Help:Splitting pages

Shortcut H:SPLIT

Splitting pages is the process by which a page is split into two or more pages. This is done when a page becomes too large, or a topic within a page is better suited to having a separate article. Content from the source page is copied into a new page, with proper attribution, as required by Bulbapedia's license. This page details how to do this correctly.

Contents

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• (Return to top)
• Reasons for splitting
• Proposing a split
  • Step 1: Create a discussion
  • Step 2: Tag the page
  • Step 3: Discuss the split
  • Step 4: Close the split discussion and determine consensus
  • Step 5: Perform the split
  • Step 6: Review and refine
• See also

Contents

Reasons for splitting

There are several good reasons to split pages:

• The article is too long, and splitting it into smaller articles will make for better, more cohesive pages.
• The article has too many templates, and needs to be split so that they properly appear.
• The article covers multiple topics, that would benefit from having their own articles.

Splitting should be avoided if:

• The resulting pages would be too short.
• The topics covered in the new article(s) do not meet Bulbapedia's notability requirements by themselves.

Proposing a split

To propose a split, follow these steps:

Step 1: Create a discussion

On the talk page of the article to be split, add a new section with the heading ==Split proposal== Include details of your proposal, including why the split is needed (e.g., length, focus, or notable sub-topics), what sections or content should be split, and the title(s) of the new article(s).

A talk page discussion must be started for the split proposal to be considered.

Step 2: Tag the page

Add the {{split}} template to the article. This should be placed above the article text and any infobox template present, but below any PrevNext or disambiguation templates at the top of the page.

Add the template as follows:

{{split|[[NEW ARTICLE 1]] and [[NEW ARTICLE 2]]}}

to get:

The contents of this article have been suggested to be split into NEW ARTICLE 1 and NEW ARTICLE 2. Please discuss it on the talk page for this article.

Any pages using this template will automatically be added to Category:Candidates for splitting.

Step 3: Discuss the split

Make sure to follow the talk page policy and the code of conduct. Stay on topic, use proper formatting, and be clear and concise. Try to reach a common consensus, giving everyone an appropriate amount of time to participate.

Step 4: Close the split discussion and determine consensus

During the discussion, a consensus may emerge to either proceed with the split or leave things as they are.

Either way, closing the discussion involves summing up the results of the discussion on talk page section (including the resulting actions, if any), as well as removing the split template from the article.

If the consensus calls for a split to be performed, the editor closing the discussion and removing the templates should additionally perform the actual split (as outlined below).

Step 5: Perform the split

If the page has been proposed to be split into multiple articles, repeat the below steps for each split.

1. Group the content intended to be split from the original article into one section, and then save the page with an edit summary saying Preparing to split article.
2. Create a new article and directly copy and paste the content from the original article. Do not edit it. Instead, save the page with the edit summary Contents [[H:SPLIT|split]] from [[ORIGINAL ARTICLE]]; please see its history for attribution..
3. Tidy up the new article:
   • Edit the lead sentence to include a link back to the original article.
   • Add a references section, page categories, and any relevant infobox, navboxes, or other templates.
   • Adjust section headings, and fix any cite errors caused by the move.
4. On the original article, delete the section created for the split, and replace it with a brief summary of the subtopic covered in the new article. Begin the section with a {{Main}} template. Use the edit summary Material [[H:SPLIT|split]] to [[NEW ARTICLE]]., and then save.
5. Check Special:WhatLinksHere for the original article, and change any links that need to point to the new article instead.

Step 6: Review and refine

• Revisit both the original and new articles to verify they are clear, complete, and cohesive.
• Ensure that each new article can stand alone with sufficient context for readers.
• Collaborate with other contributors to address any final concerns or adjustments, if necessary.

See also

• Category:Candidates for splitting

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