[WikiEN-l] Re: HOWTOs/Recipes/Instructions and other imperative content

[David Friedland]

I just want to motivate this a little bit more:

Claim: Wikipedia should not include instructional material.

I believe that instructional material is inherently opinionated: an 
instruction comes with the embedded assumption that the method described 
is somehow "correct". People only make imperative statements if they 
believe that the action they are directing is the "correct" action.  By 
making imperative statements, Wikipedia is asserting the opinion that 
the instructions themselves are correct. NPOV policy clearly stands 
against this: "assert facts, including facts about opinions--but don't 
assert opinions themselves."

Let's take the example of recipes. There can be disagreements about how 
different dishes are to be prepared. How do you neutralize disagreements 
without changing the mood from imperative to indicative?

Example of an instruction from a guacamole recipe:

    Add all the avocado to the bowl, then add the other ingredients. Mix 
well.

    vs.

    Add half the avocado to the bowl, then add the other ingredients. 
Mix well, then gently stir in the other half of the avocado.

Is either one of these correct? Or should we say "Some chefs suggest 
setting aside half the avocado before mixing all the ingredients 
together, then gently stirring in the remaining avocado, to ensure the 
guacamole has a chunky texture, whereas other chefs prefer the smooth 
texture of mixing everything together all at once."

I believe it is the intent of the NPOV not to take sides, even if there 
is only one side. Imperative language inherently takes the side of the 
instructions, and so should be avoided. Since HOWTOs and recipes use 
imperative language, they shouldn't be on the Wikipedia. Much of the 
content can perhaps be modified for inclusion on the Wikipedia, but it 
has to be rephrased so that each step is not only in the indicative 
mood, but is contextualized and/or justified.

Resolved: HOWTOs, recipes, and similar instructional materials should be 
located in wikibooks, and Wikipedia articles should contain only NPOV 
descriptions and links to the relevant pages in wikibooks.

-- David

On preview, what Delirium said. And I love that we both use guacamole as 
the example.