Wikipedia:Integrate



Wikipedia has articles and stubs that require merging, that have duplicate references, and that are orphans.

Integrate these three factors by organised:


 * Merging
 * Cross-referencing
 * Linking

Let's integrate, let's make it easier to find and maintain data: build it and they will come!

Stage 1

 * Search various categories for stub articles. Stub articles belonging to a specific category with minimal content should be merged into a meta-article covering that subject matter.
 * Rather than delete old pages, redirects should be employed to reduce the chance of users making an article for the same subject. Furthermore, if the stub does have a chance to move beyond stub status, the article can be re-developed on its own merits as a category member.
 * Duplicate references should be identified by human or bot as a method of detecting merge-candidates, or overlooked category members. Furthermore, duplicate references that are required should be converted to a template that would appear uniformly on all category member pages.

Stage 2

 * Parent categories of significant volume should be reasonably sub categorised. Template:CatDiffuse explains this process.
 * Templates should be used to eliminate redundant content within category articles.
 * Templates should also be used to link together disparate articles that relate to each other, but may not always be in the same category. See WikiProject_Succession_Box_Standardization/Templates for suitable templates.

Analogies

 * Integration is white matter: it links together elements for processing.
 * Integration is government in the sunshine: it keeps things in the open and not obscure.
 * Integration may require ion thrusters: they're slow, but effective and efficient.

Practical ways to help

 * Proposed mergers — help form consensus about proposed mergers
 * Articles for deletion — if you !vote for an article to be merged at AfD, then please let the closing editor know whether you'd be willing to merge the articles yourself. Just "* Volunteer" to help!
 * WikiProject Proposed Deletion Patrolling — help editors preserve any valuable material in the Category:All articles proposed for deletion

Example articles that were created from meta-merging

 * ITU V-Series is an article created from the merging of 20+ related stubs.
 * Created from several articles in Category:Fictional aircraft: Fictional military aircraft
 * Created from Microsoft Windows stubs: Windows Text-to-Speech; Easter eggs in Microsoft products; Windows library files; Windows Vista Startup Process; Windows audio components; Common menus in Microsoft Windows