Understanding Speedy Deletion Defenses For Wikipedia Articles

If you are reading then, chances are the article you are trying to save from speedy deletion has already been deleted from existence on Wikipedia. Without knowing the speedy deletion defenses for Wikipedia, many articles recommended for speedy deletion are done so quickly. Most of which without the creator leaving a response, or a response that contains any persuasion as to why the page should not be deleted.

First, it is important to understand the speedy deletion process of Wikipedia. There are many ways to delete a Wikipedia page, but a speedy deletion is one that happens quickly and most of the time for good reason. Although Wikipedia is based on consensus and most deletion discussions take a week or longer before a decision is made, there are times when the immediate deletion of an article is necessary. For instance, let’s pretend that someone creates a Wikipedia page about a topic that is a hoax and does not really exist. Instead of allowing the page to remain in Wikipedia for a week while editor after editor votes to delete the page, it serves Wikipedia’s goal of providing an accurate and neutral encyclopedia to get rid of the page.

Now, if you created a page that has been tagged for speedy deletion but there is an actual reason why you feel that it should not be deleted, it is good to know the speedy deletion defenses for Wikipedia articles. There are dozens of reasons why someone can recommend an article for speedy deletion, but I will cover some of the main ones and then let you know what you need in order to help save the page from immediate deletion. Of course, all of these examples are not foolproof and I do not guarantee that any will work. However, I will tell you what will give you the best chance of giving a viable reason for editors not to delete your article. For the guideline on speedy deletion as well as the different criteria that qualifies an article for speedy deletion, follow this link to Wikipedia.

Vandalism, hoaxes, and test pages:

Wikipedia allows the immediate deletion of pages that are pure vandalism or hoaxes. For instance, if you were to create a Wikipedia page about an imaginary disease, this would be cause for immediate deletion as Wikipedia is not a place to start and spread hoaxes or rumors. In fact, Wikipedia has allowed many hoaxes to go unchecked and even has a list of Wikipedia hoaxes. So, not all hoaxes are deleted immediately, but this is a valid reason to speedily delete an article.

Now, if you created an article that is NOT a hoax or vandalism, it is important that you provide evidence as to why it is real. On the talk page of the article (and they should already be in the article itself) state clearly why the topic is real and provide links to references that show that it is real. These must be references to reliable sources as putting up references from press release and blogs just won’t cut it. The best way to avoid needing a speedy deletion defenses for Wikipedia in this instance is to ensure that the page you created is properly cited in the first place.

Recreation of a previously deleted page:

If a page was recently deleted pursuant to a deletion discussion (referenced earlier – usually a 7 day discussion), then recreating the same page is criteria to speedily delete the page. After all, it was decided by consensus to delete the page previously so reposting the page within a short time after deletion defeats the purpose of having a discussion. Now, keep in mind that this does NOT prevent the recreation of a page, but it does state that pages that fail to qualify for this criteria are those which “are NOT [emphasis added] substantially identical to the deleted version.” So, therein lies another you can add to the list of speedy deletion defenses for Wikipedia.

If the article you post is tagged for speedy deletion under this criteria, you need to leave a message on the talk page stating that the article is not substantially similar to the page that was deleted. Not only do you need to leave this message, but it must also be true. Don’t just make the statement and hope for the best as an administrator will check the previously deleted article to compare the versions. So, you need to first make sure that the article you post is not substantially similar to the one that was deleted. Are you unsure? Simply leave a message on the talk page of the administrator who deleted the article and ask them to restore the article to your userspace so that you can improve the article. You will then have a base to use as a start for the article and also be able to compare versions prior to posting.

Unambiguous advertising or promotion:

This one should be simple, but many people still don’t get it. Wikipedia is not a website for you to post your promotional content. If you are looking to promote yourself, your company, or product, then you will need to make sure that you have a list of speedy deletion defenses for Wikipedia that you can use to help save your article. Even so, you will have little luck saving a page that reads like an advertisement or promotion. Pages that read like press copy or content landing pages are likely to be nominated and speedily deleted.

Now, there are times when an article does appear to be promotional, but is simply written according to the sources. After all, there are a few people, companies, and products that have references that even though they come from reliable sources simply promote the topic as it is so popular. First, make sure that the article you posted is toned down and void of any promotional content. If the article does contain promotional type wording but you are simply citing what it says in the reference, then this is what you need to point out on the talk page. Cite the specific areas of the article that appear to be promotional, then provide the link to the wording in the reference where it came from. This way the administrator reviewing the deletion recommendation can check the wording in the reference against the tone of the article specific to the wording it reflects.

Copyright infringement:

Wikipedia frowns on copyright infringement. Copyright infringement with images is a different story altogether and I will put that on editors’ lack of understanding of Wikipedia’s guidelines on copyrighted images as well as the Foundations’ confusing interpretation of copyright laws. However, when it comes to copyright of wording, I actually have sympathy for editors. If your website posts information that was originally posted elsewhere (e.g., book, website, etc.), then it is not only subject to copyright claim from the person who wrote it, but could also become inundated with copyright claims coming from Google and the potential to have your website de-indexed. With so many articles being created on a daily basis, Wikipedia is quickly to delete copyrighted information in order to be in compliance with copyright laws and so that they do not get backed up with copyright removal requests.

When it comes to speedy deletion defenses for Wikipedia as it relates to copyright infringement, there really isn’t much you can do unless you are the owner of the content. If you own the content and it was taken from your website, you can always send permission to Wikipedia allowing them to use the content under a Creative Commons license. Simply leave a message on the talk page that you own the content and that you wish to donate it under a Creative Commons license. The rest of the process is an article all in itself. As such, I will simply send you to this link that explains how to grant said permission to Wikipedia.

No indication of importance:

Notability is the first thing that needs to be established for a Wikipedia article. Failure to do so can result in an article being speedily deleted. After all, Wikipedia is based on notability and only those topics that meet notability guidelines should be included in Wikipedia. While non-notable pages are normally reserved for deletion discussions, articles that fail to “establish” or state the notability of the topic are subject to speedy deletion.

First, you should always make sure that the article you post contains a statement as to why the subject is notable. For instance, you can state that the person is the “author of the best-selling book” which if supported by a reliable source would be a statement of notability. If someone requests speedily deletion of your article based on this criteria, you need to make sure that you state why the topic is notable. Remember, the article is not going to be deleted because it is non-notable, but because it fails to state “why” the topic is notable. Familiarize yourself with notability and the various criteria for different topics. This will need to be the reason you cite on the talk page if you want to save the article from speedy deletion.

If all else fails:

If all else fails or you feel that your article is going to be deleted anyway, you can always ask the reviewing administrator to move the article to a userspace where you can improve the article. What this means is that you are actually requesting that the article be deleted, but that the content is saved and moved to a location where you can improve the article prior to posting it again. In order to do this, leave a message on the talk page of the article and ask that the reviewing admin delete the article but leave a copy in your userspace so that you can work on improving the article. This shows that you are actually there to help improve Wikipedia, not spam an article. It also gives you the opportunity to work on the article without being looked at by other editors as a spammer. Hopefully, you will be able to improve your article without needed to cite any speedy deletion defenses for Wikipedia articles.

Understanding Speedy Deletion Defenses For Wikipedia Articles