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This proposal seeks to be a foolproof solution to the problems associated with credentials on Wikipedia and with verifying those credentials. Disallow the use of credentials on Wikipedia.
There are a multitude of problems associated with the use of credentials on Wikipedia. The following is a short list, compiled from observations from other discussions:
This would be the simpest proposal to implement of all the credential proposals.
Other types of personal credentials are not as obviously (un)acceptable as the above examples. A general rule of thumb is:
Many users wish to edit under their real names or a pseudonym that may reflect their actual name, profession, or status. This section exists as a minor "loophole" to this proposal. As usernames do not reflect a sense of elitism as much as a list of credentials or simply saying "I have a PhD" does, usernames that could possibly reflect credentials are allowed. These users would still be held to the remaining policies though. User:PhDBio would still have to cite sources and would not be allowed to use credentials as a method to win a dispute. User:RichardDawkins would still be held to the same standard of accountability as User:AnyUser and would still have to follow all other policies, such as WP:COI.