WikiSynergy:Structure

From WikiSynergy

Contents 1 User control 2 Protection levels 3 Linking 4 GPOV 5 Reliability 6 Structure and viewpoint 7 No incivility 8 Collegial atmosphere 9 Political and social games 10 Blogging, essays, etc. 11 Topics we cover 12 Defamation 13 Biographies 14 Using your real name 15 Deleting pages 16 Non-deletion 17 Governance 18 Advertisements 19 Uploaded files 20 Copyright 21 Formatting, styling, tone etc. 21.1 References 21.2 Tone 21.3 Formats 22 Article content 23 References

[edit] User control

If you wish it (and take it by getting involved), you will generally have a great deal of control of the main pages about your organization, website, or group. However, you will not have control of the pages which link to them and which link from them. Many pages will contain special "see also" sections or expandable boxes (other formats may be used) whose contents and positioning are not under your control. This is to maintain the relationships between ideas and pages on the site. Here is an example of a see also box:

[edit] Protection levels

Pages about organizations can be protected from further editing if they are well-developed. By well-developed we mean that they give a good idea of their subject, and it looks as if little if any further information could reasonably be added. Such protection will be done at our discretion, or at the request of the organization. However, aspects of the page related to internal structure and linking (such as see-also sections) may be updated and edited to meet the needs of the site as a whole.

[edit] Linking

We ask that you link to us! Linking helps us to gain a higher profile on search engines like Google, so that more people will see this site. But it also helps you: if you or your organization have a page on WikiSynergy, it won't do you any good if no one knows this site exists. Linking is good for everyone, and it is how you "pay" for using this site (and it will probably remain the only way unless we ask for donations).

If you can't link to us because you don't have a website, then you can still tell your friends about us, and they can come and list their websites (and return our links). (See also Limits on linking.)

[edit] GPOV

We have a Global Point of View. We allow coverage of every viewpoint, and give each a chance to argue for its correctness. By letting each point of view express itself fully in its own space, the overall output is a global view of the subject. When we say "in its own space," that can mean different paragraphs or sentences within an article, different sections in an article or different articles. We will use as much separation as necessary to allow uncensored expression of views and to help editors maintain a collegial atmosphere.

[edit] Reliability

Our goal is to develop a hierarchy of reliability. We aim to incorporate all levels of reliability, from the least reliable (personal essays and blog entries, un-vetted general articles), to the "consensual best guess," which has been endorsed by multiple experts in the field. Such articles may start out as essays or even blogs, and gradually gain expert approval (this is one of the features of this site which depends on our gaining a large enough active community). By "credentials" below we do NOT necessarily mean academic credentials (see Peer review in frontier subject areas). Rather, we mean true and acknowledged expertise in the subject area.

[edit] Structure and viewpoint

Each viewpoint should be given its own space. In practice this necessitates the following structure:

1. Neutral general articles, which state those things which everyone agrees on. Such articles should state information in a neutral, non-judgmental way. On particularly contentious issues, the "general" part of the article may be only a paragraph, and the rest of the article may be concerned with differing viewpoints. 2. Articles linked to the general article explicate the various viewpoints on the subject. 3. Alternately, people may agree to have different sections on the different viewpoints inside the general article.

• It is deeply frowned on to try and bias a general article. (Or as the case may be, the general "agreed upon" parts of the descriptions within a general article).

• It is also deeply frowned on to try too hard to eliminate bias from a general article.

Since all viewpoints are welcome, and can express themselves fully, we should not worry too much about a little biased phrasing. Instead of correcting biased phrasing, consider writing an article or section showing why a particular viewpoint is right or wrong.

[edit] No incivility

We know it when we see it, and we don't care what reason you had for it. We know you were usually right, and fully justified. This policy isn't so tight that you can't say what you mean, but it's pretty tight. If we happen to think you are uncivil, and someone can give an example which is fairly recent, we'll block you from editing, either permanently, or for an arbitrary period of time- our choice. Unless it is really bad, we probably won't block you permanently the first, and maybe not even the second time. It also depends on whether it's recent. If you're accidentally rude every few weeks, you're okay if you make it right. If you're really rude pretty often, you aren't. There is a fine line between asking an editor to be nice, and asking an editor to be superhuman. But see Collegial atmosphere below.

[edit] Collegial atmosphere

Like GPOV, collegiality is one of the pillars of our community. Everyone in our community is responsible for maintaining a collegial^[1][2] atmosphere. Because of our structure, we do not have the problems with gang editing and censorship which occur on other wikis. We only do some things by consensus, and use separation of viewpoints to avoid undue contention between editors. So it's easy to see when someone is poisoning the environment.

The collegial atmosphere is our basic principle for interaction on this site. We wish we could say something about agape love; but that's a little much.

[edit] Political and social games

We do not play political and social games for power on this site. You are subject to the same rules no matter how long you have been editing, who you know, or what you have done. We have no double standards. We are as dedicated to building community as to building content, and we believe that these two elements are not in competition, and that if they are it is a matter of site structure which needs to be corrected, or more fully understood by editors.

[edit] Blogging, essays, etc.

Blogging and other writing of your own opinion should usually be done in your "userspace" (although if several people want to blog we can set up a special "namespace" for the purpose). Your userspace is anything on the pages labeled "my talk" or "Your User Name" (whatever that name may be) at the top of the page. To create a sub-page within your userspace, save your page with code like this: [[Your Userpage name/Page name]]. You will get a redlink like this Your Userpage name/Page name, which you can then click on.

If you have developed a good essay in your userspace, you may want to put it in mainspace, with other articles. If you do, other editors may come along and help you edit. To put content in mainspace, just enter the name of your essay in the search box and create the page.

[edit] Topics we cover

We have several goals for this site. We deal with all things which are frontier, but there should also be an element of the unusual and unaccepted. We do not generally cover such topics as the following, except as they relate directly to other issues:

• Ethnicity
• Mainstream scientific or technical research, even if it is new, as with a new kind of electronic device.
• Pornography
• Gaming
• Environmentalism
• War or violence
• Any mainstream activity

Articles on alternative medicine, alternative energy sources such as cold fusion, or the paranormal (and practitioners of these vocations) would be accepted. We also accept articles on organizations, people, books, websites, and activities dealing with such things. Articles on skepticism and belief, theoretical concerns, and controversies are welcome.

Remember, this is not an encyclopedia, even though we intend to develop articles of high reliability. If you are a paranormal group organizing a conference, and you wish to use our site to work out the details, that is fine with us (such pages should be sub-pages of the page for your group).

If you are unsure whether your page will fit within our remit, just ask!

[edit] Defamation

Do not commit defamation. Do not say anything negative about anyone on any page without giving your source for it within the text of the page. You may discuss defamatory statements, but you may not make them. However, we invite original research which is well-sourced. For example, if you have solid evidence that a hoax is being perpetrated, it is acceptable to say so and present your evidence. There will be space for rebuttal if necessary.

[edit] Biographies

Biographies are under the same rules that are used on Wikipedia (now that they have their rules straightened out), with the following exceptions:

WikiSynergy is dedicated to the lesser-known aspects of knowledge, and to people significant within those circles. Because of this, we will allow all sources which are significant relative to the subject of the article. Thus, for example, if a subject is mainly notable for maintaining a website or publishing a blog, we may use their own and other websites or blogs as sources for the article.

In cases where the information is negative, yet not absolutely reliable, it is our policy to explicitly state the source or surrounding controversy, so that it will be obvious to the reader if the information is unreliable. We will also allow for responses by subjects (or their defenders), so that all negative claims may be put into perspective, in accordance with our GPOV policy. We may report the existence of unconfirmed defamatory information or negative information, but we will never state it as fact. We will only report it if it is notable in the context of the article's subject. The GPOV policy does not extend to material written for WikiSynergy which contains defamation.

We welcome research, critical thinking, and analysis in biographies as long as it does not go beyond obvious and verifiable deductions from the available sources or make evaluative claims (this could change if biographies start becoming unfair to the subject). But see the following.

Controversial statements in biographies of people who are currently alive must be well sourced or attributed to their source. If a statement is well sourced, the attribution should make clear its provenance or the reasons behind it. In the case of negative statements, attribution must be given so that the source, not WikiSynergy, is making the statement (though the statement need not be made directly by the source). If it is not properly sourced or cannot be attributed to a source (other than its author at WikiSynergy), it may be deleted. This does not mean that it must be kept if it sourced or attributed.

Authors should be familiar with this principle: statements of fact are different from statements which express with proper incertitude the outcome of logical reasoning or gathered evidence.

Statements or other material which are deemed inappropriate by the administrators of this site may be removed, for any reason.

If you edit your own biography, please do so in the third person, and please also review Wikipedia's policy on biographies.

[edit] Using your real name

If you use your real name, be prepared for anything which may happen. We are not responsible for misuse of personal information which is posted on this site. However, misuse of such information by other editors of this site may be cause for blocking.

[edit] Deleting pages

We may delete any page for any reason. But don't worry, we will try to have a very good and easily explainable reason for doing so. For example, if you write a page which contains unattributed slander or copyright violations, we may delete it. Or, your page may be deleted if it is not about any kind of subject covered by this site.

[edit] Non-deletion

Material which is relevant to the goals of this site may be retained, even if someone wants them deleted.

[edit] Governance

WikiSynergy started out as a private website, but it is changing to a committee structure. This committee will have power over all aspects of the site, limited only by certain founding principles. The Committee will be a bipartisan committee of neutrals, skeptics, and believers in frontier ideas.

[edit] Advertisements

This site might run Google advertisements or perhaps other advertisements sometime in the future. There is certainly no need for them at this time. However, we will take care to make them as unobtrusive as reasonably possible, and we will not adjust content to take any consideration of the advertisements (though our users might). If we do run ads, we do not endorse them in any way, and we are not responsible for their content or for the content of any sites they point to.

[edit] Uploaded files

Uploaded files are to be used in articles. Files which are uploaded, but not used in articles may be deleted at our discretion.

[edit] Copyright

Most, but not all work on WikiSynergy is released under the CC-BY-SA-3.0 license. Please see WikiSynergy:Copyrights for details.

[edit] Formatting, styling, tone etc.

WikiSynergy formatting and arrangement is not necessarily the the same as Wikipedia:

[edit] References

References are always the last section heading.

[edit] Tone

The tone of articles should generally be "journalistic" or "analytical." All sorts of writing styles are allowed, but may be moved to other article names, other sections, or other namespaces. For example, if you put a joke in an article, it might be moved to a humor section, or deleted if it doesn't work in context. If you write a humor essay, it's name might be changed to have the prefix "Humor:" as in "Humor:YOUR ESSAY."

[edit] Formats

We allow all sorts of formats, which change relative to how it is easiest or most desirable to express the information. Anything from encyclopedic-type general articles, criticism and response articles, analytical essays, journalistic articles, humor essays, FAQs, top ten lists, and blogs. The format should be chosen to maximize the teaching potential of the work.

[edit] Article content

Articles covering general subjects, such as science or the burden of evidence, should focus on how the subject relates to frontier thought. There is no need to duplicate what others have done well.

[edit] References

1. ↑ Meaning 3, "marked by camaraderie among colleagues"
2. ↑ "Colleagues are those explicitly united in a common purpose and respecting each other's abilities to work toward that purpose. A colleague is an associate in a profession [in this case wiki editing] or in a civil or ecclesiastical office. Thus, the word collegiality can connote respect for another's commitment to the common purpose and ability to work toward it." — from Wikipedia