1. It is well written, comprehensive, factually accurate, neutral and stable.

* (a) “Well written” means that the prose is engaging, even brilliant, and of a professional standard.

* (b) “Comprehensive” means that the article does not neglect major facts and details.

* (c) “Factually accurate” means that claims are verifiable against reliable sources and accurately represent the relevant body of published knowledge. Claims are supported with specific evidence and external citations; this involves the provision of a “References” section in which sources are set out, complemented by inline citations where appropriate.

* (d) “Neutral” means that the article presents views fairly and without bias.

* (e) “Stable” means that the article is not the subject of ongoing edit wars and that its content does not change significantly from day to day; reversions of vandalism and improvements based on reviewers’ suggestions do not apply.

2. It complies with the manual of style and relevant WikiProjects. Thus, it includes:

* (a) a concise lead section that summarizes the topic and prepares the reader for the greater detail in the subsequent sections;

* (b) a system of hierarchical headings;

* (c) a substantial but not overwhelming table of contents (see section help); and

* (d) where inline citations are appropriate (see 1c above), they should be consistently formatted using either footnotes[1] or Harvard referencing (Smith 2007, p. 1). (See citing sources for suggestions on formatting references; for articles with footnotes or endnotes, the meta:cite format is recommended.)

3. It has images and other media where they are appropriate to the subject, with succinct captions and acceptable copyright status. Non-free images or media must meet the criteria for the inclusion of non-free content and be labeled accordingly.

4. It is of appropriate length, staying focused on the main topic without going into unnecessary detail (see summary style).

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Featured_articles