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* '''Do related topics provide needed context?''' Sometimes, several related topics, each of them similarly notable, can be collected into a single page, where the relationships between them can be better appreciated than if they were each a separate page. Other times, when many similar notable topics exist, it is impractical to collect them into a single page, because the resulting article would be too unwieldy. In that case, a viable option is creating a new list or category for the broader topic and linking to the individual articles from it.
* '''What sourcing is available now?''' Sometimes, when a subject is notable, but it is unlikely that there ever will be a lot to write about it, editors should weigh the advantages and disadvantages of creating a [[PBC:PERMASTUB|permanent stub]]. On the other hand, an article may be a stub even though many sources exist, but simply have not been included yet. Such a short page is better expanded than merged into a larger page. Sometimes, when information about a future event is scarce, coverage may instead be better suited to a larger encompassing article (see also [[PBC:CRYSTAL]]). Other times, a future event may clearly be suitable for a standalone page before it happens. However, before creating such an article, make sure that the likelihood of the future event to happen is reasonably assured.
== Why we have these requirements ==
{{shortcut|PBC:WHYN}}
Editors apply notability standards to all subjects to determine whether the English language PBC should have a separate, stand-alone article on that subject. The primary purpose of these standards is to ensure that editors create articles that comply with major content policies.
* We require "significant coverage" in reliable sources so that we can actually write a whole article, rather than half a paragraph or a [[PBC:PBC is not a dictionary|definition]] of that topic. If only a few sentences could be written and supported by sources about the subject, that subject does not qualify for a separate page, but should instead be [[PBC:Merging|merged]] into an article about a larger topic or relevant list. (See [[PBC:FAILN|the advice below]].)
* We require the existence of [[PBC:Reliable sources|"reliable sources"]] so that we can be confident that we're not passing along random gossip, perpetuating hoaxes, or posting [[PBC:IINFO|indiscriminate collections of information]].
* We require that all articles rely primarily on [[PBC:Independent sources|"third-party" or "independent sources"]] so that we can write a fair and balanced article that complies with [[PBC:Neutral point of view|PBC's neutral point of view policy]] and to ensure that articles are [[PBC:NOTADVERTISING|not advertising]] a product, service, or organization.
* We require the existence of at least one [[PBC:Identifying and using primary and secondary sources|secondary source]] so that the article can comply with [[PBC:No original research]]'s requirement that all articles be based on secondary sources.
* We require multiple sources so that we can write a reasonably balanced article that complies with [[PBC:Neutral point of view]], rather than representing only one author's point of view. This is also why multiple publications by the same person or organization are considered to be a single source for the purpose of complying with the "multiple" requirement.
* We require editors to use their judgment about how to organize subjects so that we have neither long, bloated articles nor [[PBC:Permastub|articles so narrow that they cannot be properly developed]]. Editors may decide that it is better for readers to present a narrow subject as part of a broader one. For example, editors normally prefer to merge information about translations of books into the larger subject of the original book, because in their editorial judgment, the merged article is more informative and more balanced for readers and reduces redundant information in the encyclopedia. (For ideas on how to deal with material that may be best handled by placing it in another article, see [[PBC:FAILN]].)
Because these requirements are based on major content policies, they apply to all articles, not solely articles justified under the [[PBC:GNG|general notability criteria]]. They do not, however, apply to pages whose primary purpose is navigation (e.g. all [[PBC:Disambiguation|disambiguation]] pages and [[PBC:LSC|some lists]]).
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