Dispute resolution analysis group/Essays/Vassyana/Encyclopedia purpose

On the English Wikipedia, there is a significant dispute in the community that is often divided between deletionists and inclusionists. This presentation of the divide is based upon a limited cross-section of end results and only addresses superficial motivations for the actions taken.

The deletionist/inclusionist debate is one facet of a broader ideological divide. This division presents itself not only in notability and deletion debates, but also in discussions surrounding the principles of verifiability and no original research. It also influences broader policy and community considerations, both through direct advocacy and the indirect action of policy & content debates.

The broader division relates to the purpose of the encyclopedia project and the best mechanisms to achieve that goal. The divide may be roughly expressed as a liberal editorial process and an exacting editorial process. These positions are prominent in (respectively) "loose" and "strict" interpretations of (or positions on) citation requirements, article presentation and inclusion standards. In order to understand these local manifestations, it is essential to understand the underlying differences in perceptions and ideals.