Proposing a merger Wikipedia:Merging

1 proposing merger

1.1 step 1: create discussion
1.2 step 2: tag relevant pages
1.3 step 3: discuss merger

1.3.1 caveats


1.4 step 4: close merger discussion , determine consensus
1.5 step 5: perform merger

proposing merger



wp:mergeinit
wp:mergeprop

users may determine whether pages should merged. if need merge obvious, individual editors can bold , it. might appropriate , easy where, example, there 2 stubs same title different spellings. bold edits might reverted, if merge going take lot of work implement, consider if there room doubt. articles have been separate long time, on controversial topics, may have editor support remaining separate; these best candidates discussing before merging.

in circumstances, local discussion conducted on article talk page should attract sufficient input. should include proposal itself, list of affected pages, , merger rationale. start discussion, perform following steps.

step 1: create discussion

this done on proposed destination page s talk page, exceptions exist:

if intended destination combination page not exist, not create talk page, may speedily deleted (wp:csd#g8) or nominated @ wikipedia:miscellany deletion.
having discussion on source page acceptable. don t move existing discussion page.
it recommended not start discussion on talk page regularly archived.

example: if suggesting foo merged bar, create proposal merge foo bar in new section @ talk:bar. start new section @ bottom of talk page , include proposal itself, list of affected pages, , merger rationale. example following section:

== merger proposal ==

i propose [[foo]] merged [[bar]]. think content in foo article can explained in context of bar, , bar article of reasonable size merging of foo not cause problems far article size or undue weight concerned. ~~~~

notify involved users (optional): optional step, may necessary notify users involved in affected pages, might not watchlisting them. go users talk pages , start new section, leaving neutral invitation participate in merger discussion. make sure provide link discussion page. please ensure notification of involved users not breach wp:votestacking; is, canvassing support selectively notifying editors have or thought have predetermined point of view or opinion.

you may use following standard templates on users talk pages:

{{subst:mergenote|<source page>|<merger discussion talk page section>}}

example:

{{subst:mergenote|foo|talk:bar#merger proposal}}

step 2: tag relevant pages

do not use subst on these templates.

to propose merger of 2 or more pages, place template {{merge|otherpage|discuss=talk:this page#merger proposal|date=december 2017}} @ top of each page or section. date parameter used add article subcategory of category:articles merged. if date parameter not used, wikipedia bot add in day or two.

please use discuss parameter direct same talk page. otherwise, 2 separate discussions take place in each of respective talk pages. if discuss parameter not specified, discuss links lead top of each article s talk page.

if know page should removed, use {{mergeto|destinationpage|discuss=talk:destinationpage#merger proposal|date=december 2017}} on page, , {{mergefrom|sourcepage|discuss=talk:destinationpage#merger proposal|date=december 2017}} on page remain , receive contents of source page. unless discuss parameter specified in these templates, discuss links lead talk page of destination page, avoiding 2 separate discussions problem may occur {{merge}}. may still preferable link direction section on talk page; useful directing reader specific section of long talk page, when may not otherwise obvious discussion located.

if multiple articles proposed merged, titles can separated vertical pipe. example, {{merge|otherpage1|otherpage2|discuss=talk:destination1#merger proposal|date=december 2017}} proposes tagged page, otherpage1 , otherpage2, merged.

step 3: discuss merger

discuss merger proposal in new discussion section; make sure follow proper decorum , standard talk page guidelines, includes staying focused on content, not on involved editors, using threaded discussion formatting, not biting newcomers, , being clear , concise.

you may able evoke response contacting of major or most-recent contributors via respective talk-pages. {{mergenote}} template available purpose, must subst: ed. example, place {{subst:mergenote |sourcepage |talk:destinationpage#merger proposal }} on talk page of contributors source page; , {{subst:mergenote |destinationpage |talk:destinationpage#merger proposal }} on talk page of contributors destination page.

alternately, can contact potentially interested editors notifying them directly merge discussion page, simpler , less intrusive them.

in many cases, hybrid discussion/straw poll used, remember polling not substitute discussion. example formatting:

* merge - <insert reason supporting merger here> ~~~~
* don t merge - <insert reason opposing merger here> ~~~~

caveats

if unable merge pages, or believe merger may controversial, might want add listing wikipedia:proposed mergers.
when proposing merger of pages within wikipedia namespace (any pages begin wikipedia: prefix), not include prefix in parameter.
because of technical limitations, above templates incompatible cross-namespace mergers (mergers between pages both article , wikipedia namespaces). such instances rare.
do not use above templates propose category merger. should requested @ wikipedia:categories discussion, uses separate {{cfm}} template.

step 4: close merger discussion , determine consensus






wp:mergeclose

during discussion, rough consensus may emerge proceed merger. user may close discussion , move forward merger if enough time (normally 1 week or more) has elapsed , there has been no discussion or if there unanimous consent merge.

in more unclear, controversial cases, determination consensus merge has been achieved made editor neutral , not directly involved in merger proposal or discussion. if necessary, 1 may request administrator not involved close discussion , make determination whether consensus has been established; such request may made @ administrators noticeboard.

to close merger proposal discussion, {{discussion top}} , {{discussion bottom}} templates used in following manner:

== merger proposal ==

{{discussion top|result=the result of discussion ... ~~~~}}

<start of discussion>
.
.
.
<end of discussion>

{{discussion bottom}}

in contentious cases, discussion should closed uninvolved editor or administrator, may requested @ requests closure noticeboard.

after closing merger proposal discussion, place {{old merge full}}template on source page s talk page:

{{old merge full|otherpage=<destination page>|date=<date merger proposed>|result=<result of discussion>|talk=<merger discussion talk page section>}}

step 5: perform merger

see § how merge below. main reason merger backlog includes more ten thousand articles because people support merger neglect undertake final step. editor, including you, permitted perform mergers in accordance consensus. merging pages not require intervention administrator.