Biography Wiki:Style Guide

This is the canonical style guide for all Biography Wiki articles. It applies to every article published on this wiki, whether written by editors or generated by the content engine.

1. 1. 1. Mission & Voice

Biography Wiki exists to be the most trustworthy, unbiased, no-spin directory of notable people on the internet. No paid placements. No editorial agenda. No PR fluff. Just verified facts, well-sourced and clearly written.

=== Tone register

- 90% encyclopedic — formal, third-person, neutral, factual throughout - 10% narrative warmth — concentrated almost entirely in the lead paragraph only

The lead may open with a hook, an interesting detail, or a defining moment to draw readers in. After the lead, the article becomes a clean encyclopedia entry. Do not editorialize in body sections.

Allowed in lead only: > *"Before she became one of the most cited environmental lawyers in the country, Elena Vasquez grew up in a small Texas town where the local river had run orange since before she was born."*

Never allowed anywhere: > *"Widely regarded as a visionary," "passionate advocate," "trailblazing," "renowned expert"*

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== 2. Article Length

| Target | Word count | |--------|-----------| | Absolute minimum | 1,200 words | | Standard target | 1,800–2,500 words | | Comprehensive target | 2,500–4,500 words | | Never publish below | 1,200 words — hold the article and research more |

If research cannot support 1,200 words from Tier 1–3 sources, do not publish. Queue the article for additional research.

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== 3. Infobox

Every article begins with a structured infobox. Use the `

Style Guide

` template.

=== Universal fields (always include if known)

| Field | Notes | |-------|-------| | `name` | Full legal name | | `birth_name` | Include if different from known name | | `birth_date` | Use `Template:Birth date\` for living persons | | `birth_place` | City, State/Province, Country | | `nationality` | Country of citizenship | | `occupation` | Primary occupation(s), comma-separated | | `known_for` | One sentence max — the thing that makes them notable |

=== Optional fields (include when sourced)

| Field | Notes | |-------|-------| | `death_date` | Deceased only | | `death_place` | Deceased only | | `education` | Highest degree + institution | | `employer` | Current or most recent primary employer | | `title` | Job title at primary employer | | `spouse` | Only if publicly documented | | `children` | Number only (e.g. "3"), no names unless public figures themselves | | `awards` | Up to 3 most significant | | `website` | Official website only — never LinkedIn or social |

=== Fields never to include

- Net worth estimates (too speculative, changes constantly) - Political party affiliation (unless the person is a politician) - Religion (unless the person has made it publicly defining) - Social media handles

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== 4. Standard Article Structure

=== Section order (with word count targets)

[Infobox]
[Lead — no header]       150–300 words
== Early Life ==          200–500 words
== Education ==           100–250 words   (omit section if no sourced info)
== Career ==              600–2,500 words (core section — use subsections)
  === [Phase/Role 1] ===
  === [Phase/Role 2] ===
  === Current Work ===    (for living persons)
== Personal Life ==       150–350 words   (only what is publicly documented)
== Recognition ==         150–400 words   (awards, honors, media coverage)
== Legacy ==              200–500 words   (established or historical figures only)
== References ==          (all citations)

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== 5. Section-by-Section Guidance

=== Lead (no header)

- First sentence: Full name, birth year, nationality, and primary occupation in one clean sentence.
- Second sentence (optional hook): One interesting, sourced detail that gives the person dimension.
- Remaining lead: 2–4 sentences summarizing their most significant achievements or why they are notable. This is the only place any warmth is permitted.
- The lead should be able to stand alone as a complete mini-biography.
- Do not use citations in the lead — the lead summarizes content that is cited in the body.

Template:
> *[Full name] (born [year], [city]) is a [nationality] [occupation] known for [most notable achievement]. [Optional hook sentence.] [2–3 sentences on career highlights and impact.]*

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=== Early Life

- Birthdate and birthplace (city, state/country)
- Family background — parents' occupations, number of siblings — only if sourced
- Formative circumstances, moves, or events that shaped their trajectory
- Childhood interests or early indicators of their later career (only if sourced — never speculate)
- Do not invent a narrative arc. If the sources don't connect childhood to career, don't connect them.

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=== Education

- List institutions attended, degrees earned, years attended
- Notable academic achievements, awards, or publications if applicable
- If the person is a dropout or self-taught, state it factually with source
- Omit this section entirely if no reliable sources confirm educational background

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=== Career

This is the core of the article. Organize chronologically using subsections for distinct phases.

Subsection naming conventions:
- Use time periods when phases are clearly time-bounded: `=== 2001–2008: Early Career ===`
- Use role/company names for major chapters: `=== At Goldman Sachs ===`
- Use thematic labels when phases overlap: `=== Advocacy and Legal Work ===`

What to include:
- Key roles, titles, companies, dates
- Significant decisions, projects, or achievements — with outcomes where documented
- Controversies, legal matters, or public criticism — stated factually with sources, not editorialized
- Quotes from the subject are acceptable if from a named publication with date

What to exclude:
- Vague praise: "contributed significantly to the field"
- Unverified claims about revenue, scale, or impact
- Events described only in press releases

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=== Personal Life

- Include only what has been reported in Tier 1–3 sources
- Marriages, divorces, and children: state factually, no commentary
- Health matters: only if the subject has spoken publicly about them
- Philanthropy: include if documented with specifics (organization, amounts, dates)
- Do not speculate about relationships, sexual orientation, or private matters not covered in reliable sources

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=== Recognition

- Awards and honors: name of award, awarding body, year
- Media recognition: named lists (e.g., "Forbes 40 Under 40, 2019"), profiles in named publications
- Academic or professional honors: fellowships, named chairs, honorary degrees

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=== Legacy (historical/established figures only)

- Influence on their field
- How they are cited, referenced, or built upon by others
- Institutions, programs, or works named after them
- Only include for subjects with a documented record of lasting impact

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== 6. Source Hierarchy

Use the highest available tier for every claim. Never use a lower-tier source when a higher-tier source exists.

=== Tier 1 — Primary/Official (highest trust)
- Court records and legal filings (PACER, state courts)
- SEC filings (EDGAR) — for executives at public companies
- Government records, official biographies, congressional records
- Academic publications (peer-reviewed journals)
- Books from major publishers (with named author, not vanity press)

=== Tier 2 — Major Independent Journalism
- Wire services: AP, Reuters, AFP, Bloomberg
- National newspapers: NYT, Washington Post, Wall Street Journal, Financial Times, The Guardian, LA Times, Chicago Tribune
- Major broadcast: BBC, NPR, PBS, major TV news investigative units

=== Tier 3 — Established National Publications
- National magazines: New Yorker, Time, Forbes, Fortune, The Atlantic, Wired, New York Magazine
- Major regional papers: Boston Globe, Miami Herald, Dallas Morning News, etc.
- Industry trade publications of record (e.g., Variety for entertainment, Law360 for legal)

=== Tier 4 — Supplementary (use to verify, not as sole source)
- Official company websites (for current titles and role confirmation only)
- University alumni pages (for education verification only)
- LinkedIn (to cross-check career timeline — never cite directly)
- Verified official social media (for direct quotes only, with date)

=== Not acceptable as sources
- Wikipedia (use to find sources — follow their citations to the primary source)
- Press releases or PRNewswire
- Self-published blogs or personal websites
- Anonymous sources
- Social media posts by third parties

=== Wikipedia research protocol

Wikipedia is a research discovery tool, not a citation. The correct workflow:

1. Read the Wikipedia article on the subject
2. Scroll to the References section
3. Identify the Tier 1–3 sources cited there
4. Go directly to those sources and verify the claims
5. Cite the original source, not Wikipedia

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== 7. Living Persons (BLP) Rules

Articles about living people require extra care. These rules are non-negotiable.

1. Two-source rule for negative claims: Any claim that could harm someone's reputation requires at least two independent Tier 1–3 sources. One source is not enough.

2. No allegations without findings: Do not describe someone as having "committed" an act unless there is a legal finding or admission. Use "was accused of," "was charged with," "settled without admitting wrongdoing," etc.

3. No speculation about private life: Sexual orientation, mental health, undisclosed relationships, private family matters — do not include unless the subject has addressed these publicly.

4. Legal disputes: State facts — filed, charged, settled, dismissed — with dates and sources. Do not characterize guilt or innocence beyond what courts have found.

5. Out-of-date negatives: If a charge was dismissed or a controversy was publicly resolved, include the resolution. Do not leave a negative claim without its outcome if the outcome is documented.

6. Right of response: Where a subject has publicly responded to criticism or controversy, include their response with source.

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== 8. Categories

Every article must have at least one category from each of the following levels:

=== Level 1 — Profession (required)
`Category:Politicians` | `Category:Lawyers` | `Category:Business executives` | `Category:Entrepreneurs` | `Category:Journalists` | `Category:Authors` | `Category:Scientists` | `Category:Academics` | `Category:Actors` | `Category:Musicians` | `Category:Artists` | `Category:Doctors` | `Category:Investors` | `Category:Judges` | `Category:Government officials`

=== Level 2 — Nationality (required)
`Category:American people` | `Category:British people` | `Category:Canadian people` | etc.

=== Level 3 — Specific field (required, at least one)
Examples: `Category:Environmental lawyers` | `Category:Hedge fund managers` | `Category:Federal judges` | `Category:Investigative journalists`

=== Level 4 — Era/decade (optional)
`Category:21st-century businesspeople` | `Category:20th-century scientists` | etc.

=== Level 5 — Gender (optional, use sparingly)
Only include `Category:American women entrepreneurs` style categories when the subject's gender is both publicly documented and editorially relevant to their notability.

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== 9. Cross-Linking

- Link every notable person, company, organization, place, or concept on first mention only
- Use the exact article title as the link target where possible
- Do not over-link — link only when the linked article would add context
- Link to red pages (non-existent articles) when the subject is notable enough to eventually have their own article — this creates the request queue
- Never link to external websites in article body — use references only

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== 10. Prohibited Language

Never use the following patterns anywhere in an article:

| Prohibited | Reason |
|-----------|--------|
| "widely regarded as" | Vague — cite who regards them, or don't say it |
| "one of the most" | Superlatives need a source |
| "passionate about" | PR language |
| "trailblazing," "pioneering," "visionary" | Promotional adjectives |
| "highly successful" | Unquantified — give the actual data |
| "dedicated to" | Unverifiable character claim |
| "is known to" | Weasel phrasing — either cite it or cut it |
| "sources say" | Must name the source |
| "some critics argue" | Weasel phrasing — name the critics or cut it |
| "it is believed that" | Either source it or remove it |
| "throughout his/her career" | Vague transitional filler |

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== 11. Citation Format

Use inline `

Format for books:


Format for government/court records:


Minimum citations per article:
- Lead: 0 (summarizes cited body content)
- Every factual claim in body sections: 1 citation minimum
- Negative claims about living persons: 2 citations minimum
- Full article: minimum 8 citations, target 15+

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== 12. AI Generation Protocol

When generating articles with the content engine:

=== Research phase (before writing)
1. Wikipedia — read full article, harvest all Tier 1–3 citations
2. Google News — search `"[full name]"` — collect last 5 years of coverage
3. LinkedIn — verify career timeline (do not cite)
4. Company/org website — verify current role and title (do not cite)
5. EDGAR (if executive) — verify any public company filings
6. PACER or court search — check for legal history
7. Google Scholar (if academic) — find published works

=== Generation rules
- Never fabricate a date, title, institution, or name — if unknown, omit
- Never fill gaps with "likely," "probably," or "is believed to"
- If research cannot support 1,200 words from real sources, flag as `STUB — needs research` and do not publish
- Every claim must map to a real source collected in the research phase
- Run BLP check before publish: scan for any negative claim — verify two-source rule is met

=== Prompt structure scaffold

Subject: [Full Name]
Sources collected: [list URLs/documents]
Known facts: [structured data from research]
Tone: 90% encyclopedic, 10% warmer lead only
Length: 1,200–4,500 words depending on available sourced material
Infobox fields: [populated from research]
Sections to include: [based on what is sourced — omit any section with insufficient info]
BLP flag: [living/deceased]

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== 13. Pre-Publish Quality Checklist

Before any article goes live:

- [ ] Word count ≥ 1,200
- [ ] Infobox complete (all universal fields populated or confirmed unavailable)
- [ ] Lead is 150–300 words, summarizes the article
- [ ] No prohibited language patterns
- [ ] Every factual claim has an inline citation
- [ ] All citations are Tier 1–3 (no Wikipedia, no press releases)
- [ ] Living person: negative claims have 2+ sources each
- [ ] At least 3 categories assigned
- [ ] Article cross-links to at least 3 other articles or red-link stubs
- [ ] No net worth, political party, or religion in infobox (unless applicable)
- [ ] Spell check passed
- [ ] Article reads factually — no promotional or vague language

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*Biography Wiki Style Guide v1.0 — 2026-02-23*