Training modules/dashboard/slides/10316-no-original-research

No original research

No original research: “How do you know this?”

Writing for Wikipedia is different from academic writing. Wikipedia is not a place to publish your ideas or conclusions about a topic. On Wikipedia, that’s considered “original research.” Of course, you can (and should) do "research" in the traditional sense of finding good information, likely through your library.

"No original research" means your writing for Wikipedia will summarize what other people have said about a topic you’re interested in, so that a Wikipedia reader can get an overview of the current thoughts and understanding of that topic.

While it may be tempting to connect ideas in a Wikipedia article, you shouldn’t make those connections unless someone else makes them in a published, reliable source.