CZ:Introduction to CZ for Wikipedians: Difference between revisions

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==Welcome Wikipedians and ex-Wikipedians!==
Citizendium welcomes Wikipedia contributors.  Many members of [[Citizendium]] have experience in editing at [[Wikipedia]], and have joined this project to try a different model of content development.  In the past, Citizendium experimented with multiple collaborative models, and not everything was successful.  Please read about [[CZ:About|who we are these days]].


Many members of [[Citizendium]] have experience of editing at [[Wikipedia]], and have joined this project to try a different model of content development. We want to welcome you here to help us create it.
<big>Please read [[CZ:We aren't Wikipedia|We aren't Wikipedia]]</big>. Many of [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:List_of_policies Wikipedia's policies] either do not apply here or have been modified. After that, feel free to contribute [[CZ:Be Bold|boldly]].


Before you start [[CZ:Be Bold|boldly]] contributing, please read this document. Many of [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:List_of_policies Wikipedia's policies] either do not apply here or have been modified.  
== Subpages ==
[[CZ:Subpages|Subpages]] are used on all Citizendium articles to expand article content; see our [[CZ:Subpages#List_of_subpage_types|list of subpage types]]. Note how we have replaced "List of" articles with [[CZ:Catalogs|catalogs]].


Citizendium is ''not'' a mirror of Wikipedia. If you wish to import material from Wikipedia, see [[CZ:Article_Mechanics|Article Mechanics]] and [[CZ:How to convert Wikipedia articles to Citizendium articles|How to convert Wikipedia articles to Citizendium articles]].
== How to ask for help ==
 
Questions can be asked in the [[Forum:Home|Forum]] or from Citizendium's "community managers" or "Sysops".  Our managers and sysops oversee adherence to basic policies, settle ''behavioral'' problems, and address content problems only if there is a violation of policy.  They also review applications and create new accounts.
==Why Citizendium?==
 
In the past, The Citizendium experimented with multiple collaborative models, and not everything was successful.  We have now revised The Citizendium's purpose and goals.  The Citizendium wants to be a small, supportive community of collaborators who work on articles which could not be developed in Wikipedia, that are different from what Wikipedia now offers, though not necessarily either better or worse.  Please understand that we love Wikipedia; most of us consult it several times per day.  But we also understand its limitations, and that's why we support The Citizendium also, not as a competitor but as a supplement.  We acknowledge and honor Wikipedia's successes in seeking to be a complete compendium of everything; it would be futile to duplicate that effort.  We also believe that the philosophy of "less is more" sometimes applies, where an important aspect of a topic can be emphasized without trying to include everything known about a given topic in a single article.
 
The Citizendium provides a different kind of collaborative environment than Wikipedia now offers.  We use real names, and we have a modest number of active authors so that it becomes possible to know each other well.  We strive for objectivity and quality--and civility.  We consider ourselves to be a community.    To help address control issues, we're open to having multiple articles developed on a single topic (to be located via a disambiguation page).  For those who want more fully to lead the direction of an article, we allow "lead authors" on articles. Articles with lead authors can still be collaborations, but the article leaders are the ones who get to lead the direction and emphasis of the article.
 
We have no problem whatsoever with people using The Citizendium as a staging area for an article to be copied elsewhere later (such as to Wikipedia, where it will likely be seen by more eyes).  This is legal, with the following caveats: the article remains behind on The Citizendium (may not simply be deleted), and at its new home, attribution is given to The Citizendium as per our site license.  In fact, we find these cases interesting to watch over time, to see how the two parallel articles evolve in their different hosts.
 
== Differences in style, approach and tone ==
You're probably used to well-developed Wikipedia articles being divided into many short sections, full of bulleted lists. Some are written in dense prose that shows off erudition more than really introducing a topic.
 
We don't like to speak "[[CZ:Article_Mechanics#Write_lively_prose.2C_not_.22encyclopedese.22|encyclopedese]]."  Rather, we want Citizendium articles to be [http://www.m-w.com/dictionary/lucid lucid], ''highly readable introductions'' written in ''[[CZ:Article_Mechanics#Narrative_coherence_and_flow|compelling, narrative prose]]''.  This doesn't mean our articles will have less information or be more lightweight. It means we simplify the difficult, engage our readers, and allow a narrative voice to come through. 
 
For further information, see [[CZ:Article mechanics|Article Mechanics]]. You might also want to have look at [[CZ:Sage_advice_on_writing_CZ_articles|Sage advice on writing CZ articles]], and our list of [[CZ:Ready_for_reading|ready-for-reading]] articles.
 
== New practices ==
* '''The use of [[CZ:Subpages|Subpages]] to expand article content.'''  See our [[CZ:Subpages#List_of_subpage_types|list of subpage types]].  Note how we have replaced "List of" articles with [[CZ:Catalogs|catalogs]]. 
 
* '''Wikipedia attribution template.''' If any content of an article at Citizendium came from Wikipedia and you aren't the sole author of that content, add {{Tl|WPAttribution}} to the top of the article (below {{Tl|Subpages}} if it's there). This adds a link to the corresponding Wikipedia page. (You don't need to do this if the page is already marked as an [[:Category:External Articles|External Article]].)
 
* If you are the sole author,  please make it clear on the relevant talk page and post a link to the Wikipedia article history giving evidence of such. The {{Tl|WPauthor}} template has been created for this purpose.
 
* '''[[CZ:Workgroups|Workgroups]], Workgroup Category Tags, and Workgroup Recent Changes.''' Anybody can edit any article but we want every article to have its editorial team assigned.
 
See [[CZ:We aren't Wikipedia|We aren't Wikipedia]] for other new practices.
 
== Acting professionally ==
Our [[CZ:Professionalism|professionalism policy]] is our cornerstone behavior policy and is about our intent to create &mdash; and enforce &mdash; a respectful, pleasant, and productive working environment.
 
* Part of behaving professionally is signing with your '''real name''' on the wiki. You need not worry about your real name showing up all over the Net from CZ pages, since we use [http://en.citizendium.org/robots.txt robots.txt] to prevent that.
 
*Handling content disputes without "edit warring"; See [[CZ:Dispute Resolution|Dispute Resolution]]
 
{| align=center style="width:90%; background-color: #EFEFBF; border: solid 3px #EFEFBF; padding: 2px;" 
|- align=center
|style="background-color:#EFEFBF;"|'''<small><span>'''2020 Update''': The role of Editor in Citizendium has, in practice, receded due to the low participation rates in recent years.  All writers, whether technically identified as Editors or not, collaborate side by side as equals.  Officially, we don't have Constables these days; but our sysops monitor the [[Forum:Home|Forum]] and the {{EnquiryForm}}.  This is not yet codified as policy but is what has evolved in practice.</span></small>'''
|}
 
At Wikipedia and in Citizendium, everyone has the same role when it comes to making judgments about article content. <s>Here, participants play three two different but complementary roles</s>:
 
===Editors===
You already know we make a special role for experts.  But this does not at all mean you cannot professionally argue your case with them; you most definitely should. To edit, editors must work shoulder-to-shoulder with authors and other editors.  See [[CZ:The Editor Role]].
 
===Authors===
What can authors do?  Almost everything. Authors can start articles, edit existing articles, talk things over on the talk page, and much else. Both authors and editors are represented on the Editorial Council. See [[CZ:The Author Role]].
 
===Asking for help===
Our constables are Citizendium's "community managers" or "Sysops".  They oversee adherence to basic policies, settle ''behavioral'' problems, and address content problems only if there is a violation of policy.  Constables also review applications and create new accounts.


== Images ==
== Images ==
''Any'' type of '''open content licensed images''' are allowable and preferred, although '''images from Wikipedia or the Wikimedia Commons''' and other image banks must pass [[Help:Images#Images_from_Wikipedia.2C_Wikimedia_Commons.2C_Flickr.2C_Openphoto.net.2C_etc.|a two-pronged test]] ''before'' you upload them to Citizendium. '''Fully copyrighted images''' are allowable in Citizendium if you place proof of permission in a Permission subpage of the image's talk page. ''
''Any'' type of '''open content licensed images''' are allowable and preferred.  Images from '''[https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Images Wikimedia Commons]''' can be used directly in this wiki.  Images from other image banks must pass [[Help:Images#Images_from_Wikipedia.2C_Wikimedia_Commons.2C_Flickr.2C_Openphoto.net.2C_etc.|a two-pronged test]] ''before'' you upload them to Citizendium. '''Fully copyrighted images''' are allowable in Citizendium ONLY if you place proof of permission in a Permission subpage of the image's talk page and link to it. Images lacking clear copyright data may be subject to removal. See [[Help:Images#Copyrights|Images Help on Copyrights]].
 
All images lacking clear copyright data are subject to [[CZ:Article Deletion Policy|speedy deletion by constables acting on their own recognizance]]. Citizendium editors will not nominate articles for approval if the status of their images is unclear.
 
See [[Help:Images#Copyrights|Images Help on Copyrights]].
 
<!---== Not categories and projects but workgroups ==
Wikipedians self-organize into ''Projects'' whose foci are articles in certain ''categories''. Citizendium organizes authors and editors into [[CZ:Discipline_Workgroups|discipline workgroups]]. Editors are assigned their workgroups, while authors add themselves to whichever workgroups they choose.  You can take [[Template:Workgroup_introduction|a workgroups tour]] to find out more.--->
 
== Article inclusion policy ==
We do not have a "notability" criterion for article inclusion, as different authors have very different views on what is notable. Citizendium's [[CZ:Article Inclusion Policy|Article Inclusion Policy]]  allows an article to be deleted by editorial decision in cases where all three of the following criteria are met: a) it has significant weaknesses; b) that deleting its content would remove nothing of importance from the project; and c) that the article is unlikely to be improved as there is no active interest from any member of Citizendium in developing it.  


== Don't spill alphabet soup! ==
==Importing from Wikipedia to Citizendium==
We wish to avoid having an insular, unintelligible community.  Accordingly, we don't use neologisms like "NPOV" and "POV", "RS", "FWIW", and "OR". Just use plain English on top of wikilinks or post them in full. In our informal discussions, however, CZ and WP are permissible.
If you wish to import material from Wikipedia, see [[CZ:Article_Mechanics|Article Mechanics]] and [[CZ:How to convert Wikipedia articles to Citizendium articles|How to convert Wikipedia articles to Citizendium articles]].


==And from Citizendium to Wikipedia==
==And from Citizendium to Wikipedia==
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== Further reading ==
== Further reading ==
*The [[CZ:Charter|''Citizendium'' Charter]] -- NOTE: This Charter is OUTDATED and no longer applies.  See our [[CZ:Policies|Policies]] instead.
*The Citizendium [[CZ:Policies|Policies]].
*[[CZ:Rules|Rules]] -- NOTE: These Rules are also OUTDATED.  See our [[CZ:Policies|Policies]] instead.
*[[CZ:We aren't Wikipedia|We aren't Wikipedia]]
*[[CZ:We aren't Wikipedia|We aren't Wikipedia]]
*[[CZ:How to convert Wikipedia articles to Citizendium articles|How to convert Wikipedia articles to Citizendium articles]]
*[[CZ:How to convert Wikipedia articles to Citizendium articles|How to convert Wikipedia articles to Citizendium articles]]
*[[CZ:Essentials|Essentials]]
*[[CZ:Essentials|Essentials]]
*[[CZ:Article Mechanics|Article Mechanics]]  
*[[CZ:Article mechanics|Article Mechanics]]  


{{Getting Started}} [[Category:Getting Started]]
{{Getting Started}} [[Category:Getting Started]]

Latest revision as of 17:02, 5 March 2024


Citizendium welcomes Wikipedia contributors. Many members of Citizendium have experience in editing at Wikipedia, and have joined this project to try a different model of content development. In the past, Citizendium experimented with multiple collaborative models, and not everything was successful. Please read about who we are these days.

Please read We aren't Wikipedia. Many of Wikipedia's policies either do not apply here or have been modified. After that, feel free to contribute boldly.

Subpages

Subpages are used on all Citizendium articles to expand article content; see our list of subpage types. Note how we have replaced "List of" articles with catalogs.

How to ask for help

Questions can be asked in the Forum or from Citizendium's "community managers" or "Sysops". Our managers and sysops oversee adherence to basic policies, settle behavioral problems, and address content problems only if there is a violation of policy. They also review applications and create new accounts.

Images

Any type of open content licensed images are allowable and preferred. Images from Wikimedia Commons can be used directly in this wiki. Images from other image banks must pass a two-pronged test before you upload them to Citizendium. Fully copyrighted images are allowable in Citizendium ONLY if you place proof of permission in a Permission subpage of the image's talk page and link to it. Images lacking clear copyright data may be subject to removal. See Images Help on Copyrights.

Importing from Wikipedia to Citizendium

If you wish to import material from Wikipedia, see Article Mechanics and How to convert Wikipedia articles to Citizendium articles.

And from Citizendium to Wikipedia

Since Wikipedia changed its license to CC-BY-SA 3.0, it can use material from Citizendium. A workgroup has been formed there, WikiProject Citizendium Porting, to coordinate this.

Further reading


Citizendium Getting Started
Join | Quick Start | About us | Help system | How to start a new article | For Wikipedians
How to Edit
Getting Started Organization Technical Help
Policies Content Policy
Welcome Page
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