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<p><b>New page</b></p><div>{{Short description|Wikipedia essay}}<br />
{{essay|WP:SPADE|WP:♠}}<br />
{{nutshell| It's okay to call a spade a spade – to speak plainly – but remember to [[WP:CIVIL|remain civil]], and to stay focused on improving the encyclopedia.}}<br />
[[Image:Solid spade (frog view).jpg|thumb|right|250px|It's not a "manual geomorphological modification implement", or an "individual tactical entrenchment excavator".]]<br />
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To [[call a spade a spade]] is to describe something clearly and directly. Rather than [[WP:TECHNOCRAT|using oblique and obfuscating language]], just "tell it like it is".<br />
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Users too often cite policies, like our [[WP:NPA|policy against personal attacks]] and our [[WP:CIVIL|policy against incivility]], not to protect themselves from personal attacks, but to protect their edits from review.<br />
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Although editors who consistently engage in disruptive editing are disruptive editors, and editors who consistently vandalize are vandals, there is still a requirement for editors to be reasonably [[WP:CIV|civil]] to each other. But being [[:wikt:civil|civil]] should not be confused with being [[:wikt:friendly|friendly]] or [[:wikt:courteous|courteous]], let alone [[:wikt:charitable|charitable]] or [[:wikt:credulous|credulous]].<br />
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It's OK to let others know when you think they're acting inappropriately, but a bit of politeness and tact while doing so will get them to listen more readily. One can be honest and direct about another editor's behaviour or edits without resorting to name-calling or attacks. Discuss troubling edits, in reasonable terms, on that [[Wikipedia:Talk page guidelines|article's discussion page]]. If the behaviour of a user remains troublesome, use the [[WP:DR|dispute resolution]] process. When referring to a particular bad edit, it is always best to include a [[Help:Diff|diff]].<br />
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== See also ==<br />
* [[Wikipedia:Don't call a spade a spade]], arguing that excessive bluntness can escalate disputes<br />
* [[Wikipedia:Our social policies are not a suicide pact]]<br />
* [[Wikipedia:Avoid the word "vandal"]]<br />
* [[Wikipedia:Discuss cruft]]<br />
* [[Wikipedia:Don't call the kettle black]]<br />
* [[Wikipedia:Duck test]]<br />
* [[Wikipedia:Give 'em enough rope]]<br />
* [[Wikipedia:You can't squeeze blood from a turnip]]<br />
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{{Wikipedia essays|civility}}</div>Tachyony