Neutral Point of View
Neutral Point of View (NPOV) is a fundamental principle of Origin Wiki. Articles should represent all significant viewpoints fairly, proportionately, and without bias. This guide explains how to write content that upholds this principle.
What is Neutral Point of View?
Origin Wiki aims to present information in a way that allows readers to form their own opinions. This means:
- Presenting competing viewpoints in a balanced manner
- Not advocating for any particular position
- Describing debates rather than participating in them
- Using precise, factual language rather than judgmental terms
- Attributing opinions and interpretations to their sources
On Origin Wiki, neutrality means:
- Fairness and balance in representation
- Proportionate coverage based on the weight given in reliable sources
- Accuracy in attributing opinions and viewpoints
- Impartiality in tone and language
- Presenting content in a way that respects all significant viewpoints
Origin Wiki articles should:
- Present multiple perspectives on controversial issues
- Attribute statements of opinion or analysis to their sources
- Use neutral language that avoids bias
- Represent the relative prominence of viewpoints proportionately
- Focus on verifiable information from reliable sources
- Distinguish between facts and opinions
Origin Wiki articles should not:
- Advocate for particular positions on controversial issues
- Use judgmental or promotional language
- Present opinions as facts
- Give undue weight to minority viewpoints
- Omit significant criticism or challenges to projects, people, or concepts
- Make predictions about future price movements or technology adoption
The cryptocurrency and Web3 space is full of competing projects, technologies, and viewpoints. Origin Wiki's role is not to determine which is "best" or "most promising," but to present information that allows readers to understand the landscape.
When writing for Origin Wiki, consider these best practices:
- Present claims with their proper attribution (e.g., "According to the project whitepaper...")
- Balance positive statements with appropriate critique from reliable sources
- Use precise, factual language to describe technological features
- Avoid subjective descriptors like "innovative," "efficient," or "user-friendly" without attribution
- Include multiple perspectives in proportion to their prominence in reliable sources
- Clearly distinguish between verifiable facts and claims or opinions
Core Principles of NPOV
Represent All Significant Viewpoints
Articles should present all significant perspectives on a topic. No single viewpoint should dominate the article, and minority views should be included in proportion to their prominence in reliable sources.
Present Information Without Bias
Content should be presented in a way that doesn't favor one viewpoint over others. This means avoiding language that implies a judgment or preference, and instead using neutral terminology.
Attribute Opinions and Viewpoints
Opinions, analyses, and interpretations should be attributed to their sources rather than presented as facts. This helps readers understand who holds these views and evaluate them accordingly.
Maintain Proportionate Coverage
The space and detail given to different viewpoints should reflect their prominence in reliable sources. Major perspectives should receive more coverage than minor ones, but all significant views should be included.
Applying NPOV in Cryptocurrency Articles
The cryptocurrency and Web3 space presents unique challenges for maintaining NPOV:
- Strong advocacy: Many sources in the crypto space have strong opinions about projects and technologies.
- Competing interests: Financial incentives can influence how projects and people are portrayed.
- Rapidly evolving field: What's considered factual can change quickly as technologies develop.
- Technical complexity: Technical details can be presented in ways that subtly favor certain perspectives.
- Polarized views: There are often strongly opposing viewpoints about the value and potential of cryptocurrencies.
Examples of Non-Neutral Language
Non-Neutral
"Project X is a revolutionary blockchain platform that solves the scalability problem plaguing other cryptocurrencies."
This statement presents an opinion as fact and uses promotional language ("revolutionary") and negative characterization ("plaguing").
Neutral
"Project X is a blockchain platform that, according to its developers, aims to address scalability challenges. Independent researchers at University Y have confirmed its throughput is higher than some competing platforms."
This attributes claims to their sources and uses neutral language to describe the technology.
Non-Neutral
"Despite critics' unfounded concerns, Influencer Z has built an impressive following and proven the skeptics wrong with their successful token launch."
This dismisses criticism without fair representation and uses subjective language ("impressive," "proven the skeptics wrong").
Neutral
"Influencer Z has accumulated over 500,000 followers on Twitter. Their token launch in May 2023 raised $10 million. Some analysts have praised the project's execution, while others have expressed concerns about its long-term viability."
This presents verifiable facts and acknowledges different perspectives without taking a side.
Strategies for Maintaining NPOV
- Use neutral language: Avoid words that imply judgment or preference.
- Attribute statements: Clearly indicate who holds particular views or made specific claims.
- Present verifiable facts: Focus on information that can be verified through reliable sources.
- Include multiple perspectives: Present different viewpoints on controversial topics.
- Avoid weasel words: Terms like "some people say" or "it is believed" without specific attribution.
- Be aware of framing: How information is presented can subtly favor certain perspectives.
- Use precise language: Vague or ambiguous terms can introduce bias.
Handling Controversies
Controversies should be handled with particular care:
- Present all significant perspectives on the controversy
- Attribute claims to their sources
- Avoid giving undue weight to minority views
- Use neutral language to describe the controversy
- Focus on verifiable facts rather than speculation
- Consider creating a dedicated "Controversies" section for subjects with multiple significant controversies
Common NPOV Pitfalls in Crypto Articles
- Promotional language: Using terms like "innovative," "groundbreaking," or "revolutionary" without attribution
- Dismissing criticism: Minimizing or ignoring legitimate concerns about a project or person
- Technical bias: Presenting one technical approach as inherently superior to others
- Financial predictions: Making statements about future price movements or adoption
- Undue focus on price: Overemphasizing price movements rather than technological or social aspects
- Ideological framing: Presenting crypto through a specific political or economic lens