This section describes how to list articles and their associated talk pages for deletion. See the related pages for templates, categories, redirects, stub types, pages in the Wikipedia namespace, user pages, or images and other media, or use copyright violation where applicable. As well, note that deletion may not be needed for problems such as pages written in foreign languages, duplicate pages, and other cases. Use Wikipedia:Proposed mergers for discussion of mergers.

Only a registered, logged-in user can complete steps II and III. (Autoconfirmed registered users can also use the Twinkle tool to make nominations.) If you are unregistered, you should complete step I, note the justification for deletion on the article's talk page, then post a message at Wikipedia talk:Articles for deletion requesting that someone else complete the process.

You must sign in to nominate pages for deletion. If you do not sign-in, or you edit anonymously, you will get stuck part way through the nomination procedure.
I.
Put the deletion tag on the article.
  • Insert {{subst:afd1}} at the top of the article.
If this article has been nominated before, use {{subst:afdx|2nd}} or {{subst:afdx|3rd}} etc.
  • Do not mark the edit as minor.
  • Include in the edit summary
    Afd: Nominated for deletion; see [[Wikipedia:Articles for deletion/NominationName]]
    replacing NominationName with the name of the page being nominated.
The NominationName is normally the article name (PageName), but if it has been nominated before, use "PageName (2nd nomination)" or "PageName (3rd nomination)" etc.)
  • You can check the "Watch this page" box to follow the page in your watchlist. This allows you to notice if the Afd tag is removed.
  • Save the page.
II.
Create the article's deletion discussion page.

The resulting Afd box at the top of the article should contain a link to "Preloaded debate" in the Afd page.

  • Click that link to open the article's deletion discussion page. Some text and instructions will appear.
  • Give a reason for the deletion and a category for the debate (instructions are on that page).

OR

  • Click the link saying "this article's entry" to open the deletion-debate page.
  • Insert this text:
    {{subst:afd2 | pg=PageName | cat=Category | text=Why the page should be deleted}} ~~~~
    Replace PageName with the name of the page, Category with a letter from the list M, O, B, S, W, G, T, F, and P to categorize the debate, and Why the page should be deleted with the reasons the page should be deleted.
  • Add a deletion sorting template to the nomination, if appropriate.
  • You can check "Watch this page" to follow the debate.
  • Use an edit summary such as
    Creating deletion discussion for [[PageName]]
  • Save the page.
III.
Notify users who monitor Afd discussion.
  • Open the articles for deletion log page.
  • At the top of the list on the log page (there's a comment indicating the spot), insert:
    {{subst:afd3 | pg=NominationName}}
    replacing NominationName appropriately (use "PageName", "PageName (2nd nomination)", etc.).
  • Link to the discussion page in your edit summary:
    Adding [[Wikipedia:Articles for deletion/NominationName]]
  • Save the page. Your insertion will be expanded to the same form as the preceding lines in the file: {{Wikipedia:Articles for deletion/NominationName}}.