Filling in data properties

All article types have different properties that must be provided. These properties have their own significance and require a certain degree of accuracy when filling them in.

Accuracy

When filling in properties it is important to use values like dates or locations that have have already been established. You must use a value that complies to the following criteria with descending significance.

1. The value has been confirmed by reliable historical records.
2. The value is described in reliable historical literature.
3. The value has established by archeological research.
4. The leading scientific authority (professors or organizations) in the subject has confirmed the correctness of the value.
5. The value has been established by political consensus.

When a value is not exact a well considered estimate can be used complying to the criteria above.

Common properties

Some properties can be found on most article types.

Date

Date properties describe when a certain event has occurred. A date must be filled in with the greatest known precision. When the exact date is not know than the first day of the month or year is selected. When even the exact year is not known the year can be rounded to the decade or century. When multiple dates are likely the most likely is selected.

If a date field is left empty this can have two meanings.

• The applicable end date is not known because the feature exists to the present date or the event is still occurring.
• The date of a contained object is equal to the start or end date of the feature. For example you should not provide the end date of the office of king can be left empty if the country ceased to exist the same day the king resigned or was killed.

You can not leave a date field empty when the date is not known. In this case you must provide the closest estimate.

Color

The color property is used to identify a feature on the map or a timeline. It must be distinct from features closely relates to it. For example the color of a country must differ from its neighbors. A feature preferably has a color that is closely related to it like a national color or the color of a war uniform, but is not required and should only be practiced when it is distinct enough.

Emblem

Emblems are symbols that are associated with a feature. For example a flag or a coat of arms. The emblem it self can be uploaded as a image file. It is preferred to use a SVG vector image for this.