Help:Excellent article

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Characteristics of an excellent Coastal Wiki article

An excellent Coastal Wiki article is well written, comprehensive, factually accurate, neutral and stable.

(a) "Well written" means that the prose is compelling, understandable for non-experts, avoids unnecessary technical terms and unexplained abbreviations.

(b) "Comprehensive" means that the article provides relevant context and relationships.

(c) "Factually accurate" means that claims are verifiable against reliable sources and accurately present the related body of published knowledge. Claims are supported with specific evidence and external citations; this involves the provision of a "References" section in which sources are set out and, where appropriate, complemented by inline citations. See also the Coastal Wiki Rules.

(d) "Neutral" means that the article presents views fairly and without bias; however, articles need not give minority views equal coverage.

(e) "Stable" means that the article is not the subject of ongoing edit wars and that its content does not change significantly from day to day.

It complies with the Guidelines and the Template:

(a) a concise lead section that summarizes the entire topic and prepares the reader for the higher level of detail in the subsequent sections;

(b) a proper system of hierarchical headings; and

(c) a substantial but not overwhelming table of contents.

It has illustrations, boxes and tables, if they are appropriate to the subject, with succinct captions and acceptable copyright status. It is of appropriate length (typically 500-1000 words), staying focused on the main topic without going into unnecessary detail.