Wikipedia:Reference desk/FAQ

The idea is that when someone encounters a question that has been asked before, they place links to both those questions here, under a meaningful header (possibly with links to other related questions as well). Once that is done, people can start cleaning up both the answers and the questions, merging them into one set. No two questions are ever the same, but a common ground could be found and the answer could be polished to perfection over time (making it more article-like).

Of course, all this assuming there is no answer to that question yet in an article. In that case the question could still be placed here, but accompanied with just a link to that article instead of an answer. If that does not satisfy people, then that is an indication that the article needs to be adapted. In that sense the reference desk could be seen as an aid to improve articles.

How questions are categorised here does not necessarily reflect where they were originally asked.

Not all questions have all relevant reference desk links. Some have just one link because someone remembered a question being asked before, but not where.

Hidden file

Work (energy)

Does everyone who sees colours see red the same way?

What happens if the sun disappears or stops shining?

The edge of the Universe

Is marijuana bad for you?

Why is 1+1 = 2?

Area of an irregular shape

Finding Hamlet in π

Positional number systems with non-integral bases

Sneezing at the Sun

Volcanologist's wages

Oldest airline still in business

How do you check whether a company with a certain name exists?

What kept Hitler from invading Switzerland and Sweden?

Famous people on Wikipedia

How many humans have ever lived?

Wikipedia mirrors

Human resource management

Why are voltages always a multitude of 11V?

Trotsky vs Stalin

Persia vs Greece

Public Domain works that contain copyrighted characters?

Why do men have nipples?

Decomposition

Why wet things are dark

The Internet after a global catastrophe

Watertight ship's propeller

Cutting worms in half

Most valuable substance

Why do men on 19th century portraits pose with one hand in the jacket?

What are the dates for viewing the Siena Duomo's pavement?

How can I get my novel published?

Why did George Fox visit Barbados in 1671?

What language is this?

Name for the first decade of the 21st century

Easiest/hardest language to learn

Who was the greatest polyglot?

"People" or "persons"?

"Further" or "farther"?

"Two weeks notice" or "two weeks' notice"?

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