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'''Welcome to the ''Citizendium'' pilot project!'''
__NOTOC__
<center><div style="font-size: x-large">Let's get started!</div></center>


This is a general orientation to contributing and becoming part of the community, for new contributors.  This is a comprehensive summary, but it is ''just'' a summary; there are links to pages with more detail interspersed below (right now, many of them haven't been started).
{|align="center" cellpadding="10" style="width:70%; border: 1px solid #aaa; margin:20px; font-size: 90%;"
|You can find an array of ''Citizendium'' help pages here, all aimed at explaining "the basics"--what you need to know to get started as a Citizen.  Please explore and read, but bear in mind: you can learn a lot by doing, and no one will mind if you make a few mistakes as you do so.  Since this is a wiki, mistakes can be easily fixed. [[CZ:Be Bold|Be Bold]]--and welcome!


If you want a general introduction to the project, not just to contributing, see our [[CZ:About|introduction]].
; Your "getting started" to do list
:Things new Citizens should do:
:* Sign up using our {{ApplicationForm}}.
:* Read [[CZ:Quick Start|Quick Start]]. Short and sweet!
:* Read some of the documents linked below, if you wish.
|}


== What makes us different? ==
; Join us!
: It's easy!
:* Our {{ApplicationForm}} - We are open to both experts and the general public.
:* '''[[CZ:User Pages|User Pages]]''' - A bio goes on your user page, which you can edit but must maintain in order to remain a member. 


We're glad to have you here and hope you'll join our friendly little (but growing!) community as an active contributor.  [[CZ:What makes CZ different?|What makes us different?]] Well, for one thing, we're all contributing under ''our own real names''.  We take responsibility for our own work, and we like to think we're a bit more civil than your average Internet community.  For another thing, there are editors working right alongside authors.  Editors can make decisions about articles in their areas of expertise, but for the most part, we collaborate just as folks do on Wikipedia--only with more collegiality. Editors also have a special task here that doesn't exist on Wikipedia: they can ''approve'' articles.
; Learn about us
: Essential reading.  Don't miss these crucial documents.  (They're part of the [[CZ:Organization]] pages.)
:* '''[[CZ:About|About]]''' - An introduction to the ''Citizendium;'' our goals.
:* '''[[Help:Index|Help system]]''' - questions and answers to find the help you need.
:* '''[[CZ:FAQ|FAQ]]''' - A lengthier, question-and-answer style introduction.
:* '''[[CZ:Policies|Policies]]''' - The current "constitution" of the ''Citizendium'' community.


[[CZ:CZ isn't Wikipedia|We aren't Wikipedia]].  On January 20, we started an experiment. Although we started the pilot project as a fork of Wikipedia, we decided to try "unforking," i.e., deleting all the inactive articles, leaving us with only articles that we'd worked on.  We want to develop our own community, with our own rules and guidelines that might, in fact, be quite different from Wikipedia's. A few differences, apart from the real names requirement and the presence of editors, are that we do not use "in group" abbreviations like "POV," and we really do take our neutrality policy seriously. Also, we don't permit user boxes on user pages; nor do we permit essays linked from user pages.  Finally, our project governance, which is still under rapid development, will be quite different.  We have a number of non-negotiable policies, and new policies will not be adopted by an impossible "consensus" but by vote of democratically selected representatives.
; How to get to work
: You don't need to read a thick manual before actually working.  We'd prefer it if you just dove in, which you can do, because wikis are ''easy'' (really!).  But the following documents should clarify your role as author or editor, and give you an idea of where to have your questions answered in the future.
:* '''[[CZ:Start Article|How to start a new article]]''' - There's an easy way--and it is ''very'' easy.
:* '''[[CZ:The Author Role|The Author Role]]''' - Authors are the lifeblood of the project.  How to do your job.
:* '''[[CZ:The Editor Role|The Editor Role]]''' - "Editor" means something a little different here than what you might be used to.
:* '''[[CZ:Introduction to CZ for Wikipedians|Introduction to CZ for Wikipedians]]''' - We do things differently here, but not ''that'' differently.
:* '''[[CZ:Essentials|A few essentials]]''' - Here are a few hints if you want to avoid common ''faux pas.''
:* '''[[CZ:How you can help|How you can help]]''' - What to do.  There's a lot that needs to be done!


== Be bold! ==
; ''Citizendium'' culture
: We're a community, and we have a culture.  Read about what "gets us going" and what "makes us tick."
:* '''[[CZ:Why Citizendium?|Why Citizendium?]]''' - Why should you contribute at all?  There are many good answers.
:* '''[[CZ:Be Bold|Be Bold]]''' - If no one is giving out orders, you're free.  Freedom requires boldness!
:* '''[[CZ:Under Construction|Under Construction]]''' - This is a new wiki.  Things aren't perfect.  That's OK--for now.
:* '''[[CZ:How to collaborate|How to collaborate]]''' - Collaboration with a global group of colleagues requires finesse.
:* '''[[CZ:Group Editing]]''' - Commentary on how editing and writing as a group is much different than rough draft/final copy formats that most are used to.
:* '''[[CZ:Professionalism|Professionalism]]''' - We're a pretty friendly bunch.


One of the first things you must realize is that you've got to [[CZ:Be Bold|be bold]] if this project is going to work.  It is natural to be cautious about editing stuff that other people have written. The fact that there are many highly-educated types here makes some people afraid to touch the wiki, period. But this is a huge mistake. We want and need the participation of a wide array of people.  This ''isn't'' an experts-only project in the least; most of our registered contributors are, in fact, authors, not (expert) editors. Also, keep in mind that most people here are quite friendly. So far, anyway, we've had very little unpleasantness here.
; Learn more
: This is just a getting-started page.  There's a lot more on the community home page, '''[[CZ:Home]].''' Here are some other links to help you get started.
:* '''[[CZ:How to edit an article|How to edit an article]]''' - The technical nitty-gritty.  WikiMedia markup, etc.
:* '''[[CZ:Approval Standards|Approval Standards]]''' - A list of the qualities a good article should have.
:* '''[[CZ:Article mechanics|Article mechanics]]''' - A guide to mechanics and style
:* '''[[CZ:Subpages|Subpages]]''' - We're more than just an encyclopedia.  See what else.
:* '''[[CZ:Workgroups|Workgroups]]''' - How we organize ourselves by discipline.
:* '''[[Citizendium]] by Citizendium''' - our article about ourselves.
:* '''[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-dnL00TdmLY Introductory Video]''' - A third-party video introducing the concept of [[wiki]]s.


So, please, ''be bold'' about contributing.  Want to start a new article on a subject?  Please do!  You don't need to ask anyone's permission.  Want to fix someone's spelling or grammar?  Dive in, this is a collaboration.  Want to add a new section, or revamp a bibliography?  Add, revamp, and edit away!
{{Getting Started}}
 
[[Category:Getting Started]]
But before you edit an article that seems pretty far along, have a look at the article's "talk" page (press the "discussion" tab at the top of the screen) and check for comments that people might have made.  On the use of the "talk page," see below.
 
== Under Construction, or, it's better to add something editable than nothing at all ==
 
The ''Citizendium,'' like Wikipedia and virtually all wikis, could have an "[[CZ:Always under construction|under construction]]" sign on every page.  Wikis are not conducive to instant perfection; high quality is achieved iteratively, gradually, over time and usually after quite a bit of interaction with others.
 
What does this mean?  It means: go ahead, add something.  It doesn't have to be perfect, it only has to be editable.  In other words, if someone else won't have to delete what you've added in order to make progress on the article, then add away.
 
This means that we will tolerate what are called "stubs" or "stub entries."  These are short entries, just one or two sentences.  Just please don't go around creating ''lots and lots'' of stubs.  If you're motivated to do that much work, please focus on just a few articles.
 
== A bullet-point intro to the software that runs this place ==
 
For folks who haven't had experience with the software that runs CZ, called "Mediawiki," here are some helpful tips.  See how many you already knew:
* The red links lead to blank pages.  Click on one and you can start a new article.
* When you're editing an article, you see a text box where the editing takes place.  Now look at the stuff that surrounds that text box:
** See all the small buttons, '''B''', ''I'', and so forth?  You can select a piece of text, click that button, and that will add in the correct code.
** Look below the text box.  Look for "Summary:"  That's where you briefly summarize your changes.  It's a courtesy to others to fill this in, so please do.
** "This is a minor edit": check it only if you're doing things like fixing spelling or adding an inconsequential word.
** "Watch this page": like the "watch" tab, adds the page to your watchlist.
** Next, the three buttons at the bottom of the page.  "Save page" saves the page, closes the edit box, and displays the article.  Your pages are instantly saved and displayed.
** "Show preview": a very handy button, press it and you'll see what the page looks with your changes.  This ''does not'' save the page, though.  So if you use this button much, ''be sure'' to click "Save page" afterwards, or you'll lose all your changes!
* When you're looking at an article, across the top of the page you see a bunch of tabs.  Here's what they do:
** article: display the article
** discussion: the "talk" page, where you go to discuss how the article should be edited
** history: a record of all the edits of the article; you can view every single version ever saved!
** watch: clicking on this adds the article to your "watch" list, which you can then access via the link "my watchlist" in the upper right
* Next, look at the links in the extreme upper right:
** ''your name:'' click on your name to go to your user page.  If ''that'' link is red, you need to [[Citizendium_Pilot:Policy_Outline#Author_User_Pages|fill out your bio]].
** my talk: that's the talk page for your user page.  Other people may post messages for you here.
** my preferences: a huge array of settings to change (if you want).
** my watchlist: all the recent changes made to articles you are "watching" (watch an article by clicking the "watch" tab)
** my contributions: everything you've done
** log out: self-explanatory
* Next, look at all the links on the left (these are changeable, by the way).  Beginning with the "citizendium" section:
** Main Page: the homepage of the wiki
** About: about the ''Citizendium,'' an introduction for users
** Live articles: an alphabetical list of the articles we're working on
** Random page: click it, it's fun
** Our editors: a complete listing of editors who have signed up with us
** Our authors: a similar listing, of authors
** FAQ: frequently asked questions (more introductory information)
** Pre-launch funding drive: here's where you can donate to the cause
* Next, "project pages":
** Project home: the homepage for the project, a jumping-off page for contributors information
** Recent changes: a table of changes recently made on this wiki; see "[[Citizendium_Pilot:How_to_get_started_with_the_Citizendium_pilot#Get_plugged_in_to_the_community|get plugged in to the community]]" below
** Help: how to do stuff on this wiki; how to use the software that runs it
** Workgroups: a (growing and changing) list of the groups of editors and authors at work here
** Bug tracker: here's where to report bugs in the software; probably, the most obvious bugs have already been reported
** How to join: how to become a Citizen
* For the links under "communication," see "[[Citizendium_Pilot:How_to_get_started_with_the_Citizendium_pilot#Get_plugged_in_to_the_community|get plugged in to the community]]"
* search: "Go" to go directly to the page you name (if we have it), "Search" to search through the text of all articles
* Finally, the "toolbox":
** What links here: click here for a list of all the pages that link to this page
** Related changes: a list of the recent changes made to articles that are linked by this article (can be quite handy)
** Upload file: use this to add pictures and other files to CZ
** Special pages: a whole bunch of other software functions; many different lists of pages
* For a more complete rundown, and links to further help pages, see [[Help:Contents]].
 
== How to start a new page! ==
 
If you've never edited a wiki before, here's how to get started.  It's easy--trust us.  If you want to follow along, open a new window or print out a copy of this page first.
 
# Let's make a test article, not a real article.  Start in the [[CZ:Sandbox|Sandbox]].  Notice the "edit" tab near the top of the page?  You can click that.  Go ahead and click it.  That big text box that pops up is where you can edit the page, about as easily as you edit an e-mail.
# To create a new article, all you have to do is type "test article" (or the name of the article you want to create), but place <nowiki>[[</nowiki> and <nowiki>]]</nowiki> around it, so you get something like this: <nowiki>[[test article]]</nowiki>
# Then look (or scroll) down below the text box you're writing in.  Look for the "Save page" button.  Press it.  Voila, you have edited the article!  You have also created a link to an as-yet nonexistent article.  On the article, look for the text you added.  It should be there as a red link.
# Click on the red link.  This pulls up another text box, just like the one you saw before, except that it is completely empty.  So now you can go to town writing your new article.
 
For more details about the ins and outs of editing wiki pages, see [[CZ:How to Edit the Citizendium|How to Edit the Citizendium]].
 
Now, what about [[CZ:Article Mechanics|the mechanics of the article itself]]?  There are many small issues here, but here are a few important ones you should know about:
 
* The article title should be lowercase unless it is typically made uppercase when used in a regular sentence.  So: [[computational complexity theory]]; but [[American Chemical Society]].
* The first use of the word, phrase, or name in the title should be '''bold.'''  For example: "'''Biology''' is the science of life."
* Start the article with a definition, if the article concerns a concept or natural kind, or an explanation of what the person, place, event, etc., is best known for.  For example: "'''Achillea''' is a genus of flowering plants, commonly referred to as yarrow, that are frequently used in garden borders and beds in ornamental horticulture."
* If an article is very long, then conclude the introductory section with a summary of the rest of the article.  See, for example, [[pseudoscience]].
* Link phrases (by surrounding the phrases with left and right double brackets: <nowiki>[[</nowiki> <nowiki>]]</nowiki>)  where, and only where, the links are relevant to the point being made in a sentence, and where following a link will shed important light on the subject of the article.
 
== How to collaborate on an existing article (and how to use talk pages) ==
 
Many people spend their time working on pages that other people have started.  If the page creator is still hanging around, you'll have to collaborate with that person, and anyone else interested, in crafting the article.
 
So, [[CZ:The art of collaboration|how do a bunch of strangers manage to create a coherent encyclopedia article]]?  It is one of life's mysteries, perhaps.  Generally, though, it's like this: you see that a sentence needs rewording; so you reword it.  Or the article needs a whole new section about something; so you add it.  Or the article has much flabby prose; so you make it concise.  Or you just know a lot about the subject and see much to change; so you go through and make a thorough overhaul.
 
In doing this, however, you have to work with others, and this often requires sensitivity and finesse.  You might have deleted a sentence it took someone else five minutes to craft, so why doesn't the person become quite angry and stalk away, or abuse you?  Well, such unpleasantness ''can'' happen, and on Wikipedia, it too frequently does.  But it doesn't ''always'' happen (even on Wikipedia), and it doesn't ''have'' to happen.  We can avoid such unpleasantness as a rule because we are all committed to working together.  And we know that working together means changing other people's work, making compromises, or (far better) coming up with a solution that satisfies everyone better than either side had it to begin with.  The fluid nature of the text allows for such creative, positive solutions, and the expectation of such solutions in turn allows us to avoid conflict.
 
To collaborate effectively, keep a few things in mind: look at the talk page regularly.  Be polite and respectful.  If you are angry, calm down and take a break before you write or do something rash.  And if you are dealing with a person who really is unreasonable, do not "take matters into your own hands" by cussing the person out, but ask a constable to intervene.  That's what they're there for--to calm folks down and come to a sensible solution to complex problems of interaction.
 
== What's a good article like? ==
 
A good article [[Citizendium_Pilot:Policy_Outline#Article_Standards|satisfies many standards]].  It is an encyclopedia article, first of all, and is accurate, neutral, coherent, well-written, pitched at the university student level, not original research, family-friendly, and legal and responsible.
 
There are a number of article naming conventions we would like to adopt--many of them are the same as Wikipedia's--and which can (or will) be found at [[CZ:Naming Conventions|naming conventions]].  The most important is that a word in an article name should be lower case, unless is consistently written (as part of a sentence) in the upper case.  Another important convention is that the common names for things should be used in preference to the recondite or obscure, although this may have a few exceptions.
 
== Get plugged in to the community ==
 
If you really want to have fun here, and you want to stay motivated, you need to get plugged in to the community.  To do that, you need a few pointers about where "the action" is going on.
 
All of the following links are to the left.
 
The serious fun of wiki-watching consists largely of following developments on [[Special:recentchanges|the recent changes]] page, linked on the left under "project pages".  Virtually everything that goes on on this wiki can be observed from a God's-eye perspective there.  You can see what articles other people are working on.  You can see if articles ''you'' have been working on have been changed.  You can see ''who'' has been active (and when!).  And as a result of all this, you can join in with others!  If you see an article on a topic you're interested in under development, you can add your wisdom.  See [[CZ:The fine art of browsing the recent changes page|the fine art of browsing the recent changes page]].
 
[[CZ:How to use the Citizendium forums|Follow what's going on]] on [http://forum.citizendium.org/ the CZ forums.]  This is the big community discussion area.  There are hundreds of categories of topics; you're bound to find something of interest, and someone who will discuss it with you (there are about 500 members as of January 2007).  If you want to see the latest posts, scroll to the bottom of the front page and look for the little link titled "[http://forum.citizendium.org/index.php?action=recent View the most recent posts on the forum.]"
 
To have all the latest project-wide announcements, make sure you're subscribed to [https://lists.purdue.edu/mailman/listinfo/citizendium-l Citizendium-L] and, if you're an editor, [https://lists.purdue.edu/mailman/listinfo/citizendium-editors Citizendium-editors].  For outward-facing announcements, as opposed to more internal sorts of announcements, there's a [http://blog.citizendium.org project blog.]
 
If you have general questions, you can ask in many places, but one place we've set aside is a certain board on the forums.  Just [http://forum.citizendium.org/index.php?action=post;board=18.0 click here] and (after you've registered) type in your question.
 
Finally, administrative notices for people working here on the wiki (e.g., "the wiki will be going down at midnight tonight") can be found on the [[CZ:Notice Board|notice board]].
 
== Authors, Editors, Constables, and Workgroups ==
 
If you're a participant, and you haven't been asked to be an editor, then you're an author.  (Editors can call themselves authors ''too.'')  So, what can authors do?  Almost everything.  Authors can start new articles, edit existing articles, talk things over on the talk page, and much else.  Editors can do all that, too.  Editors aren't distant overseers looking down from from the Olympian heights.  To ''edit,'' editors must work shoulder-to-shoulder with authors and other editors.  So editors are authors too.  It's all one big happy family.  For more on author functions, please see [[Citizendium_Pilot:Policy_Outline#Authors_and_Authoring_Citizendium_Articles|Authors and Authoring Citizendium Articles]].
 
Expert editors do have two special functions that authors do not, however.  First, they may make decisions, where decisions need to be made, about how an article should read.  (This ''does not'' mean that editors must approve every edit an author makes, which of course they don't do.)  Second, they may approve articles.  If you're an editor, and you want to know how to get started ''as'' an editor, please see [[CZ:Editor orientation|editor orientation]].
 
Where do "constables" fit in?  Well, like their namesakes, constables are friendly, hard-working folks who make sure the community runs smoothly.  If you break a rule, a constable might gently tap you on the shoulder and explain what's wrong.  Constables are expected to be mature and kind and to make decisions solely about behavior, not about content, which is the domain of editors.  See [[Citizendium_Pilot:Policy_Outline#Constabulary_Policy|Constabulary Policy]] for more.
 
Finally, workgroups are collections of editors and authors who are interested in a particular discipline, or in some function of the project, such as copyediting or recruitment.  As of January 2007, we have many [[CZ:Discipline Workgroups|informal workgroups]] devoted to some general disciplines.  We know that our list of disciplines needs work.  In the coming months, we're going to be expanding our governance apparatus, setting up many more workgroups as well as a general project representative council.
 
== Some faux pas to avoid (but remember that "be bold" business!) ==
 
We want to encourage you to get busy here, but we know that you don't want to upset the "local culture."  First of all, if you're new, don't worry about doing that.  We'll gently correct you, if necessary.  Nearly everybody makes a few faux pas in the beginning.  But if you want a list of behaviors to avoid, here you go:
 
* Don't comment about an article on the article page.  Use the talk page (click the "discussion" tab) for that.
* Don't be rude or disrespectful, even when you think someone has done something against the rules, or just plain stupid.  That doesn't mean you have to tolerate idiocy.  It means that we call Constables
 
----
 
''Note to persons editing this page: when finished, if you have created any links to any new/planned project page, make a link to that planned page from [[CZ:Project Home]].  If the link goes under the "Policy" section, then add it also to [[CZ:Policy Outline]]. --[[User:Larry Sanger|Larry Sanger]] 16:39, 21 January 2007 (CST)

Revision as of 12:07, 14 February 2021

Let's get started!
You can find an array of Citizendium help pages here, all aimed at explaining "the basics"--what you need to know to get started as a Citizen. Please explore and read, but bear in mind: you can learn a lot by doing, and no one will mind if you make a few mistakes as you do so. Since this is a wiki, mistakes can be easily fixed. Be Bold--and welcome!
Your "getting started" to do list
Things new Citizens should do:
  • Sign up using our

We are no longer using Google Docs to take applications. Please do this instead: Instructions for joining this wiki..

  • Read Quick Start. Short and sweet!
  • Read some of the documents linked below, if you wish.
Join us!
It's easy!
  • Our

We are no longer using Google Docs to take applications. Please do this instead: Instructions for joining this wiki. - We are open to both experts and the general public.

  • User Pages - A bio goes on your user page, which you can edit but must maintain in order to remain a member.
Learn about us
Essential reading. Don't miss these crucial documents. (They're part of the CZ:Organization pages.)
  • About - An introduction to the Citizendium; our goals.
  • Help system - questions and answers to find the help you need.
  • FAQ - A lengthier, question-and-answer style introduction.
  • Policies - The current "constitution" of the Citizendium community.
How to get to work
You don't need to read a thick manual before actually working. We'd prefer it if you just dove in, which you can do, because wikis are easy (really!). But the following documents should clarify your role as author or editor, and give you an idea of where to have your questions answered in the future.
Citizendium culture
We're a community, and we have a culture. Read about what "gets us going" and what "makes us tick."
  • Why Citizendium? - Why should you contribute at all? There are many good answers.
  • Be Bold - If no one is giving out orders, you're free. Freedom requires boldness!
  • Under Construction - This is a new wiki. Things aren't perfect. That's OK--for now.
  • How to collaborate - Collaboration with a global group of colleagues requires finesse.
  • CZ:Group Editing - Commentary on how editing and writing as a group is much different than rough draft/final copy formats that most are used to.
  • Professionalism - We're a pretty friendly bunch.
Learn more
This is just a getting-started page. There's a lot more on the community home page, CZ:Home. Here are some other links to help you get started.


Citizendium Getting Started
Quick Start | About us | Help system | Start a new article | For Wikipedians  
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