PrintWiki/Neutral Point of View

To elaborate as eloquently as the Wikipedians have done on this topic would be impossible. PrintWiki believes that the WikiPedia NPOV is an excellent position to adhere to. Please see the Wikipedia Neutral_point_of_view for incredible detail.

Below are the highlights incase you do not want to read their entire policy

NPOV requires views to be represented without bias and in such a fashion that both supporters and opponents can agree. 100% agreement is not possible. All editors and all sources have biases. One is said to be biased if one is influenced by one's biases. We can only seek a type of writing that is agreeable to essentially rational people who may differ on particular points.

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 cold, fair, analytical description of all relevant sides of a debate. When bias towards one particular point of view can be detected, the article needs to be fixed.

• A key element in negotiating issues of bias with others is to recognize you have a point of view.

• Assertions written in neutral language are closer to being objectively true.

• When a fact is not common knowledge, or when the information being related is a subjective assessment, like the result of a particular poll, the information should be attributed and cited.

• While hinting or insinuating may feel weak, it is a powerful tool and abuse of it is a common way of introducing bias.

• An article can be written in neutral language and yet omit important points of view. Such an article should be considered an NPOV work in progress, not an * irredeemable piece of propaganda.

• A common way of introducing bias is by one-sided selection of information. Information can be cited that supports one view while some important information that opposes it is omitted or even deleted.

• On many scientific, technical or social problems, different points of view may be held by different experts. One measure of a view's importance is the credibility of the experts who hold that view.

• More important than being able to write neutrally without thinking about it is being willing and knowing how to work with others toward that goal. Be bold in editing pages that are biased, be bold in asking for help, and do not be alarmed when others edit what you have written.