Submitting a draft for review is a key step in the Wikipedia article creation process. This ensures that new articles meet Wikipedia's standards before being published in the main article space. The submission process is designed to help editors refine their work and receive constructive feedback from experienced reviewers.
Preparing Your Draft for Submission
Before submitting a draft for review, it's important to ensure that it meets Wikipedia's guidelines for content and notability.
Drafts should be well-researched, neutral in tone, and supported by reliable sources. Editors are encouraged to use the Article Wizard, which guides them through the steps of creating a draft and ensures that all necessary elements are included.
Once a draft is complete, editors can add the {{subst:submit}} template to the top of the draft page. This signals to reviewers that the draft is ready for evaluation. It's important to note that drafts should not contain non-free content, as this is not allowed in draft articles. Any desired non-free content should be added once the article is moved to the mainspace.
The Review Process
After submission, drafts enter a queue to be reviewed by experienced Wikipedia editors. The review process can take several weeks, as drafts are reviewed in no specific order. Reviewers assess drafts based on Wikipedia's guidelines and provide feedback to help improve the article. If a draft is declined, editors are encouraged to address the feedback and resubmit the draft for another review.
Reviewers may decline drafts if they do not meet Wikipedia's guidelines, but they only reject drafts if they are unlikely to ever meet those guidelines. For example, a draft may be rejected if the topic is not notable or if the content is considered spam. However, a topic that is not currently notable may become notable in the future, allowing for resubmission.
Handling Old and Abandoned Drafts
Drafts that have not been edited for more than six months are subject to deletion under the speedy deletion criterion G13. This policy helps keep Wikipedia's draft space organized and ensures that only active drafts are retained. However, deleted drafts can be restored upon request, allowing editors to continue working on them if they choose.
The draft submission process is an essential part of Wikipedia's article creation system. It provides a structured pathway for new articles to be developed and reviewed, ensuring that they meet the encyclopedia's standards before being published.
