User:MSincccc/FAQs about FAC

Featured content: Featured articles Featured lists Featured pictures Featured topics Featured article candidates (FAC): Featured article criteria Featured article log Featured article statistics Featured article review (FAR): Archived FARs Former featured articles Unreviewed featured articles/2020 Today's featured article (TFA): This month's queue About Today's featured article Recent TFAs and statistics Current TFA requests Potential TFA requests TFA oddities Most viewed TFAs Featured articles yet to appear as TFA Script to track TFA recent changes Featured article tools: Mentoring for FAC Nominators of featured articles promoted Recent changes to featured articles Random featured article

The following Frequently Asked Questions are intended to help editors learn about the Featured Article nomination process, including editors nominating an article for the first time.

Can anyone nominate an article for Featured Article (FA) status?

Yes. But you must be familiar with the FA criteria and Wikipedia's policies and guidelines (especially the verifiability requirement and the Manual of Style).

Where can I find step-by-step instructions on how to nominate an article for FA status?

At WP:Featured article candidates#Nominating.

What is the difference between FA, FAC, and FACR?

FA is the Featured Article project, shortcut WP:FA. FAC is Featured Article Candidates (where FA nominations are listed), shortcut WP:FAC. FACR is FA criteria, shortcut WP:FACR.

I've read the FA criteria - what else can I do to learn how to write Featured Articles?

Write reviews of FA nominations – the reviews do not need to be lengthy or comprehensive. Go through the Good Article process with a couple of articles. Look at successful FAC nominations of similar topics in the featured log.

What is a Featured Article mentor?

A Featured Article mentor is an editor who has volunteered to help other editors prepare for the FA nomination process. The list of mentors is here. Using a mentor is strongly recommended for editors preparing for their first FA nomination, and also for those who are yet to get an article promoted.

Who are the FAC coordinators and what is their role?

See FAC instructions page.

How long does an FA nomination last?

There is no fixed period. Nominations typically last five to eight weeks.

I want to nominate an article that another editor did a lot of work on. What should I do?

You should post a note on that editor's Talk page and explain your plan. They may want to be a co-nominator. Use the article statistics tool to find the major editors.

Can a nominator skip the Peer Review (PR) and Good Article (GA) processes before nominating at FAC?

Yes. However, first-time nominators are strongly advised to put the article through the GA process and one or more peer reviews. Also, some projects – such as Military history – have an A-class review.

I've put the article through the PR and GA processes, but I'm still worried about nominating it. What else can I do?

Ask a volunteer at the Guild of Copy Editors to copy-edit the article. Do a few FA reviews at FA Candidates. Double check your article for: (a) prose must be professional quality; (b) sources must be the best available; and (c) compliance with Manual of Style.

Will my first FA nomination be treated differently than other nominations?

Generally, first time nominations are treated the same as any nomination. However, first-time nominations are subjected to extra validation of the verifiability and sourcing requirements, so reviewers will scrutinize the article's citations and sources in more depth.

What does it mean when a reviewer "supports" or "opposes" my nomination?

Support/oppose is explained in WP:FACSUPPORTOPPOSE. Briefly, reviewers will indicate "support" if they consider the article to be FA quality; "oppose" if not. Many reviewers will offer comments without issuing a support/oppose opinion.

Can I ask another editor to give my nomination a "support" review?

No. It is acceptable to ask an editor to do a review, but it is inappropriate to ask for a "support" outcome.

Can I offer to swap FA reviews with another editor?

No. Swapping reviews (called quid pro quo) is common in WP:DYK and WP:PR, but is discouraged in WP:FAC. However, it is acceptable to perform a FA review, and – at the end of your review – include a brief statement that you have an FA nomination in progress.

My article is small, and on a fairly insignificant topic - can I nominate it for FA?

Yes. Articles can be nominated for FA regardless of size or the nature of the topic.

Some reviewers are editing my article and making changes. Is that normal?

Yes, many reviewers will improve the article by making edits. That is permitted, and even encouraged.

How many changes to an article are permitted during a nomination?

There is no upper limit. Some articles undergo hundreds of edits during a nomination. Some articles undergo major revisions (section re-organization; adding and using several new sources; etc) during a nomination. On the other hand, if many reviewers are finding dozens of major shortcomings in the article, that may be an indication that the nomination should be withdrawn and re-nominated later.

How many "supports" are required for an FAC?

There is no fixed minimum. FA coordinators rely on a variety of factors to decide whether to promote or archive. See FAC instructions page.

Can an article with one or more "opposes" still be promoted?

Yes. FA coordinators rely on a variety of factors to decide whether to promote or archive. See FAC instructions page.

How long should one wait before reminding a reviewer who has not left a comment for some time?

A week or more. Some editors are busy in real life.

What if a reviewer suggests a change that I disagree with?

Explain your reasons to the reviewer. Alternatively, if the suggestion is sensible and consistent with the sources, consider implementing the suggestion without discussion.

If a reviewer says I should make a change, can I make the change during the nomination, then undo it after the nomination is over?

No. If you regret making a change, you should start a discussion on the article's Talk page, and notify the reviewer of the discussion.

A reviewer made a suggestion, but posed it as a question (such as "Would the sentence read better if ..."), am I supposed to answer the question?

It is common for reviewers to format suggestions in question form. If it is clear that the reviewer is making a suggestion, you can implement the suggestion in the article, without answering the question in the nomination page. But it is always okay to ask for clarification in the nomination page.

Can I continue working on the article during the FA nomination?

You should complete all research, writing, and copy-editing before the nomination. If you discover small improvements during the nomination, it is okay to implement them. If you discover major shortcomings (such as significant new sources) you should consider withdrawing the nomination and re-submitting it later.

A random editor (not a reviewer) is changing my article during the nomination. Can I tell them to stop?

No. Anyone can edit the article. If you feel they are interfering with the nomination, you can post a note (on their Talk page, or the article Talk page) informing them of the FA nomination and explaining your concerns.

I made the changes requested by a reviewer, but they keep suggesting more changes. What do I do?

See Fix Loop. A fix loop is when a reviewer makes suggestions, you implement them, the reviewer makes more suggestions, you fix those, and the cycle repeats. Reviewers are not obligated continue participating in a fix loop. Reviewers are expected to identify "actionable objections" before opposing a nomination, but not in a fix loop scenario. At any point, a reviewer is entitled to say "the article apparently has a large number of issues, and I do not have time to identify them all". In that situation, you have the choice of continuing the nomination, or withdrawing it and working on the issues outside FAC.

My article is not getting many reviews, what should I do?

Before nominating: Select an article on an interesting topic. Ensure that the article meets FA criteria. After nominating: Be patient: it may take a couple of weeks for reviews to appear. Ask other FA-knowledgeable editors to perform a review. Ask an FA coordinator to add the article to WP:Featured article candidates/FAC urgents.

I've decided that I want to stop the nomination and work on my article more before re-nominating. How do I do that?

Post a note on the nomination page and notify an FA coordinator (you can use the ping template; to notify all the FA Coordinators use Template:@FAC). Or post a note on FAC Talk page saying that you want to withdraw the nomination. Or post a note on the Talk page of any FAC coordinator.

My nomination was "archived", ie not promoted. What steps can I take to improve it before re-nominating?

Re-read the archived nomination's reviews carefully. Consider reaching out to reviewers who opposed the nomination for specific ideas and advice. Put the article through the Peer Review (PR) process at least once (PR goes faster if you look for articles waiting for a PR, and contact the editor and offer to swap PRs). Seek out editors experienced in the subject-matter area of your article (astronomy, biology, literature, etc) and ask for their advice.

A reviewer made valuable contributions to my nomination, how can I thank them?

Thanks are not required, but many reviewers use the Thank action in the nomination history page to show appreciation for specific reviewer actions. Other nominators post a brief note on the nomination page. More elaborate thanks are typically posted on the reviewer's Talk page after the nomination is completed.

Are there any automated tools that can help me prepare an article for FA nomination?

Yes. Some useful tools are: page size; table of all cites; AI source verifier; duplicated wikilinks; unreferenced passages; and reference formatting checker (alternative here). VisualEditor uses your computer's native spell-checking feature. External sites include Internet Archive bot (also here); author-links; LLM-AI detector; plagiarism detector; authorship; page statistics; citation bot; and external links.

My article was promoted to FA status. Does my role as nominator give me special privileges when other editors want to change the article?

No. Every editor is on equal standing, and you should use the normal consensus-building and dispute-resolution processes. However, other editors should respect the fact that the article attained FA status, and will often propose significant changes on the Talk page first.