156:
229:
24:
60:
170:
When used sincerely, vague words make an article confusing and possibly make readers misinterpret or even miss important information altogether. In the hands of those with more sinister intents, vague words can currently be used to make articles that are readable enough to impart wrong or biased
171:
information but confusing enough to prevent readers from questioning the reliability or factuality of the article. Vandals can also vandalize an article by replacing specific information with vague statements. Always use
183:
When you come across an article that is very vague, begin by replacing vague statements with clearer facts. If you lack the time or the expertise to do so, use one of the tags below and go on reading.
147:. Imagine that someone who has no idea what the subject is sees the sentence out of context: they should be able to work out what you are talking about without the context.
155:
390:
89:
allow writers to refer back to a noun without repeating it. However, this can confuse the readers if it is not clear what the pronoun is standing in for.
175:, especially when – for whatever reason – you must use somewhat vague words. Doing this helps Knowledge become more reliable and accurate.
39:
It contains the advice or opinions of one or more
Knowledge contributors. This page is not an encyclopedia article, nor is it one of
395:
209:
260:
40:
143:
When describing quantities of things, repetitions of events, or trying to convey statistical information in prose,
150:
212:
327:
134:
Katherine uncovered that the oil refinery was contaminating the nearby lake with waste, possibly for decades.
44:
293:
361:
200:
415:
215:
178:
251:
247:
172:
330:
333:
8:
296:
299:
367:
364:
138:
47:. Some essays represent widespread norms; others only represent minority viewpoints.
400:
318:
32:
78:, and then discusses strategies to avoid such problems and fix affected articles.
159:
284:
163:
409:
352:
93:
162:– Wikipedians often use vague words and phrases in their incorrect and
116:
342:
Use on an individual word whose meaning remains vague in its context.
74:
This essay describes ways in which writing is often considered to be
86:
384:
81:
308:
Use this for specific words or statements that are vague.
68:
Try to use clear and well-defined words in all articles.
274:
Use this in an article that contains vague time words.
111:
John McCain picked Sarah Palin as his running mate.
407:
192:Template that will be shown (and correct usage)
391:Chronological Items, Knowledge:Manual of Style
250:. There might be a discussion about this on
126:For decades they have contaminated the lake.
261:Learn how and when to remove this message
154:
376:Use on phrases needing a specific date.
408:
103:Palin was picked as his running mate.
396:Vagueness, Knowledge:Manual of Style
222:
151:Vague words and incorrect statements
54:
18:
13:
45:thoroughly vetted by the community
41:Knowledge's policies or guidelines
14:
427:
227:
58:
22:
1:
179:How to improve vague articles
166:articles. Be on the lookout.
7:
10:
432:
191:
16:Essay on editing Knowledge
66:This page in a nutshell:
167:
139:Numbers without things
158:
43:, as it has not been
240:confusing or unclear
248:clarify the article
401:Avoid weasel words
168:
382:
381:
370:
336:
302:
271:
270:
263:
218:
201:cleanup-confusing
72:
71:
53:
52:
423:
416:Knowledge essays
371:
360:
357:
351:
337:
326:
323:
317:
303:
292:
289:
283:
266:
259:
255:
231:
230:
223:
219:
208:
205:
199:
186:
185:
145:specify the unit
135:
127:
112:
104:
62:
61:
55:
26:
25:
19:
431:
430:
426:
425:
424:
422:
421:
420:
406:
405:
387:
359:
355:
349:
325:
321:
315:
291:
287:
281:
267:
256:
245:
232:
228:
207:
203:
197:
181:
153:
141:
133:
125:
110:
102:
84:
59:
49:
48:
23:
17:
12:
11:
5:
429:
419:
418:
404:
403:
398:
393:
386:
383:
380:
379:
378:
377:
372:
358:
346:
345:
344:
343:
338:
324:
312:
311:
310:
309:
304:
290:
278:
277:
276:
275:
269:
268:
235:
233:
226:
220:
206:
194:
193:
190:
180:
177:
152:
149:
140:
137:
83:
80:
70:
69:
63:
51:
50:
38:
37:
29:
27:
15:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
428:
417:
414:
413:
411:
402:
399:
397:
394:
392:
389:
388:
375:
374:
373:
369:
366:
363:
354:
348:
347:
341:
340:
339:
335:
332:
329:
320:
314:
313:
307:
306:
305:
301:
298:
295:
286:
280:
279:
273:
272:
265:
262:
253:
252:the talk page
249:
243:
241:
236:This article
234:
225:
224:
221:
217:
214:
211:
202:
196:
195:
188:
187:
184:
176:
174:
165:
161:
157:
148:
146:
136:
132:
128:
124:
120:
118:
113:
109:
105:
101:
97:
95:
90:
88:
79:
77:
67:
64:
57:
56:
46:
42:
36:
34:
28:
21:
20:
257:
246:Please help
239:
237:
182:
169:
144:
142:
130:
129:
122:
121:
114:
107:
106:
99:
98:
96:'s article:
91:
85:
75:
73:
65:
30:
94:John McCain
31:This is an
242:to readers
117:Salton Sea
173:citations
119:article:
410:Category
385:See also
87:Pronouns
82:Pronouns
319:Specify
238:may be
131:Better:
115:In the
108:Better:
164:biased
123:Wrong:
100:Wrong:
362:links
328:links
294:links
285:vague
210:links
76:vague
33:essay
368:edit
365:talk
353:when
334:edit
331:talk
300:edit
297:talk
216:edit
213:talk
189:Tag
160:Evil
92:In
412::
356:}}
350:{{
322:}}
316:{{
288:}}
282:{{
204:}}
198:{{
264:)
258:(
254:.
244:.
35:.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
