This page documents an English Wikipediaediting guideline. Editors should generally follow it, thoughexceptions may apply.Substantive edits to this pageshould reflect consensus.

Shortcut WP:OC/UWP:OC/U

Auser category is a type ofcategory—a grouping of related pages intended as a tool for navigation^[1][2]—that contains theuser pages ofWikipedia users. The technicalfunction of a user category, therefore, is to group the user pages of Wikipedia users who share one or more relevant characteristics. Given this technical function, and considering the principle thatWikipedia is an encyclopedia andnot a social networking site,^[3] thepurpose of user categories is to aid in facilitating coordination and collaboration between users for the improvement and development of the encyclopedia.^[4][5]

In addition, as with all categories,^[2][4] user categories should not be used as "bottom-of-the-page" notices. If a Wikipedian wishes to have such a notice, they may edit their user page and add the notice in some other way (such as by adding text or a userbox) instead of creating a category group.

Quite simply, a user category is appropriate if it has the capacity to facilitate coordination and collaboration between users for the improvement of the encyclopedia. Some examples of types of user categories that aregenerally appropriate include:

Categories which group usersby participation in Wikipedia.

This includes any grouping of users by participation in a Wikipedia collaborative project, such as a formalWikiProject (e.g.Category:WikiProject Biography participants) or informal collaborative activity (e.g.Category:Wikipedian new page patrollers,Category:Wikipedians who fight vandalism). This does not include participation in personal userspace projects.^[6] This also includes editors entrusted with additional user-rights and/or responsibilities, such asWikipedia functionaries,administrators,Category:Wikipedia template editors,Wikipedia clerks.

Categories which group usersby ability to improve the encyclopedia.

This includes any grouping of users by technical skill (e.g.Category:Wikipedians who edit audio files,Category:Wikipedians who understand ParserFunctions), or by ability to access, produce or understand certain material such as sources or images (e.g.Category:Wikipedians in Algeria,Category:User de,Category:Translators fr-en,Category:Wikipedians who have access to Project MUSE). Any ability that is not relevant to encyclopedia-building, such as the ability to hold one's breath for more than five minutes or to conduct basicconversion of units,^[7] cannot form the basis of an appropriate user category.

Categories which group usersby knowledge or understanding of a topic

This includes any grouping of users by narrow technical expertise (e.g.Category:Wikipedian instrument-rated pilots) or a more general familiarity with a subject (e.g.Category:Wikipedian accountants). Any knowledge that is not relevant to encyclopedia-building, such as knowledge of a spouse's reading habits or knowledge that is notverifiable, cannot form the basis of an appropriate user category.

Categories which group usersby interest in a subject

This includes any grouping of users by interest in a subject – that is, interest in editing articles related to a certain topic – so long as the topic is not overly narrow or vague (see below:Categories that are overly narrow in scope,Categories that are vaguely defined). Note that merely liking/disliking or supporting/opposing something does not necessarily imply an interest in editing articles related to it. Any interest that is not relevant to encyclopedia-building, such as an interest in eatingéclairs, cannot form the basis of an appropriate user category.

Since the purpose of user categories is to facilitate improvement of the encyclopedia, categorisation on the basis of any characteristic (including particular abilities, interests, knowledge, or skills) that has no or limited relevance to the encyclopedia is inappropriate. Some examples include:

Categories that areall-inclusive

This includes any grouping of users on the basis of something that may be a characteristic of most or all Wikipedia users (e.g. Wikipedians who use the Internet,Wikipedians who use personal computers), or humans more generally (e.g.Citizens of Milky Way,Wikipedian of Earth).

Categories that arebroadly or vaguely defined

This includes any grouping of users on the basis of characteristics which cannot be readily identified, or which are defined so broadly or vaguely that one cannot draw meaningful conclusions about users based on their membership in the category (e.g.Wikipedians interested in general knowledge,Wikipedians interested in local history,Wikipedians who play video games,New Age Wikipedians,Mystic Wikipedians)

Categories that areoverly narrow in scope

This includes any grouping of users on the basis of a characteristic that limits opportunities for encyclopedic collaboration to just one or very few articles, such as categories for interest in or fondness for a single individual (e.g.Wikipedians interested in Paul McCartney) or film.^[8] This also includes the creation of "personal" categories, in which an editor might wish to group articles, userspace pages, or any other pages categorised by personal preference, such as by user(s) edits or uploads, or even by personal interest.

Categories that arenot-based

This includes any grouping of users based on theabsence of a particular characteristic (e.g.Wikipedians not active on weekdays,Wikipedians who don't wish to become administrators,Wikipedians who don't own automobiles), including inability to speak a language.^[9]

Categories which group usersby dislikes of any type

This includes any grouping of users based on a shared dislike for a person, group, organisation, event, idea, philosophy, or activity (e.g.Wikipedians who dislike High School Musical).

Categories which group users on the basis ofirrelevant likes

This includes any grouping of users on the basis of shared preferences that are irrelevant to encyclopedia-building (e.g.Wikipedians who like red foxes,Wikipedians by food preference).

Categories which group users byadvocacy of a position^[10]

This includes any grouping of users by support for or opposition to a person, object, issue, or idea if they are unrelated to Wikipedia. There is no consensus on whether categories grouping Wikipedians by non-disruptive statements of opinion on internal Wikipedia matters are allowed.^[11]

Categories that aredivisive, provocative, or otherwise disruptive

This includes any grouping of users on the basis of a characteristic that, unintentionally or by design, triggers a negative emotional reaction in others, is detrimental to an environment of constructive collaboration, or brings Wikipedia into disrepute. This includes categories for enmity toward a particular group of people, dislike for or hatred of a particular individual (e.g.Wikipedians who dislike George W. Bush), or support for or opposition to a controversial person, group, project, idea, policy, or activity. This also includes categories created in protest orto make a point (e.g.Wikipedians whose religion has been deleted by Wikipedia).

Categories that arejokes/nonsense

This includes any grouping of users that is patently false and misleading (e.g.Wikipedians who are zombies,Wikipedians in their 780s), nonsensical (e.g.Userpages That Are Full Of LOL), undecipherable (e.g.Wikipedians who Watch animals from their POV), or created primarily for humourous or satirical purposes (e.g.Wikipedians who are one of an infinite number of monkeys). Before nominating such categories for deletion, editors should consider whether it is possible to perceive the category as not being primarily misleading or nonsensical, but that the intent may be to help foster a positive, collaborative sense of community. (See alsoCategory:Wikipedians with unconventional user categories.)^[12][13]

• Wikipedia:User categories

• Wikipedia editing guidelines
• Wikipedia categorization