Wikipedia:Featured topic criteria

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A good topic or a featured topic is a collection of articles that represents Wikipedia's best work in covering a subject comprehensively and with items of consistently good quality. In addition to meeting the requirements for all Wikipedia articles by all of its constituents, a good or featured topic has the following attributes.

1. It is a set of similar, interrelated articles that cover a specific topic.

   (a) There are at least three distinct articles.

   (b) The articles have a clear similarity with each other under a well-defined topical scope.

   (c) All articles in the topic are linked together, preferably using a template, and share a common category or super-category.

   (d) There is no obvious gap (missing or stub article) in the topic. A topic must not cherry pick only the best articles to become featured together.

2. The topic has an introductory and summary lead article or list.
3. Each article is of high quality, including the referencing.

   (a) With featured topics only:

   (i) At least 25 percent of the articles are featured class (featured articles or featured lists), with a minimum of two featured items.*

   (ii) All other articles are good articles.

   (b) With good topics only:

   (i) All articles are at least featured lists or good articles.

   (c) Items that are ineligible for featured or good article status, either due to their limited subject matter or due to inherent instability, must have passed an individual quality audit that included a completed peer review, with all important problems fixed. Such items do not count towards criteria 1.a., 3.a.ii., or 3.b.i.

*Note: On 1 April 2009, the required percentage of featured articles will increase from 25 to 33 percent.

[edit] Recommendations

In addition to the mandatory criteria above, it is recommended that all topics meet the following optional criteria:

• The structure of the articles is similar, with the same section titles and order where possible.
• The articles use a common infobox where appropriate.
• The topic has a free use image to accompany and represent the topic if at all possible.
• The topic is not overly large nor needlessly small. There is no maximum number of articles, but if something is far larger than existing topics, it might be wise to split it into subtopics. For example, science fiction films would be too large a topic, but Star Trek films would be of appropriate scope. Conversely, a topic should not be excessively sub-divided; an all-encompassing topic of six articles is better than two topics of three each. These guidelines do not apply to items in a clear series (every article from 1st Canadian Parliament to 40th Canadian Parliament could be included in one topic), or those dictated by geography (for example, states of the USA).
• The topic does not overly overlap with a current good or featured topic.
• Before nominating a topic, nominators may wish to receive feedback by listing it at Featured topic questions. Nominators must be sufficiently familiar with the subject matter and sources to deal with objections during the FTC process. If you nominate something you have worked on, note it as a self-nomination. Nominators who are not significant contributors to the articles of the topic should consult regular editors of the articles prior to nomination. Nominators are expected to respond positively to constructive criticism and to make an effort to address objections promptly.
• To avoid wasting time, the topic should not have any active Good article nominations, Good article reassessments, Featured article reviews, Featured article removal candidates, Featured list candidates, or Featured list removal candidates when nominated for good or featured topic, and should only have Peer reviews or Featured article candidates if the result does not affect whether the topic meets the good/featured topic criteria. Please have all required processes done before nominating. Nominations with one or more articles involved in a process mentioned above may result in a quick fail.

[edit] Retention

• Good and featured topic status is dependent on the continued adherence to all criteria, including retention of high quality status by all of the constituents. If any of the criteria are no longer met, or any constituents lose quality status, such topics will be eligible for a topic removal nomination after a grace period. The grace period will be three months for a demotion of an article or if the topic expands and is therefore incomplete and six months following a change to the Good or Featured Topic criteria.

[edit] Current Featured Topic Retention Periods

• Seasons of 30 Rock has until 2009-01-30 to meet criteria 1.d and 3.c with article 30 Rock (season 3).

• Kingdom Hearts will have until 2009-02-18 to meet criterion 3.a. with Kingdom Hearts coded.

• Atlantic Coast Conference football championship games will have until 2009-03-06 to meet criterion 3.a. with article 2008 ACC Championship Game.

• 1997 Pacific hurricane season will have until 2009-03-25 to meet criteria 1.d. and 3.a. with article Timeline of the 1997 Pacific hurricane season.

[edit] Future Featured Topic Retention Periods

• From the airing of the finale of 30 Rock (season 3), Seasons of 30 Rock will have 3 months to meet criterion 3.a.

• From the airing of the finale of Degrassi: The Next Generation (season 8), Seasons of Degrassi: The Next Generation will have 3 months to meet criterion 3.a.

• From the release date of Guitar Hero: Metallica, Guitar Hero series will have 3 months to meet criterion 3.a.

• From the creation of articles List of songs in Guitar Hero: Metallica, Guitar Hero: Hendrix and Guitar Hero Modern Hits, Guitar Hero series will have 3 months to meet criteria 1.d. and 3.a.

• From the release date of Half-Life 2: Episode Three, Half-Life 2 titles will have 3 months to meet criterion 3.a.

• From the release dates of Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days and Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep, Kingdom Hearts will have 3 months to meet criterion 3.a.

• From the airing of the finale of Lost (season 5), Seasons of Lost will have 3 months to meet criterion 3.a.

• From the airing of the finale of The Office (US TV series) season 5, Seasons of The Office (US TV series) will have 3 months to meet criterion 3.a.

• From the release date of StarCraft II, StarCraft titles will have 3 months to meet criterion 3.a.

[edit] Featured Topics with Less Than 33% of Content Featured

The following featured topics all need to gain one more featured article by 1 April 2009, or else they will be demoted to good topics:

• 1997 Pacific hurricane season
• Star Wars episodes
• Wilco albums
• Category 5 Pacific hurricanes
• The Legend of Zelda titles

[edit] Current Good Topic Retention Periods

None at this time.

[edit] Future Good Topic Retention Periods

• From 2009-04-30, X-Men films will have 3 months to meet criterion 3.a with article X-Men Origins: Wolverine.

• From the creation of articles X-Men Origins: Magneto and X-Men: First Class, X-Men films will have 3 months to meet criteria 1.d. and 3.a.

• From the release date of Rewrite (visual novel), Key visual novels will have 3 months to meet criterion 3.b.