FamilySearch Wiki:Negotiation

The cooperative process
is a cooperative process whereby participants try to find a solution which meets the legitimate interests of both parties. In the context of FamilySearch Wiki, negotiation is the process by which contributors work together to resolve editing conflicts and thereby produce a useful and reliable reference work.

Talking together
Negotiation is accomplished by talking together. These discussions should take place on the discussion (talk) page relating to the Wiki article as to which the editing conflict has arisen.

Prior to posting comments on the talk page, the contributors should review the Talk page guidelines.

Steps for resolving a conflict through Negotiation
The initial step in seeking to resolve an editing conflict is to clarify the nature of the conflict.

If the conflict involves stylistic or formatting issues, the parties should consult the FamilySearch Wiki:Manual of Style.

If the conflict involves a factual dispute, the parties should seek objective criteris for resolving the conflict.

If the conflict involves a differing points of view, resolution usually involves appropriate mention of all points of view in an article thus improving the quality of the article. "Splitting the difference" compromise is generally inappropriate if it means departure from generally recognized points of view, both of which need to be included to achieve FamilySearch Wiki:Neutral point of view. However, this should not stop participants from finding compromises that provide a balanced presentation.