these administrators will step in to ban a user who has proven to be unusually disruptive.