User:Ravensfire/UseTheArticleTalkPage

Use the Article talk page!

The problem

You'll sometimes see posts on user talk pages about an edit on a particular article. That's great for minor issues but often, it just results in the dispute getting personalized between those two editors, escalation of drama and bad feelings all the way around. That's not good for the editors and not good for Wikipedia. When you go directly to the editor, especially if there's an edit-war starting or contentious edit summaries are being used, it can feel like you are focusing on the editor rather than on the edit itself.

The solution? Use the article talk page!

Sounds simple, doesn't it? And yet, it works. Start a discussion on the article talk page and leave the other editor(s) a pointer to that discussion.

How to do this

Go to the article talk page, start a new discussion, use a neutral heading (no user names!) and present the issue in a forthright and neutral manner, including links to the diffs for the various views. On the talk page for all other involved editors, leave them a pointer to the article talk page discussion. Finally, put your view as a reply to the initial post, supporting your preference with good quality Wikipedia:Reliable sources and links to relevant Wikipedia policies and guidelines. By doing this, you've really helped focus attention on the edit, not on the editors.

Benefits

• Discussions about the article are all in the same place
• Other editors who watch that article have a far better chance of discovering the discussion and participating
  • Bringing in uninvolved editors with outside views is often very helpful and helps diffuse drama
• By having it on the article talk page, the focus is on the edit, not on the editors
• Follows Wikipedia:BOLD, revert, discuss cycle

Drawbacks

• None!
  • No seriously, at worst, you'll have to create a couple of extra posts on user talk pages to point to the article talk page, but that's it.

In short, USE THE ARTICLE TALK PAGE!!!