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Official Policy This page documents the Official Policy of the GTA Wiki. It concerns standards that all users should follow.

This page explains how you should deal with disputes/arguments/edit wars on GTA Wiki.

If you disagree with someone, it is very easy to think you are right and just undo their edits. Even if you are SURE you are right, you shouldn't just repeatedly revert someone else's work, because they probably think that they are definitely right. This situation can very quickly escalate into an edit war.

Summary

Prevention Discussion Staff Arbitration
  • Reference whatever you write if its hard to prove/believe
  • Leave detailed edit summaries
  • Add a note on a talk page if you write something unbelievable
  • If you have to undo someone else's work, explain why
  • Discuss rather than revert or undo
  • Do not repeatedly undo/redo each other's edits
  • Argue your points, don't throw around personal insults
  • Work out who is right, compromise or agree to write both/neither
  • Speak to a Staff member if you can't agree
  • Report arguing, personal attacks or edit wars to staff
  • Try to explain the situation fully
  • If you disagree with a staff member, discuss it with them


Step 1: Prevention

The best solution to a disagreement is to prevent it. This is usually as simple as referencing what you write - find a link, video or screenshot that shows what you say is true. That way, if anyone disagrees, they can check your reference and this doesn't have to be done for EVERY sentence, but for anything which most people wouldn't know (eg technical details) or which isn't easily provable (eg "bigfoot exists").

If you can't find any proof, then maybe what you say isn't correct. If you call a vehicle the "fastest" then you should be able to back that up with a statistic (eg from handling.cfg). You should never call something the "best", unless you specify exactly what it is best at (eg the best vehicle/weapon for this mission).

Step 2: Discussion

If you disagree with something in an article, you usually shouldn't just change it. If you can PROVE that it is wrong, you can correct it and add a reference (as above), or you can remove it and mention your proof on the talk page. If someone removes what you have written, do not just add it again. They obviously believe that it doesn't belong in the article, or that it is wrong. You should go to the talk page, discuss it, and try to agree or reach a compromise.

You should always assume that they are doing what they think is right, rather than deliberately trying to annoy you or make the wiki wrong. If they genuinely believe something different to you, then you each have the responsibility to figure out which one is correct (not who is wrong).

Presenting a good argument is a very useful skill. Make sure you focus on the actual thing you're discussing, and you concentrate on facts. If you start using personal issues as discussion points (eg "I'm right because I'm older") then that is not helping you work out who is correct. Work on the central point and try to figure out WHAT is right, not WHO is right. Use evidence as much as possible. If you start swearing or insulting someone else just because you disagree, then that is not behaviour we tolerate on GTW.

Sometimes you might not be able to agree, sometimes there isn't proof for which of you is right. In that situation, you must figure out what the best option for the article is. Sometimes writing both in is useful (eg "The Landstalker resembles either a Land Rover Sport or a Discovery"); sometimes you can make it clear that it is opinion (eg "Some people claim to have seen Bigfoot, but there is no proof"); and other times it is best to leave it out when there is no good reason for it to stay.

Step 3: Staff involvement

If a user is repeatedly undoing your edits without discussing it, then they are in the wrong, regardless of who is correct. If this happens, you should find a member of staff that is currently online (by looking at Special:RecentChanges), and put a message on their talk page. Any active member of staff listed at GTA Wiki:Staff should be able to help you, but it is quicker if you find someone currently online. Alternatively you could log onto IRC and ask a member of staff on there.

The staff will stop someone reverting edits without discussing it, and sometimes will be able to figure out who is correct. However this is not an ideal approach every time you disagree with someone, the discussion is the best method until then.

If you are not satisfied with the actions of the staff member, you should discuss it with them and ask them to explain. If you're still not happy, you can speak to a Manager, but this should be a last resort.

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