Pensapedia:Neutral point of view
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This page documents an official Pensapedia policy, a widely accepted standard that all users should follow. When editing this page, please ensure that your revision reflects consensus. If in doubt, consider discussing changes on the talk page. |
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This page in a nutshell: All Pensapedia articles and other encyclopedic content must be written from a neutral point of view, representing significant views fairly, proportionately and without bias. |
Neutral point of view (NPOV) is a fundamental Pensapedia principle, along with verifiability. It is absolute and non-negotiable. All Pensapedia articles and other encyclopedic content must be written from a neutral point of view, representing fairly and without bias all significant views.
ExplanationEdit
The neutral point of view is a means of dealing with conflicting views. The policy requires that, where there are or have been conflicting views, these should be presented fairly. None of the views should be given undue weight or asserted as being the truth, and all significant published points of view are to be presented, not just the most popular one. It should also not be asserted that the most popular view or some sort of intermediate view among the different views is the correct one. Readers are left to form their own opinions.
As the name suggests, the neutral point of view is a point of view, not the absence or elimination of viewpoints. It is a point of view that is neutral; that is neither sympathetic nor in opposition to its subject.
Debates are described, represented, and characterized, but not engaged in. Background is provided on who believes what and why, and which view is more popular. Detailed articles might also contain the mutual evaluations of each viewpoint, but studiously refrain from stating which is better. One can think of unbiased writing as the fair, analytical description of all relevant sides of a debate. Facts about opinions may be presented alongside facts about competing opinions. Wherever possible, a prominent representative of a particular view should be cited.
When bias towards one particular point of view can be detected, the article needs to be fixed.