Help:Categories

Categories are how articles are sorted throughout the wiki. It is important that every article be placed in at least one category, or else visitors to the wiki might not be able to find them.

How to categorize

The top level categories for PoliceWiki can be viewed at Category:Main. All categories used on the site are listed at Special:Categories.

Some sub-categories exist as part of multiple higher-level categories. For instance, Category:Andy Summers songs exists under Category:Songs and Category:Andy Summers. When creating an article about one of Andy Summers' songs (ex: Eyes of a Stranger), only put it in the Category:Andy Summers songs category, not the two higher-level categories as well.

How to create new categories

Before creating a new category, be sure one doesn't already exist with the same spelling, just a variation on capitalization. Also be sure that the category is necessary and that the article(s) you are writing deserve the creation of a new category. If you are uncertain, discuss the creation of the category on the Talk page(s) for the higher level category or categories you want to put the new category into.

If a new category is necessary, simply type it the end of the article you are writing, for instance:

[[Category:Andy Summers songs]]

Save the page, then click on the red link for that new category. In the text box that appears on the next page, type the name(s) of the category (or categories) the newly created category should belong to. In this example again:

[[Category:Andy Summers]] [[Category:Songs]]

All newly created categories should belong to at least one higher-level category, which eventually leads back to Category:Main.