Wikipedia:Survey guidelines

[[Category:Wikipedia {{{1}}}s|Survey guidelines]]

Wikipedia is not a democracy. In general decisions are made by consensus (see consensus decision making) rather than a strict majority rule. However, on occasion it is useful to take a survey of opinions on some issue, as an aid to achieving consensus and an indication of which options have the most support.

Surveys can be used as part of Wikipedia's dispute resolution process, and very frequently used for deletion procedures. These usually have a pre-defined format and timeframe which is useful for that area. Surveys should never be thought to be binding.

Proposed policy (see Wikipedia talk:Survey guidelines#Voting via templates)

All votes and any associated comments must be presented in simple text only. Active use of a template or any other form of transclusion is disallowed wherever votes are being recorded. Such votes will not be considered when evaluating the results, since the originating text may have been tampered with or changed after it was posted.

Creating a survey

These guidelines provide a framework that may be followed when creating a new survey. These are not binding in any way.

1. Any Wikipedian may start a survey on any topic, but attempts to reach consensus are much, much, MUCH preferred, and should perhaps be followed even when it pains us most.
2. Consensus must be reached about the nature of the survey before it starts. Allow about a week for this process. You will need to resolve the following issues:
   • What questions should be asked?
   • What will the possible answers be?
   • Where a question has three or more possible answers, are people allowed to select more than one answer?
   • When is the deadline?
   • How will the survey be totalled?
   • Will there be a summary of arguments, or a series of mini-essays, or some other way to inform users prior to the survey.
3. In general, surveys are to help gauge the degree of consensus on an issue, such as whether a particular article version appears to be POV or NPOV. Surveys should not be used for the purposes of "fact finding."
4. The survey should be announced on Wikipedia:Current surveys. If it is a major survey, then you may also list it on Wikipedia:Announcements.
5. A deadline for the survey should be considered so as to resolve the issue in a timely manner.
6. Once started, the questions and wording in the survey should not change. However, if someone feels that the existing survey is seriously flawed, this is typically an indication Step 2 was not completed properly.
7. The results of the survey may be announced on Wikipedia:Announcements
8. People may continue to express their opinion on the subject after the deadline, but should avoid doing so in a way that may be confusing to later readers.
9. Where there is a sign of activities intended to frustrate the intent of the survey, those who can opine may be restricted. A lack of restrictions is usually best, so this may be invoked after the polling has started.
10. If the majority of opinion is in one direction, but a significant minority of people oppose it, work to find a solution that can be accepted by as many people as possible.

Sample survey

Note that this is purely a sample of one way to organise such a survey—different circumstances may call for different approaches.

Please sign your name using three tildes (~~~) under the position you support, possibly adding a brief comment. If you are happy with more than one possibility, you may wish to sign your names to more than one place. Extended commentary should be placed below, in the section marked "Discussion".

• Use BCE and CE for years
  • Alice Springs
  • EfferVescent
  • NotARealUser
• Use AD and BC for years
  • FictionalName
  • Fred Bloggs -- but redirect from BCE and CE (first choice)
  • This is always how we did it in school. -- MadeUp
  • Why go against the (main)stream? user:Zanimum
• Allow both as equally acceptable alternatives
  • It's the wiki way! OnTheFence
  • Fred Bloggs (second choice)

Discussion

Discussion resulting from the survey would go here. If there were a significant amount, it might be moved to a talk page instead.

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See also

• Voting is good, Voting is evil (courtesy MeatballWiki)
• Wikipedia:Consensus