Wikipedia talk:Contents/Outlines/Archive 2

Instructions for conversion
The "Wikipedia:Basic topics" system is obsoleted from its initial purpose, but it is perfect as a set of basic topic lists for beginners who may be intimidated by the comprehensive lists typically available. Therefore, the project is in the process of being converted to the "List of basic topic lists", and all the included lists to "List of basic _____ topics". The only problem is that these basic topic lists are in wikispace rather than in the wikipedia proper, and need their names changed. It is time for us to convert each of the included sublists to a "List" article as follows:

1) Move the page using the move tab, renaming the article to "List of basic _________ topics", filling the blank with the relevant subject. For example " Philosophy basic topics" becomes "List of basic philosophical topics".

2) Remove any administrative prose from the previous project from the new List. And spruce up the list as much as you like.  See List of basic philosophical topics as an example.

3) Change the corresponding link below (on this page) to the new List. (This has already been done for philosophy).

4) Integrate the list into the Wikipedia, by adding categories to the List, and by adding links in relevant articles, portals, lists, and templates.

Once these steps have been completed for all of the included lists, then the above steps need to be performed on this article. Go for it! 01:10, 13 December 2005 (UTC)

Conversion process underway
I'm in the process of converting the pages listed here into lists of basic topics, and could sure use some help. Instructions are included on the adjoining project page.

The lists will be useful for beginners, and perhaps as part of Concise.

This project was originally used to identify basic topics to write articles for, in which missing topics showed up in red (helping to identify gaps in Wikipedia's coverage). Now most of the links are active, and these lists can be converted to lists of basic topics.

Go for it! 00:49, 13 December 2005 (UTC)

Steps #1 thru #3 completed
The conversion to lists in the main namespace has been completed.

The lists are still pretty rough, but they are useable. Some need to be scaled down, because they are copies of the more comprehensive list for their subject. Others need prose stripped out, as they are copies of overview articles that were most chock full of links and lists. The rest are pretty good as they stand.

They are however still somewhat isolated, and need to be linked into the Wikipedia:
 * 1) Categories need to be added to the end of each list
 * 2) A link added to the main article corresponding to each list (in its See also section).
 * 3) Links in any other overview articles you can find.

Go for it! 16:43, 15 December 2005 (UTC)

Mathematics and Abstractions?
Mathematics and Abstractions? Too abstract. I am unclear on the concept and I think that the users will be also. -- Fplay 08:38, 20 December 2005 (UTC)