User:DannyS712/Categories
Proposed guideline for categorization.
Content categories[edit]
There are a few different "types" of categories, each of which should be treated differently:
- "Geo[graphic]" categories refer to a place or area (examples: Category:North America, Category:United States, Category:Iowa)
- "Topic" categories refer to a category for articles related to a topic (examples: Category:Food and Drug Administration, Category:Environment)
- "People" categories refer to a categories for articles closely related to a specific person (examples: Category:Donald Trump, Category:Roberto Córdova)
Geographic categories[edit]
Generally, an article should be categorized in the most specific geographic category possible, and should not be included in the parent category.
- An article about events in a specific state, such as Connecticut repeals death penalty, should be in that state's category (Category:Connecticut) but should not be included in Category:United States or Category:North America, because the article focuses primarily on Connecticut
Topic categories[edit]
Generally, an article should be categorized in 3-to-5 closely related topic categories. If a category is itself in a parent category related to the article, the article should not be in that parent category. Likewise, if category "A" is part of category "B", which is part of category "C", "A" should not be in category "C".
- German trains halted by strike, an article closely related to Category:Rail transport, should not also be included in Category:Transport
People categories[edit]
Categories that are related to individual people should generally not be classified in the same manner as topic categories, but rather categorized themselves with similar people categories.
- Category:Barack Obama should be included in Category:Presidents of the United States and Category:Members of the US Senate, but not in Category:United States
Creating new categories[edit]
Generally, categories should not be created unless there are 3-to-5 articles that already qualify for addition. An exception to this is for recurring topics; given the past creation of Category:2008 United States presidential election, Category:2012 United States presidential election, and Category:2016 United States presidential election, future presidential election categories may be created once there is an article to be included in them.
Wikinewsie categories[edit]
Some Wikinewsies choose to create categories that include the articles they contributed to or wrote. While this is allowed for established users, such categories should not be categorized alongside "content" categories.