This is an
essay. 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. |
This page in a nutshell: Hatnotes take up minimal space on articles, but they do consume a prominent position. They are helpful when it's one of the first things a reader should know. |
Hatnotes can save users time, such as by eliminating the need to use a disambiguation page or alerting the reader they are at the wrong article. For the desired effect, the hatnote must be displayed prominently up front. As with the article title and first sentence, this prominence requires responsibility.
Hatnotes are cheap, taking little space. However, hatnote overuse can leave the reader feeling peppered with undesired information, similar to online ads – an undesirable kind of cheap. The key is keeping the information relevant to the reader.
This is an
essay. 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. |
This page in a nutshell: Hatnotes take up minimal space on articles, but they do consume a prominent position. They are helpful when it's one of the first things a reader should know. |
Hatnotes can save users time, such as by eliminating the need to use a disambiguation page or alerting the reader they are at the wrong article. For the desired effect, the hatnote must be displayed prominently up front. As with the article title and first sentence, this prominence requires responsibility.
Hatnotes are cheap, taking little space. However, hatnote overuse can leave the reader feeling peppered with undesired information, similar to online ads – an undesirable kind of cheap. The key is keeping the information relevant to the reader.