Thelemapedia:How to Contribute

(Difference between revisions)

Revision as of 16:59, 7 Jul 2005

This page is written to help you make great contributions to Thelemapedia. It really is a snap, and we encourage new editors to jump right in. There is one thing that needs to be said right up front:

The perfect Thelemapedia article does not exist. The pathway towards that ideal is travelled by multiple editors adding what information they can and collaborating on things like content, formatting, and grammar. It is far more valuable to add lots of imperfect material than to have a trickle of "perfect" contributions.

This page focuses on content, and does not give much in the way of wiki markup (the code that formats text). You can find out the basics of wiki markup in the Really Simple Tutorial or on the full Wiki Markup page which lists everything in detail.

Table of contents

1 Step 1: What to cook

1.1 Adding a topic that does not yet exist on Thelemapedia
1.2 Adding to an existing topic

2 Step 2: Finding the ingrediants

3 Step 3: Boiling it down

4 Step 4: Serve it up

Step 1: What to cook

There are two basic places to start:

Creating a new topic
Adding to an existing topic

Adding a topic that does not yet exist on Thelemapedia

Okay, you want to add a whole new article. Great! Here are the basic flavors of adding a new topic:

You already know what you want to write about. Just do a search on the site to make sure it isn't already there. Then go on to step two.
You have no idea what to write about. No problem! Here are some choices:

The Projects page. This page has a list of major projects the site is trying to put together. There will always be empty pages here, and you are welcome to tackle any of them. (There are also blue links to pages that have entries but still need more info).
List of all empty pages. These are pages that have links to them but don't contain any information (I'm sure you've noticed by now that links to empty pages are red). They are listed in order of number of links. You certainly don't have to start at the top...just scroll though until you find a topic that sounds interesting.

Adding to an existing topic

It is equally as valuable to add to existing pages. Many are incomplete and need more material. Remember, it is acceptable and expected for editors to make changes to articles. You are, of course, free to search and browse the site for any topic that you want to write about. You can also use the following links to find existing articles that need more material:

The Projects page. This page has a list of major projects the site is trying to put together. The blue links go to pages that have some info already, but probably need much more.
Stubs. Stubs are pages that have a really really short entry. These pages need your help!
Articles that need Thelemic info. (http://www.thelemapedia.org/index.php?title=Special:Whatlinkshere&target=Template%3AThelema) Many pages on Thelemapedia have been imported from other GNU-licensed sites (see below) like Wikipedia, and are more or less complete. However, most of these have no imformation from a Thelemic perspective. It is up to you how much you want to do with these: you can add a single paragraph or rewrite the whole thing.

Step 2: Finding the ingrediants

Step 3: Boiling it down

Step 4: Serve it up

Retrieved from "http://thelemapedia.org/index.php/Thelemapedia:How_to_Contribute"

-==Key Policies==
+This page is written to help you make great contributions to Thelemapedia. It really is a snap, and we encourage new editors to jump right in. There is one thing that needs to be said right up front:
-Thelemapedia is a collaborative [http://meta.wikipedia.org/ Wiki] project with a central purpose:
+<center><div style="padding:10px;border:1px solid #666;width:80%;text-align:left;">''The perfect Thelemapedia article does not exist. The pathway towards that ideal is travelled by multiple editors adding what information they can and collaborating on things like content, formatting, and grammar. It is far more valuable to add lots of imperfect material than to have a trickle of "perfect" contributions.''</div></center>
-:<i>'''To create the best and most comprehensive source of information relating to Thelema.'''</i>
+This page focuses on content, and does not give much in the way of wiki markup (the code that formats text). You can find out the basics of wiki markup in the [[Thelemapedia:Really_Simple_Tutorial|Really Simple Tutorial]] or on the full [[Thelemapedia:Wiki_Markup|Wiki Markup]] page which lists everything in detail.
-Thelemapedia is an open source project, meaning that no entry has copyright protection. This leads to the first two Prime Directives:
+==Step 1: What to cook==
-Prime Directive #1: '''Only post material that you own or that is in the public domain.'''<BR>
+There are two basic places to start:
-Prime Directive #2: '''Everyone has the right to edit your entries'''
+#Creating a new topic
+#Adding to an existing topic
-You are a Thelemapedia editor. Although we do have Executive Editors, their main function is to help expand the site and monitor entries that might be inappropriate for the intended context. The vast majority of the editing will be done by the active participants. Because of the volatile nature of many in the Thelemic community, we have instituted:
+===Adding a topic that does not yet exist on Thelemapedia===
-Prime Directive #3: '''Content wars are completely forbidden.'''
+Okay, you want to add a whole new article. Great! Here are the basic flavors of adding a new topic:
-Entering into a content war is a fast way to getting banned from contributing to Thelemapedia. This is an encyclopedia, not a platform for individual agendas. If a serious disagreement about content occurs, you may make a '''[[Thelemapedia:Dispute Resolution|Mediation request]]'''.
+# '''You already know what you want to write about.''' Just do a search on the site to make sure it isn't already there. Then go on to [[#Step 2: Finding the ingrediants|step two]].
+# '''You have no idea what to write about.''' No problem! Here are some choices:
+::*'''[[Thelemapedia:Projects|The Projects page.]]''' This page has a list of major projects the site is trying to put together. There will always be empty pages here, and you are welcome to tackle any of them. (There are also blue links to pages that have entries but still need more info).
+::*'''[[Special:Wantedpages|List of all empty pages.]]''' These are pages that have links to them but don't contain any information (I'm sure you've noticed by now that links to empty pages are red). They are listed in order of number of links. You certainly don't have to start at the top...just scroll though until you find a topic that sounds interesting.
-===General Principles===
+===Adding to an existing  topic===
-#'''Avoid bias.''' Articles should be written from a neutral point of view, representing differing views on a subject fairly and sympathetically. If something is a general opinion, state it as such. Avoid speaking from the first person (e.g. "In my opinion..." or "I believe..."). Wikipedia has a great [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:NPOV_tutorial tutorial on the Neutral Point of View].
+It is equally as valuable to add to existing pages. Many are incomplete and need more material. Remember, it is ''acceptable and expected'' for editors to make changes to articles. You are, of course, free to search and browse the site for any topic that you want to write about. You can also use the following links to find existing articles that need more material:
-#'''Don't infringe copyrights.''' Thelemapedia is a free encyclopedia licensed under the terms of the [http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html GNU Free Documentation License]. Submitting work which infringes copyrights threatens our objective to build a truly free encyclopedia that anyone can redistribute, and could lead to legal problems. Be sure to site your sources.
-#'''Thelemapedia is an encyclopedia.''' It is not a dictionary, soapbox, discussion forum, site mirror, or link repository. It is not a place to bash other people or groups.
-#'''Respect other contributors.''' Thelemapedia contributors have widely different views. Treating others with respect is key to collaborating effectively in building an encyclopedia. For some guidelines, see the Wikipedia [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikiquette Etiquette Guide], and our [[Mediation Request]] page.
-Other than what you see here, we subscribe to the general <B>[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Policies_and_guidelines MediaWiki policies]&lt;/B>;, which we highly recommend reading.
+#'''[[Thelemapedia:Projects|The Projects page.]]''' This page has a list of major projects the site is trying to put together. The blue links go to pages that have some info already, but probably need much more.
+#'''[[Special:Shortpages|Stubs.]]''' Stubs are pages that have a really really short entry. These pages need your help!
+#'''[http://www.thelemapedia.org/index.php?title=Special:Whatlinkshere&amp;target=Template%3AThelema Articles that need Thelemic info.]''' Many pages on Thelemapedia have been imported from other GNU-licensed sites (see below) like Wikipedia, and are more or less complete. However, most of these have no imformation from a Thelemic perspective. It is up to you how much you want to do with these: you can add a single paragraph or rewrite the whole thing.
-==Editing an Article==
+==Step 2: Finding the ingrediants==
-It is very easy to edit a Thelemapedia article. Simply click on the "Edit" link at the top of any page. This will bring you to a page with a text box containing the editable text of that Wiki page. Then type away! Two great places to experiment are in the [[Temp Zone]] and your own User Page—just click on your name at the top  of any page to go to yours.
-Here are some basic guidelines:
+==Step 3: Boiling it down==
-#'''Format your articles.''' If you have a long or complicated article, be sure to format it. See the markup items below. They are ''very'' easy to learn and use, and formatting makes a huge difference in making an article accessable. Don't hesitate to format existing articles if they need it.
-#'''Note your changes.''' If you make any edit, you should describe the nature of the change in the field below the main editing box. If it's very small, like changing punctuation or fixing a misspelled word, just click the "minor edit" button.
-#'''Explain big changes.''' If you make a really substantial change to someone's article, it is considered good form to explain why in the article's "talk" page.
-#'''Mark your stubs and partials.''' If you write a ''stub'' (a tiny entry) or a ''partial'' (an article with large chunks missing), mark it. This is very easy. In the edit box, write out <nowiki>{{stub}}</nowiki> or <nowiki>{{partial}}</nowiki> at the top and/or bottom of the page, and the page will automatically display the stub and partial messages. If you edit one of these pages so they are no longer a stub or partial, be sure to remove the code from the page.
-#'''Do not sign articles.''' When you edit a new or existing article, do not sign it or write out the Law (this is not correspondence). If you want to take credit (which is perfectly fine), please do so in the article's talk page.
-#'''Cite and Attribute.''' If you draw from a source, such as a publication or website, be sure to cite it. Also, if you write something that is a statement or belief of a group or person, be sure you attribute that statement or belief to them. This is not necessary for beliefs that are commonly held by Thelemites or considered very common knowledge. It's your call, but be thoughtful about it.
-#'''Do not assume knowledge.''' Don't toss in a bunch of technical talk without providing some explanation, or at least linking terms to their own page. This is an encyclopedia, not a graduate thesis. Remember, the object is to educate, not confuse.
-==Creating a New Article==
+==Step 4: Serve it up==
-===First Things First===
-#'''Search Thelemapedia''' to see whether someone has written a similar page before you start one yourself.
-#Review the '''naming conventions''' of the project you are working in before naming a new page or setting up a new index page. (For example: topics that relate directly to astrology might use the naming convention "Astrology: Specific topic", like "Astrology: Sextiles").
-#Read '''[[Thelemapedia:Article Basics]]''' and the '''[[Thelemapedia:Editorial Policy]]'''.
-===Ways to start a new page===
-#'''Start a page from an existing link'''. If the link is red, then it links to an empty page. Simply click on that link and begin typing in the text box.
-#'''Create a link from an existing page'''. While you are editing an existing page, if a word or phrase strikes you as if it ought to have an article of its own, just put it in double square brackets, <nowiki>[[like this]]</nowiki>. When you save the present page, that word will magically link to the Thelemapedia article by the same name.
-#'''Start a page from the [[Temp Zone]]'''. Edit the Temp Zone, then create a new link. Then create/edit your new page by clicking on the link and writing new text. Note: The Temp Zone is periodically erased, so remember to bookmark the page(s) you have created, in order to edit them again in the future. If you are a registered user, it will also appear under "My contributions" in the Quickbar.
-#'''Starting a page in the URL address bar.''' Simply enter something like the following into your browser as a page address: <nowiki>http://www.thelemapedia.org/index.php/Sample_page_title</nowiki>, replacing "Sample_page_title" with whatever you want the page to be called (be sure to include the underscores). This will bring up a template page that informs you that there is currently no text in the page yet. So, click on the "Edit" link at the top of that page, and presto! you are now editing your brand new page.
-==Thelemapedia Markup==
-Wiki does not use normal HTML for most markup options. Here are the basic methods for formatting your entries. There are a lot of other of '''[http://meta.wikipedia.org/wiki/MediaWiki_User%27s_Guide:_Editing_overview#The_wiki_markup Wiki formatting options]''', so be sure to check those out.
-If you want to experiment with these, you can play in the '''[[Temp Zone]]'''. There, you can mess around as much as you want without worry...it will get cleaned out every so often.
-<table width="100%" border="1" cellpadding="4" cellspacing="0">
-<tr bgcolor="#F2F2F2">
-            <td width="50%" align="center">'''What it looks like'''</td>
-            <td width="50%" align="center">'''What you type'''</td>
-          </tr>
-<tr valign="top">
-            <td width="50%">
-              <p>Start your sections with header lines:</p>
-              <h2>Section</h2>
-              <h3>Subsection</h3>
-              <h4>Sub-subsection</h4>
-            </td>
-            <td width="50%">
-              <pre>
-== Section ==
-=== Subsection ===
-==== Sub-subsection ====
-        </pre>
-*This is very useful and easy to use. After three top sections are created, a table of contents is automatically generated at the top of the article.
-            </td>
-          </tr>
-<tr valign="top" bgcolor="#F2F2F2">
-            <td width="50%">
-''Italics'', '''bold''', <em><strong>bold italics</strong></em>.
-            </td>
-            <td width="50%">
-              <pre>
-''Italics'', '''Bold''', ''''Bold Italics''''.
-          </pre>
-*These are double and triple <B><I>apostrophes</i></b>, not double quotes.
-*You can also write &lt;i&gt;italic&lt;/i&gt; and &lt;b&gt;bold&lt;/b&gt; using HTML.
-            </td>
-          </tr>
-<tr valign="top">
-            <td width="50%">
-              <p>Lists are fun and easy!</p>
-Use numbers
-#like this
-#example
-##here
-or bullets
-*like this
-**example
-***here
-            </td>
-            <td width="50%">
-              <pre>
-Use numbers
-#like this
-#example
-##here
-or bullets
-*like this
-**example
-***here
-          </pre>
-            </td>
-          </tr>
-<tr  valign="top"  bgcolor="#F2F2F2">
-            <td width="50%">
-              <p>This is how to [[make an internal link]].</p>
-*Putting any text in double brackets creates a link to an internal Thelemapedia page with the same name. If that page doesn't yet exist, the link will be red, and clicking the link will create the new page, which can then be edited. (This is one way to create new pages).
-            </td>
-            <td width="50%" valign="top">
-              <pre>
-This is how to [[make an internal link]].
-            </pre>
-            </td>
-          </tr>
-<tr valign="top">
-            <td width="50%">
-Same target, different name: [[Billy Boy|Billy]].
-* This will show the link "Billy" but go to an article called "Billy Boy".</td>
-            <td width="50%">
-              <pre>
-Same target, different name: [[Billy Boy|Billy]]
-          </pre>
-            </td>
-          </tr>
-<tr valign="top"  bgcolor="#F2F2F2">
-            <td width="50%">External link: [http://www.scarletwoman.org Scarlet Woman Lodge]
-</td>
-            <td width="50%">
-              <pre>
-External link: [http://www.scarletwoman.org Scarlet Woman Lodge]
-          </pre>
-            </td>
-          </tr>
-<tr valign="top">
-            <td width="50%">Or just give the URL: http://www.scarletwoman.org
-            </td>
-            <td width="50%">
-              <pre>
-Or just give the URL: http://www.scarletwoman.org
-          </pre>
-            </td>
-          </tr>
-<tr valign="top" bgcolor="#F2F2F2">
-            <td width="50%">
-A picture: [[image|http://www.scarletwoman.org/wiki/images/frontpage/crowley.png]]
-* IMAGES ARE NOT WORKING AT THIS TIME. Sorry...we'll fix it.
-*Only images that have been uploaded to Thelemapedia can be used. To upload images, use the [http://www.scarletwoman.org/wiki/index.php/Special:Upload upload page]. You can find the uploaded image on the [[image list]]
-*To learn everything about using images, read the '''[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Picture_tutorial Wikipedia Picture Tutorial]'''.
-            </td>
-            <td width="50%">
-              <pre>
-A picture: [[Image:crowley.jpg]]
-          </pre>
-              <p>or, with alternate text (<em>strongly</em> encouraged)</p>
-              <pre>
-[[Image:wiki.png|Thelemapedia]]
-          </pre>
-              Web browsers render alternate text when not displaying an image
-                  -- for example, when the image isn't loaded, or in a text-only
-                  browser, or when spoken aloud.
-            </td>
-          </tr>
-<tr valign="top">
-            <td width="50%">Redirect one article title to another.
-* This is useful for topics with many referent names, such as The Scarlet Woman, Great Whore, and Mother of Abominations all redirecting to the single entry, Babalon.
-            </td>
-            <td width="50%">
-<pre>
-#REDIRECT [[Babalon]]</pre>
-*Putting this tag as the only text on a page (say, "The Scarlet Woman") will redirect all links to that page to the article "Babalon".
-            </td>
-          </tr>
-<tr valign="top"  bgcolor="#F2F2F2">
-            <td width="50%">Other useful tags
-Make text <small>really small</small>
-:Indent a first line
-Write out characters that are wiki tags,
-<nowiki>[[like in this table]]</nowiki>.
-<pre>Write out formatted text
-    Like what you might find in a poem
-  Just write it out with normal spaces
-           in the PRE tag</pre>
-            </td>
-            <td width="50%">
-<pre>Make text <small>really small</small></pre><br/>
-<pre>:Indent a first line</pre><br/>
-<pre>Write out characters that are wiki tags, &lt;nowiki&gt;[[like in this table]]&lt;/nowiki&gt;.</pre><br/>
-<pre>&lt;pre&gt;Write out formatted text
-    Like what you might find in a poem
-  Just write it out with normal spaces
-           in the PRE tag&lt;/pre&gt;</pre>
-            </td>
-          </tr>
-         </table>
-==Where to go from here==
-{{help}}
-[[Category:Thelemapedia]]