Wikipedia:Essays in a nutshell/Civility

See also Wikipedia:Essay directory#Wikipedia's code of conduct

General

Essay	In a nutshell	Shortcuts	Impact
How to be civil	Offer constructive comments, forgive editors, be polite, and walk away if you have to.	WP:HTBC	Low
Accepting other users	Work cooperatively with other users and assume good faith. Wikipedia is a collaborative project.	WP:OTHERUSERS	Low
A nice cup of tea and a sit down	A nice cup of tea and a sit down is, in the spirit of WikiLove, a chance to declare publicly what you appreciate about other members of the community or their contributions.	WP:TEA, WP:TY, WP:SIT, WP:COKE, WP:COFFEE	High
An uncivil environment is a poor environment	Being civil encourages others to be civil. Work towards building a civil environment.	WP:UCEPE, WP:POOR	Low
Apology	We all make mistakes. Don't be afraid to apologize, and remember to apologize with sincerity.	WP:SORRY	Low
Avoiding difficult users	Avoid interacting with users that are disruptive. Don't fight fire with fire.		Low
Behavior that disrupts dispute resolution	In dispute resolution, don't make things worse than they already are.	WP:BDDR	Unranked
Civility warnings	Be cautious when warning an editor for civility. Remember to remain polite and civil.		Low
Divisiveness	If content on your user page might be seen by some as "divisive", it is recommended that you may choose to expand the content in question.		Low
Don't retaliate	Retaliating on Wikipedia isn't the solution. If you find yourself attempting to, try taking your dog for a walk.	WP:RETALIATE	Unranked
Enjoy	Editing should be enjoyable. Never let Wikipedia become a chore.	WP:ENJOY	Low
Expressing thanks	Polite messages, awards, or a nice cup of tea are all ways of expressing thanks.		Unranked
Honesty	Honesty is ethical and helps the project.	WP:HONEST, WP:DISHONEST	Unranked
It's not the End of the World	If people disagree with you or revert your edits, it probably doesn't matter in the grand scheme of things.	WP:WORLDSEND, WP:EOTW	Unranked
Most people who disagree with you on content are not vandals	If someone is in a legitimate content dispute with you, don't call them a vandal.	WP:HERRING, WP:ADHOMINEM, WP:DV	Unranked
Nobody cares	Lack of action by others can mean lack of interest.		Low
No climbing the Reichstag dressed as Spider-Man	No Wikipedia editor may climb the Reichstag building dressed as Spider-Man in order to gain advantage in a content dispute.	WP:SPIDER, WP:NCR, WP:REICH, WP:REICHSTAG, WP:SPIDERMAN, WP:Oh I say, what are you doing? Come down from there at once! Really, you're making a frightful exhibition of yourself.	Top
Only Martians should edit	Third party editors can offer new perspectives on a dispute.	WP:MARTIANS	Low
Revert only when necessary	Discussion is often preferable to reverting. Avoid edit warring.	WP:ROWN, WP:ONLYREVERT	Mid
Shouting things loudly does not make them true	Insisting your opinion is correct without providing an intelligent explanation is the Wikipedia equivalent of shouting your opinion loudly until it is accepted as being true.	WP:IMRIGHT, WP:YOUREWRONG	Low
Thank you	Remember to thank editors. We all like to be respected, and we all deserve respect.	WP:THANKYOU	Low
The grey zone	If you've reached a point where you're not sure what to do, step back and take a break.	WP:GREY	Low
The Last Word	In Wikipedia, sometimes debates get heated. Whenever this occurs, it is of primary importance that you always ensure that you get The Last Word.	WP:LASTWORD	Mid
Truce	When in a dispute, attempt to reach a compromise or declare a truce.	WP:TRUCE	Low
What were you thinking?	Sometimes, other editors may be legitimately puzzled by your actions. It's usually in your best interests to explain your thought process.	WP:WWYT, WP:WWYT?	Unranked
Wikipedia is not about winning	Wikipedia is all about teamwork. Users must work together to build a reliable encyclopedia, not try to prove themselves to be "better" than others.	WP:WINNING, WP:WINNER, WP:WIN	Low
Witchhunt	Accusations against other editors should not be made in the absence of any value in doing so.	WP:WITCHHUNT, WP:HUNT	Unranked

Things to avoid

Essay	In a nutshell	Shortcuts	Impact
Do not insult the vandals	How to better deal with vandals: revert and ignore.	WP:BNTV, WP:DNIV, WP:INSULT	Mid
Don't accuse someone of a personal attack for accusing of a personal attack	Don't retaliate if accused of a personal attack. Return to the discussion of the issue at hand.	WP:NPANPA, WP:NPA2	Unranked
Don't be a fanatic	Recognize that all Wikipedia editors are ultimately colleagues working together, listen with civility, and try to find ways to respect and (within Wikipedia policy limits) incorporate others' viewpoints and material as well as your own.	WP:DBF, WP:FANATIC	Low
Don't be an ostrich	Assume good faith. Help other editors when they need help. Don't ignore them.	WP:OSTRICH	Low
Don't be ashamed	Sometimes, an edit made in good faith does not comply to policy or consensus. Don't be ashamed of making mistakes.	WP:SHAME, WP:NOSHAME, WP:ASHAMED	Low
Don't be inconsiderate	Do not be abrasive and inconsiderate. If people abided by this, we would not need any other policies about behavior.		Unranked
Don't be prejudiced	Assume good faith and give every user a fair chance.		Low
Don't call a spade a spade	"Calling a spade a spade" means applying labels to an editor. Doing so is just going to cause the dispute to escalate, and turn out to be really embarrassing if you turn out to be wrong.	WP:NOSPADE, WP:DCASAS	Mid
Don't call the kettle black	The disruptive behavior of another editor is not an excuse for your own disruptive behavior.	WP:HYPOCRISY, WP:IRONY, WP:POT, WP:POTKETTLE, WP:KETTLE	Mid
Don't cry wolf	Do not make accusations of harassment or personal attacks lightly.	WP:WOLF	Low
Don't edit war over the colour of templates	Don't edit war over the colour of templates. It's lame, and anyone caught doing it will be forced to use a monochrome monitor for the rest of his or her life.	WP:DEW	Low
Don't feed the divas	Divas often storm off the project when they don't get their way. Let them go.	WP:DIVA	Low
Don't fight fire with fire	Stay civil, even under the most intense flames.	WP:FWF, WP:FFWF, WP:DFFWF	Low
Don't give a fuck	Don't-give-a-fuckism is the idea that attachment to things (articles, policies, AfDs, etc...) which are essentially beyond your control is a stumbling block to being a good Wikipedian.	WP:FUCK, WP:DGAF, WP:DGAS, WP:DAMN, WP:RATSASS	Top
Don't lose the thread	Keep talk pages on track, use the correct talk pages, and get to the point.	WP:TPTHREAD	Unranked
Don't panic	Always keep an eye on yourself when you are involved in a dispute.	WP:DON'T, WP:PANIC, WP:DONTPANIC	Low
Don't remind others of past misdeeds	Do not criticize a repentant editor in good standing for past misdeeds that have stopped reoccurring. This is a failure to assume good faith and a personal attack.	WP:ATONED, WP:REPENTANT	Unranked
Don't shoot yourself in the foot	Consider your own actions before bringing attention to the actions of others.	WP:SHOT, WP:BOOMERANG, WP:PETARD	Low
Don't spite your face	When faced with enforcing a solution that will predictably escalate the evident problem beyond present levels, back off and seek other, less inflammatory, actions to go about solving it. Even when acting in good faith, consider the gravity of the response that will result from your actions	WP:DSYF, WP:NOSE	Low
Don't stuff beans up your nose	If you tell people not to do something, that may instead give them the idea to do it.	WP:BEAN, WP:BEANS	High
Don't take the bait	Goading others into making uncivil comments is a common tactic. Don't take the bait.	WP:BAIT	Low
Don't template the regulars	When dealing with experienced users, it is generally more effective to write them a short personal message than to apply a standardized template.	WP:DTR, WP:DTTR, WP:TEMPLAR	High
Just drop it	If you want an argument to stop, stop arguing.	WP:JUSTDROPIT, WP:DROPIT, WP:DROP, WP:JDI	Low
Flying under the radar	A common, but not well-known, strategy to avoid sanctions is to "fly under the radar" by seldom—if ever—actually talking with anyone on Wikipedia.	WP:RADAR	Unranked
No angry mastodons	Don't get stressed out while editing; defuse stress when possible. Edit while you are at your best, not while angry, scared, or intoxicated. Be considerate of others in the community.	WP:NAM, WP:MASTODONS, WP:KEEPCOOL	High
No angry mastodons just madmen	With over 17 million Wikipedia editors, expect a wide range of reactions. The fight-or-flight response is good advice, to beware potential user confrontations.	WP:MADMEN	Low

Things to do

Essay	In a nutshell	Shortcuts	Impact
Admitting you're wrong	You can make friends and influence enemies on Wikipedia by learning when to admit you're wrong.	WP:ADMIT, WP:NEVERMIND	Unranked
Assume no clue	Assume that people don't know what they're doing before you assume bad faith.	WP:ACLUE, WP:NOCLUE	Mid
Assume the assumption of good faith	When involved in a discussion, it is best to think very carefully before citing WP:AGF.	WP:AAGF, WP:FAITH2	Low
Avoid Parkinson's Bicycle Shed Effect	Don't get hung up on minor details.	WP:SHED, WP:BIKE, WP:BIKESHED	Low
Avoid personal remarks	Focus on editing, stay civil, don't make it personal.	WP:APR	Low
Avoid rancor	Do not do that which creates rancor amongst good faith contributors.	WP:RANCOR	Low
Avoid the word "vandal"	Vandals are people who deliberately attempt to damage Wikipedia, not those who make adverse edits.	WP:ATWV	Low
Call a spade a spade	It's okay to call a spade a spade – to speak plainly – but remember to remain civil, and to stay focused on improving the encyclopedia	WP:SPADE	Mid
Deny recognition	Recognition is a motivation for vandalism. Trolls require food. Don't feed the trolls.	WP:DENY, WP:DNR, WP:DNFTT	Mid
Drop the stick and back slowly away from the horse carcass	If the debate has died, don't revive it.	WP:STICK, WP:HORSEMEAT, WP:DEADHORSE	Mid
Encourage the newcomers	Help out new editors. Offer newcomers guidance and advice.	WP:ENCOURAGE, WP:ETN	Unranked
Get over it	Don't get frustrated over a dispute. Get over it and move on.	WP:GOI, WP:GETOVERIT	Low
How to discuss cruft	Many Wikipedians use cruft as a shorthand term to describe content that is inappropriate for Wikipedia. Because cruft is a real problem, efforts to identify cruft should be taken in good faith. In order to appropriately deal with cruft, editors need to be specific and back their assertions with Wikipedia's policy and guidelines rather than personal preference.	WP:TALKCRUFT, WP:DISCUSSCRUFT, WP:CRUFTISREAL	Low
How to lose	Knowing how to "lose" a debate, with civility and grace, is sometimes as important as winning it.		Unranked
Keep it down to earth	Aim for workable solutions that have a realistic chance at succeeding.	WP:DOWN, WP:EARTH	Low
Let sleeping dogs lie	If a minor editing issue can potentially lead to a prolonged dispute amongst editors, avoid picking the issue.	WP:LSDL	Low
Mind your own business	If editors are in a dispute that has nothing to do with you, then mind your own business.	WP:MYOB, WP:BUTTOUT	Low
Restoring part of a reverted edit	It is sometimes better to remove the content that is objectionable, instead of entirely reverting an edit.		Low

Types of interaction

Essay	In a nutshell	Shortcuts	Impact
WikiBullying	Threatening or intimidating other editors is not tolerated.	WP:BULLY	Low
WikiCrime	Do not be disruptive.		Low
WikiHate	Hate and anger are unproductive. Try to WP:LOVE.	WP:HATE, WP:H8, WP:HATRED, WP:H8RED	Low
WikiLawyering	Do not utilize the rules in a manner contrary to their principles in order to "win" editing disputes is highly frowned upon by the Wikipedia community.	WP:LAWYER, WP:WL, WP:LAWYERING, WP:PETTIFOG	High
WikiLove	Love thy fellow editor.	WP:LOVE	High
WikiPeace	Make Wikipedia a more peaceful place by being civil and polite.	WP:PEACE, WP:WKP, WP:☮	Low