Coatrack articles

Coatrack articles are articles which start off about one subject, but end up focusing primarily on another seemingly more important topic. This can happen if an author for an article gives extensive background on the topic, or if it has been edited to drive a point about one or more related topics.

The main topic is treated as if it is an empty coat rack that is hidden behind the hanging coats. In some online encyclopedias such as Wikipedia, powerful entrenched editors assert ownership and control of specific articles. Other editors then create a coatrack article that is slightly broader in scope than the earlier article and include a counter narrative to the original article. After the coatrack article becomes established, the other editors can propose a merger between the two articles and eliminate the biased content of the first article.