Wikipedia:Categorization dos and don'ts

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It is not a Wikipedia policy or guideline; rather, its purpose is to explain certain aspects of Wikipedia:Categorization It may reflect varying levels of consensus.

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Categories are a vital tool for navigating Wikipedia.

When categorizing pages:

DO:
Use the most specific categories possible.
Categorize based on defining characteristics .
Add pages to multiple categories in overlapping trees .
Provide sort keys or a {{DEFAULTSORT:}} key.
Add cleanup templates where needed.

DON'T:
Don't add pages to non-existent categories.
Don't categorize based on trivial characteristics .
Don't add pages to non-neutral or unverifiable categories.
Don't categorize fictional subjects together with real ones.
Don't apply maintenance categories directly: use templates.

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