The word "located", and its synonyms, can be safely dropped from the following types of sentence:

• The mural is located at the north end of Frary's refectory, above a fireplace. [2]
• The sacristy is located on the left (north side) looking towards the altar, under the bell tower. [3]
• The tabernacle is placed at the far end of the chancel. [4]
• Paghman District is situated in the western part of Kabul Province, Afghanistan. [5]

A closely related construction is Smith serves as the President of Ruritania when you could just say Smith is the President of Ruritania [6]. Sometimes a president or a military officer is serving their country, but sometimes holding a government position is more of a way to be served by other people than to serve the needs of others. "Served as" is for milk crates and Velveeta: Along one wall, stacks of milk crates served as bookshelves or We were so poor that sometimes Velveeta served as dessert (or, perhaps, Velveeta was served as dessert, but that's another story).

• Lust for Life (1934) is a biographical novel written by Irving Stone about the life of the Dutch painter Vincent van Gogh. [7]

• Please don't write that a film was "helmed" by John Smith (or whomever) or that an album was a band's "sophomore effort".
• And please, please don't talk about the "accolades" the picture or album "garnered".

Violation of the above may make your fellow editors vomit.

• Wikipedia:Principle of Some Astonishment
• Wikipedia:Queen Elizabeth slipped majestically into the water
• Wikipedia:Lies Miss Snodgrass Told You
• Wikipedia:Mandy Rice-Davies Applies
• Wikipedia:Diffusing conflict