AnOtherWiki:Objective point of view policy

Objective point of view, as used on AnOtherWiki, is meant in the journalistic sense. It is our policy to write articles which are as objective as possible, much like a reporter writing an article for a newspaper. To be accurate, and to serve the public interest. As such, we strive to adhere to the journalistic principles of fairness, disinterestedness, factuality, and nonpartisanship in our articles. Failure to adhere to these policies may result in your editing privileges being suspended.

Fairness

Fairness: Our community is a pretty diverse place. Editors here on AnOtherWiki should respect that, and do their best to treat all subjects of articles with respect and dignity, and to inform the public about them without bias or stereotype. In other words, leave your prejudices at the door when editing. This is not to say, however, that factual information in the public interest which paints the subject of the article in a negative light is forbidden. The standard is fair, not favorable.

Disinterestedness

Disinterestedness: You may think that your website is the greatest thing in the world. The article about your webpage, however, is not the place to say so. Articles on AnOtherWiki should be written in an impartial manner. Like Joe Friday of Dragnet fame, "All we want are the facts, ma'am".

Factuality

Factuality: This should go without saying, but articles on AnOtherWiki should be factual and accurate. Check your sources. If someone is making a claim, make sure they know what they're talking about. If they say Elenari were inspired by the Lord of the Rings movies, but you can find archived material prior to 2001 discussing the Elenari as a distinct group within the otherkin community, chances are they don't. Also, cite your sources so that others can double check them. This is somewhat similar to Wikipedia's verifiability policy, though with some differences on exactly what is considered reliable. Wikipedia would not view Otherkin.net: Harmony & Discord or Elenari Nexus as reliable sources of information about otherkin community beliefs, history, and practices. We would.

Nonpartisanship

Nonpartisanship: You might think Kin to the Other is the stupidest phrase you've ever heard, or that Vampires aren't really otherkin. Or you might think that Otherkin Reiki is the best thing since sliced bread. In either case, the articles aren't the place to say so. In areas of controversy within the community, the wiki exists to report on them, not as a tool to settle them by influencing public perception.