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This is an essay on the conduct policy.
It contains the advice or opinions of one or more Wikipedia contributors. This page is not an encyclopedia article, nor is it one of Wikipedia's policies or guidelines, as it has not been thoroughly vetted by the community. Some essays represent widespread norms; others only represent minority viewpoints. |
As noted in the Dispute Resolution policy, all content dispute resolution procedures – Third Opinion, Dispute Resolution Noticeboard, and Request for Comments (though the requirement is very weak there[1]) – require thorough talk page discussion at the article talk page before a request for DR can be properly filed.[2] This is because Wikipedia is built around a model of collaboration through discussion and edit summaries are not intended to substitute for that discussion.[3]
What is an editor supposed to do when the other editor simply won't respond, or won't engage in the back-and-forth discussion that DR requires? There is no sure answer, but there are administrators who consider continuing to revert without discussing to be disruptive behavior and who will put pressure on the other editor to respond to you. This guide is intended to help editors put themselves in the best position to obtain such assistance.
To put yourself in that position:
Here's the recommended process:
Do not make any other statements nor any threats.
{{Reply to|Other editor's username}} I've asked twice that you please discuss this matter. I'm going to go ahead and make the change I've described above. If you revert without responding here, then I'm going to have to file a complaint against you at [[Wikipedia:Administrators' noticeboard/Incidents|ANI]] for [[WP:Disruptive editing|disruptive editing]] by reverting without discussing.— ~~~~.
If you make a report at a noticeboard be aware that your own conduct will also come under scrutiny (see the advice on "clean hands," above).
There are too many variables and moving parts in this to be sure that this is always going to work, so good luck. If the other user does respond with anything other than, "I'm not going to discuss this with you", then let the discussion begin. You know all those "don'ts" in step 3, above? Keep them going, even if the other user does not. Incivility and trollishness only complicate matters. Stick to your content-only guns and you'll have the moral high ground going into dispute resolution if you have to go there.