<noinclude>{{subcat guideline|editing guideline|Overcategorization/User categories|WP:OC/U}}

{{Wikipedia:User categories/Introduction}}

== Overcategorization ==

</noinclude>=== Appropriate types of user categories ===

{{shortcut|WP:USERCATYES}}

{{hatnote|See: [[:Category:Wikipedians]] ([[Special:CategoryTree/Wikipedians|category tree]])}}

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 are ''generally'' appropriate include:

;<span id="by participation" ></span>Categories which group users '''by participation''' in Wikipedia.

:This includes any grouping of users by participation in a Wikipedia collaborative project, such as a formal [[Wikipedia:WikiProject|WikiProject]] (e.g. [[:Category:WikiProject Biography participants]]) or informal collaborative activity (e.g. [[:Category:Wikipedian new page patrollers]]). This does not include participation in personal userspace projects.<ref>A list of precedents is available at [[Wikipedia:Categories for discussion/User/Archive/Topical index#Wikipedians by userspace project]].</ref> This also includes editors entrusted with additional user-rights and/or responsibilities, such as [[User:NoSeptember/Functionaries|Wikipedia functionaries]], [[Wikipedia:administrators|administrators]], [[:Category:Wikipedia template editors]], [[:Category:Wikipedia clerks|Wikipedia clerks]].

;<span id="by ability" ></span>Categories which group users '''by 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 HighBeam]]). 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 basic [[conversion of units]],<ref>See [[Wikipedia:Categories for discussion/User/Archive/July 2007#Category:Wikipedians who like and can work in both English and Metric units]]</ref> cannot form the basis of an appropriate user category.

;<span id="by knowledge or understanding" ></span>Categories which group users '''by 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 not [[Wikipedia:Verifiability|verifiable]], cannot form the basis of an appropriate user category.

;<span id="by interest" ></span>Categories which group users '''by interest''' in a subject

:This includes any grouping of users by interest in a subject&nbsp;– that is, interest in editing articles related to a certain topic&nbsp;– 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 eating [[éclair]]s, cannot form the basis of an appropriate user category.

=== <span id="NO" >Inappropriate types of user categories ===

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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:

;<span id="all-inclusive" ></span><span id="All-inclusive" ></span>Categories that are '''all-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, [[Wikipedia:Categories for discussion/User/Archive/April 2007#Category:Wikipedians who use personal computers|Wikipedians who use personal computers]]), or humans more generally (e.g. [[Wikipedia:Categories for discussion/User/Archive/August 2007#Category:Citizens of Milky Way|Citizens of Milky Way]], [[Wikipedia:Categories_for_discussion/Log/2012_November_3#Category:Wikipedian_of_Earth|Wikipedian of Earth]]).

;<span id="broadly or vaguely defined" ></span><span id="Broadly or vaguely defined" ></span><span id="broadly defined" ></span><span id="Broadly defined" ></span><span id="vaguely defined" ></span><span id="Baguely defined" ></span><span id="BROAD" ></span><span id="VAGUE" ></span>Categories that are '''broadly 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. [[Wikipedia:Categories for discussion/User/Archive/May 2007#Category:Wikipedians interested in general knowledge|Wikipedians interested in general knowledge]], [[Wikipedia:Categories for discussion/User/Archive/May 2007#Category:Wikipedians interested in Local History|Wikipedians interested in local history]], [[Wikipedia:Categories for discussion/User/Archive/April 2007#Category:Wikipedians who play video games|Wikipedians who play video games]], [[Wikipedia:Categories for discussion/User/Archive/October 2007#Category:New Age Wikipedians|New Age Wikipedians]], [[Wikipedia:Categories for discussion/User/Archive/October 2007#Category:Mystic Wikipedians|Mystic Wikipedians]])

;<span id="overly narrow" ></span><span id="Overly narrow" ></span>Categories that are '''overly 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. [[Wikipedia:Categories for discussion/User/Archive/December 2007#Category:Wikipedians interested in Paul McCartney|Wikipedians interested in Paul McCartney]]) or film.<ref>See, among others, [[Wikipedia:Categories for discussion/User/Archive/January 2008#Category:Wikipedians who like The Simpsons Movie]], [[Wikipedia:Categories for discussion/User/Archive/January 2008#Category:Wikipedians who like X]], [[Wikipedia:Categories for discussion/User/Archive/February 2008#Wikipedians who like X part 2]].</ref> 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.

;<span id="not-based" ></span><span id="Not-based" ></span><span id="NOT" ></span>Categories that are '''''not''-based'''

:This includes any grouping of users based on the ''absence'' of a particular characteristic (e.g. [[Wikipedia:Categories for discussion/User/Archive/August 2007#Category:Wikipedians not active on weekdays|Wikipedians not active on weekdays]], [[Wikipedia:Categories for discussion/User/Archive/June 2007#Category:Wikipedians who don't wish to become administrators|Wikipedians who don't wish to become administrators]], [[Wikipedia:Categories for discussion/User/Archive/May 2007#Category:Wikipedians who don't own automobiles|Wikipedians who don't own automobiles]]), including inability to speak a language.<ref>A list of precedents is available at [[Wikipedia:Categories for discussion/User/Archive/Topical index#Wikipedians by 0-level language knowledge]].</ref>

;<span id="by dislikes" ></span><span id="By dislikes" ></span>Categories which group users '''by 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. [[Wikipedia:Categories for discussion/User/Archive/June 2007#Category:Wikipedians who dislike High School Musical|Wikipedians who dislike High School Musical]]).

;<span id="irrelevant likes" ></span><span id="Irrelevant likes" ></span>Categories which group users on the basis of '''irrelevant likes'''

:This includes any grouping of users on the basis of shared preferences that are irrelevant to encyclopedia-building (e.g. [[Wikipedia:Categories for discussion/User/Archive/August 2007#Category:Wikipedians who like red foxes|Wikipedians who like red foxes]], [[Wikipedia:Categories for discussion/User/Archive/September 2006#Wikipedians by diet|Wikipedians by food preference]]).

;<span id="advocacy" ></span><span id="Advocacy" ></span><span id="ADVOCACY" ></span>Categories which group users by '''advocacy''' of a position<ref>"Wikipedia is not a soapbox, a battleground, or a vehicle for propaganda and advertising. This applies to articles, categories, templates, talk page discussions, and user pages." - [[Wikipedia:What Wikipedia is not#Wikipedia is not a soapbox]]</ref>

:This includes any grouping of users by support for or opposition to a person, object, issue, or idea, especially when they are unrelated to Wikipedia.<ref>A list of precedents is available at [[Wikipedia:User categories for discussion#Wikipedians who support/oppose]].</ref>

;<span id="divisive" ></span><span id="Divisive" ></span><span id="DIVISIVE" ></span>Categories that are '''divisive, 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. [[Wikipedia:Categories for discussion/User/Archive/July 2007#Category:Wikipedians who dislike George W. Bush|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 or [[Wikipedia:Do not disrupt Wikipedia to illustrate a point|to make a point]] (e.g. [[Wikipedia:Categories for discussion/User/Archive/August 2007#Category:Wikipedians whose religion has been deleted by Wikipedia|Wikipedians whose religion has been deleted by Wikipedia]]).

;<span id="jokes/nonsense" ><span id="Jokes/nonsense" ></span><span id="nonsense" ></span><span id="Nonsense" ></span><span id="jokes" ></span><span id="Jokes" ></span>Categories that are '''jokes/nonsense'''

:This includes any grouping of users that is patently false (e.g. [[Wikipedia:Categories for discussion/User/Archive/June 2007#Category:Wikipedians who are zombies|Wikipedians who are zombies]], [[Wikipedia:Categories for discussion/User/Archive/July 2007#Category:Wikipedians in their 780s|Wikipedians in their 780s]]), nonsensical (e.g. [[Wikipedia:Categories for discussion/User/Archive/December 2007#Category:Userpages That Are Full Of LOL|Userpages That Are Full Of LOL]]), undecipherable (e.g. [[Wikipedia:Categories for discussion/User/Archive/September 2007#Category:Wikipedians who Watch animals from their POV|Wikipedians who Watch animals from their POV]]), or created primarily for humourous or satirical purposes (e.g. [[Wikipedia:Categories for discussion/User/Archive/April 2007#Category:Wikipedians who are one of an infinite number of monkeys|Wikipedians who are one of an infinite number of monkeys]]).<ref>A list of precedents is available at [[Wikipedia:Categories for discussion/User/Archive/Topical index#Nonsense/joke/humour categories]].</ref><noinclude>

== See also ==

* [[Wikipedia:User categories]]

== Notes ==

{{reflist}}

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[[Category:Wikipedia categorization]]</noinclude>