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| === Unsupported attributions === | | === Unsupported attributions === |
| {{shortcut|WP:WEASEL|WP:AWW}} | | {{Color box|color=purple|width=75%|align=center |
| {{quote box|bgcolor=#FFFFF0|width=70%|align=center|salign=right
| | |<big>''Words to watch:'' '''... some people say, many scholars state, it is believed/regarded, many are of the opinion, most feel, experts declare, it is often reported, it is widely thought, research has shown, science says, scientists claim, it is often said ...'''</big> |
| |quote={{big|''Words to watch:'' '''... some people say, many scholars state, it is believed/regarded, many are of the opinion, most feel, experts declare, it is often reported, it is widely thought, research has shown, science says, scientists claim, it is often said ...''' }} | |
| }} | | }} |
| [[File:Weasel words.svg|right|200px]]
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| [[Weasel word]]s are words and phrases aimed at creating an impression that something specific and meaningful has been said, when in fact only a vague or ambiguous claim has been communicated. A common form of weasel wording is through vague attribution, where a statement is dressed with authority, yet has no substantial basis. Phrases such as those above present the appearance of support for statements but can deny the reader the opportunity to assess the source of the viewpoint. They may disguise a biased view. Claims about what people say, think, feel, or believe, and what has been shown, demonstrated, or proved should be clearly attributed.<ref>The templates {{tl|Who}}, {{tl|Which}}, {{tl|By whom}}, or {{tl|Attribution needed}} are available for editors to request an individual statement be more clearly attributed.</ref>
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| The examples given above are not automatically weasel words. They may also be used in the [[WP:LEAD|lead section]] of an article or in a [[topic sentence]] of a paragraph, and the article body or the rest of the paragraph can supply attribution. Likewise, views which are properly attributed to a [[WP:RS|reliable source]] may use similar expressions, if they '''''accurately represent the opinions of the source'''''. Reliable sources may analyze and interpret, but we, as editors, cannot do so ourselves. That would be [[WP:OR|original research]] or would violate the [[WP:NPOV|Neutral point of view]]. Equally, editorial [[irony]] and [[damning with faint praise]] have no place in Wikipedia articles.
| | [[Wikipedia:Weasel word|Weasel words]] are words and phrases aimed at creating an impression that something specific and meaningful has been said, when in fact only a vague or ambiguous claim has been communicated. A common form of weasel wording is through vague attribution, where a statement is dressed with authority, yet has no substantial basis. Phrases such as those above present the appearance of support for statements but can deny the reader the opportunity to assess the source of the viewpoint. They may disguise a biased view. Claims about what people say, think, feel, or believe, and what has been shown, demonstrated, or proved should be clearly attributed. |
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| Articles including weasel words should ideally be rewritten such that they are supported by reliable sources; alternatively, they may be tagged with the {{tl|weasel}}, {{tl|by whom}}, or similar templates to identify the problem to future readers (who may elect to fix the issue). | | The examples given above are not automatically weasel words. They may also be used in the [[UniWiki:Manual of Style/Lead section|lead section]] of an article or in a [[Wikipedia:Topic sentence|topic sentence]] of a paragraph, and the article body or the rest of the paragraph can supply attribution. Likewise, views which are properly attributed to a [[Wikipedia:WP:RS|reliable source]] may use similar expressions, if they '''''accurately represent the opinions of the source'''''. Reliable sources may analyze and interpret, but we, as editors, cannot do so ourselves. |
| {{Clear}}
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| | Articles including weasel words should ideally be rewritten such that they are supported by reliable sources. |
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| === Expressions of doubt === | | === Expressions of doubt === |
