User:Daniel Mietchen/Talks/SOL 2012/What is Wikipedia



What Wikipedia is...

 * Wikipedia is an online encyclopaedia.
 * Unlike most paper encyclopaedias Wikipedia is not limited by size, but it is not indiscriminate; the subject of every new article must be notable.


 * Wikipedia is also an online community of people interested in building a high-quality encyclopedia.
 * Wikipedians are expected to contribute in a spirit of mutual respect; always maintain a civil manner when interacting with others.


 * Wikipedia is free.
 * With some exceptions, anyone can edit and reuse Wikipedia's content, with appropriate attribution. Nobody "owns" any article and everything you contribute can and will be mercilessly edited by others.
 * Because Wikipedia is free, editors must never add material that infringes the copyright of others.


 * Wikipedia is one of several Wikimedia projects for collaborative curation of knowledge.

What Wikipedia is not...

 * Wikipedia is not a soapbox or a promotional tool.
 * Do not edit for the purpose of advocacy, advertising, promotion or to reveal THE TRUTH! All articles should be written from a neutral point of view and free from bias.
 * Resist the urge to add material about yourself, your friends or your family: doing so will result in an inherent conflict of interest and could backfire.


 * Wikipedia is not a publisher of original thought or a crystal ball.
 * Do not use Wikipedia to espouse your latest experimental results, theory, opinions or gossip. Nor is it a venue for speculating on future events.
 * Everything you add must be verifiable and referenced to a reliable source.
 * This is particularly important when writing about living people. Defamatory material contributed to Wikipedia is not immune from libel.


 * Wikipedia is  not a scientific journal, a textbook, or an instruction manual.
 * The purpose of Wikipedia is to present facts, not to teach subject matter. Inform, don't instruct. Describe, don't proscribe.
 * Articles should be written for intelligent laypeople, not for academics. Avoid jargon and use apposition to describe technical concepts in simple terms.
 * Exception: Wikipedia articles drafted in collaboration with journals


 * Wikipedia is not a social networking site.
 * Joining Wikipedia's thriving community can be socially rewarding, but remember that discussion pages are for promoting effective collaboration, not dating or blogging.


 * Wikipedia is not a political experiment in democracy, bureaucracy, anarchy or any other system.
 * Its primary (but not exclusive) method of determining consensus is through discussion, not voting.
 * Wikipedia has key policies and guidelines that editors are expected to respect, but rules are not the purpose of the community.
 * If a rule prevents you from improving or maintaining Wikipedia, ignore it..... but breaking rules simply to prove a point is bad form.

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