Wikipedia:Categories for discussion/How-to

How to use CfD

Procedure

To manually list a category for deletion, merging or renaming, follow this process:

I	Preliminary steps. Determine whether the category needs deleting, merging, or renaming. If it is a red link and has no subcategories, then it is already deleted (more likely, it was never really created in the first place), and does not need to be listed here. Read and understand Wikipedia:Naming conventions (categories) and Wikipedia:Overcategorization before using these discussion pages. Nominate categories here which violate policies or guidelines, are misspelled, mis-capitalized, redundant to other categories (not redundant to stand-alone lists), small without potential for growth, or generally bad ideas. Please read the Wikipedia:Categorization of people policy when nominating or commenting on people-related categories. Please read Wikipedia:User categories and Wikipedia:Overcategorization/User categories when nominating or commenting on Wikipedian categories. In the following special cases: If the category is empty for more than four days, use {{db-catempty}} for a speedy deletion. If the category is only populated by a template and both the category and template are being proposed for deletion, follow the instructions at templates for discussion. For further information see Wikipedia:Categorization, Wikipedia:Manual of Style, and Wikipedia:Naming conventions (categories).
II	Edit the category. Add one of the following tags at the top of the category text of every category to be discussed. (The tags belong on the categories' main pages rather than their talk/discussion pages.) If the category is a candidate for speedy renaming, use: {{subst:Cfr-speedy|ProposedName}} and follow the instructions at Speedy renaming. If a single category: For deletion, {{subst:Cfd}} For a merger, {{subst:Cfm|OtherCategory}} For renaming, {{subst:Cfr|ProposedName}} For splitting, {{subst:Cfs|ProposedName1|ProposedName2}} For converting the category text into an article, {{subst:Cfc|ProposedName}} If a group of similar categories or a category and its subcategories, use an umbrella nomination (each category must be tagged, for nominations involving large numbers of categories tagging help can be requested at the talk page): For deletion, {{subst:Cfd|CfdSectionName}} For a merger, {{subst:Cfm|OtherCategory|CfdSectionName}} For renaming, {{subst:Cfr|ProposedName|CfdSectionName}} For splitting, {{subst:Cfs|ProposedName1|ProposedName2|CfdSectionName}} For converting the category text into an article, {{subst:Cfc|ProposedName|CfdSectionName}} Please include "CFD", "CFM", "CFR", "CFS", or "CFC" in the edit summary, and don't mark the edit as minor. Preview before saving. The display will give more precise instructions about the next step. See the documentation pages at {{cfd}}, {{cfm}}, {{cfr}}, {{cfs}}, and {{cfc}} for more specific information. Consider adding {{subst:Cfdnotice|Cfd section name|date=yyyy Month d}} to the main article's talk page or to categories that are merge targets to notify users that the category has been nominated for deletion or renaming. Doing so would not only extend an additional courtesy, but possibly also bring in editors who know more about the subject at hand. See the doc page at Cfdnotice for more information on how to use this template as well as other similar templates that can be used to notify the category's creator or related WikiProjects specifically.
III	Create the CFD subsection. Click on THIS LINK to edit the section of CFD for today's entries. Follow the instructions in the comments (visible during edit), to copy and paste the template shown. All categories are specified without the Category: prefix. For {{Cfd}}, use: {{subst:Cfd2|ObsoleteCategory|text=Your reason(s) for the proposed deletion. ~~~~}} For {{Cfm}}, use: {{subst:Cfm2|FromCategory|ToCategory|text=Your reason(s) for the proposed merge. ~~~~}} For {{Cfr}}, to a definite name use: {{subst:Cfr2|OldCategory|NewCategory|text=Your reason(s) for the proposed rename. ~~~~}} For {{Cfr}}, to an indefinite name use: {{subst:Cfr2|OldCategory|to be determined by consensus|text=Your reason(s) for the proposed rename. ~~~~}} For {{Cfs}}, to definite names use: {{subst:Cfs2|OldCategory|NewCategory1|NewCategory2|text=Your reason(s) for the proposed split. ~~~~}} For {{Cfc}}, use: {{subst:Cfc2|FromCategory|ToArticle|text= Your reason(s) for the proposed rename. ~~~~}} For umbrella nominations, the standard templates should build the "Cfd section name" for the 1st nomination, although the 2nd and subsequent nominations must be added manually, like this: ==== Cfd section name ==== 1st category 2nd category Your reason for nominating the category ~~~~ (Make clear if you propose deletion, merging or renaming). If an umbrella nomination is too long, consider using {{hidden}} to hide the bulk of nominated categories. When using these templates, the old and new categories you specify are automatically converted to links: you do not specify them as links yourself. In your reason, please link appropriate articles or categories to help other editors. In your reason, when linking to a category, always add a colon (':') in the link, like [[:Category:Foo]]. This makes a category link that can be seen on the page (and avoids putting this page into the category you are nominating). Preview before saving to ensure all the fields have been properly listed.

Once you have previewed your entry, please make sure to add your signature after your proposal. If nominating a list of entries as a batch below your rationale, it is somewhat neater to place these after the signature (rather than leave the signature dangling at the end of the list, apparently unrelated to your reasons).

Once you have submitted a category here, no further action is necessary on your part. If the nomination is supported, helpful administrators and editors will log the result and ensure that the change is implemented to all affected pages.

Also, consider adding to your watchlist any categories you nominate. This will help ensure that your nomination tag is not mistakenly or deliberately removed.

Twinkle

The use of Wikipedia:Twinkle greatly facilitates CfD nominations. To install Twinkle, go to "my preferences", the "Gadgets" tab, the "Browsing" section and check "Twinkle ...". Use the now-installed "XfD" (Nominate for deletion) tab while viewing the page to be deleted or renamed.

Users without accounts and users with new accounts

Users without accounts (unregistered users) may nominate and comment on proceedings, just as in Articles for Deletion (AfD).

Redirecting categories

It is our general policy to delete categories that do not have articles in them. Unlike articles, categories are mostly for internal use only. If they don't have any articles, they shouldn't have any links from any articles or any other categories, because they are not useful for navigation and sorting.

However, some categories frequently have articles assigned to them accidentally, or are otherwise re-created over and over. In these cases, we use a form of "soft" redirects.

Categories cannot be redirected using "hard" redirects: #REDIRECT[[target]]. (See Wikipedia:Redirect#category for the technical details.) Instead, use {{Category redirect|target}}. Bots patrol these categories and move articles into the "redirect" targets.

You can see a list of redirected categories in Category:Wikipedia category redirects.

Closing

Once closed editors are encouraged to document the CfD on the talk page for the category.