Editing Encyclopedia:Editing policy (section)

==Talking and editing==
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{{seealso|WP:PGCHANGE|label 1 = Policies and guidelines § Content changes}}

''[[Wikipedia:Be bold|Be bold in updating articles]], especially for [[Help:Minor edit|minor changes]], fixing problems, and changes that you believe are [[wikipedia:Likely to be challenged|unlikely to be controversial]].'' Previous authors do not need to be consulted before making changes. [[WP:Ownership of content|Nobody owns articles]], so if you see an improvement you can make, make it.

If you think the edit might be controversial, then a better course of action may be to first [[Help:Introduction to talk pages/1|make a proposal on the talk page]]. Bold editing does not excuse edits against [[WP:Consensus|existing consensus]], edits in violation of core policies, such as [[Wikipedia:Neutral point of view|Neutral point of view]] and [[Wikipedia:Verifiability|Verifiability]], or edits designed to create a [[Wikipedia:Fait accompli|''fait accompli'']], where actions are justified by the fact they have already been carried out.

If someone indicates disagreement with your bold edit by reverting it or contesting it in a talk page discussion, [[WP:BRB|consider your options]] and respond appropriately. 

===Be helpful: explain===
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''Be helpful: explain your changes''. When you edit an article, the more radical or controversial the change, the greater the need to explain it. Be sure to leave a comment about ''why'' you made the change. Try to use an appropriate [[Help:Edit summary|edit summary]]. For larger or more significant changes, the edit summary may not give you enough space to fully explain the edit; in this case, you may leave a note on the [[Help:Talk pages|article's talk page]] as well. Remember too that notes on the talk page are more visible, make misunderstandings less likely, and encourage discussion rather than [[WP:Edit warring|edit warring]].

===Be cautious with major changes: discuss===
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''Be cautious about making a major change to an article.'' Prevent [[WP:Edit warring|edit warring]] by discussing such edits first on the [[Help:Talk pages|article's talk page]]. An edit that one editor thinks is minor or clearly warranted might be seen as major or unwarranted by others. If you choose to [[WP:be bold|be bold]], provide the rationale for any change in the edit summary or on the article talk page. If your change is lengthy or complex, consider first creating a new draft on a [[Wikipedia:User_pages#SUB|subpage of your own user page]] and start a discussion that includes a link to it on the article's talk page.

===But&nbsp;– Wikipedia is not a discussion forum===
{{further|Wikipedia:What Wikipedia is not#Wikipedia is not a publisher of original thought}}
Whether you decide to edit very boldly or discuss carefully on the talk page first, please bear in mind that Wikipedia is not a discussion forum. It is best to concentrate our energies on improving articles rather than debating our personal ideas and beliefs. This is discussed further at [[Wikipedia:Etiquette]].

===If you need help===
The [[Wikipedia:Dispute resolution]] processes are available if you need help reaching an agreement with other editors.