VassarWiki:An encyclopedia and more: Difference between revisions

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Most people have only been exposed to [[Wikipedia:Wiki|wikis]] through reading [https://en.wikipedia.org Wikipedia], or perhaps a fan wiki like the [https://minecraft.wiki Minecraft wiki]. As a result, many people erroneously believe that "wiki" is just another term for an online [[Wikipedia:Encyclopedia|encyclopedia]]. ~~The~~ term "wiki" describes any website collaboratively edited and managed by its audience through a web browser. As a result, wikis are able to serve a variety of purposes beyond encyclopedias, including collective note-taking, code documentation, and project management.

Most people have only been exposed to [[Wikipedia:Wiki|wikis]] through reading [https://en.wikipedia.org Wikipedia], or perhaps a fan wiki like the [https://minecraft.wiki Minecraft wiki]. As a result, many people erroneously believe that "wiki" is just another term for an online [[Wikipedia:Encyclopedia|encyclopedia]]. In reality, the term "wiki" describes any website collaboratively edited and managed by its audience (often through a web browser). As a result, wikis are able to serve a variety of purposes beyond encyclopedias, including collective note-taking, code documentation, and project management.

VassarWiki aims to primarily serve as a way to share knowledge among the Vassar community. As such, it can be viewed an encyclopedia in a loose sense, a compendium of knowledge about Vassar. However, ~~this~~ term fails to encompass the community-building integral to the ~~project~~.

[[VassarWiki]] aims to primarily serve as a way to share knowledge among the Vassar community. As such, it can be viewed as an encyclopedia in a loose sense, since it's a compendium of knowledge about Vassar. However, the term "encyclopedia" fails to encompass the community-building that is integral to the project—hence "'''an encyclopedia and more'''".

VassarWiki is also not Wikipedia for Vassar. That already exists—that's Wikipedia. VassarWiki has a similar but distinct mission, hopefully made clear through the table below:

{| class="wikitable"

|+~~Differences between Wikipedia and VassarWiki~~

|+

!

!VassarWiki

!Wikipedia

~~!VassarWiki~~

|-

|'''Purpose'''

|To facilitate the sharing and organization of knowledge for/about the Vassar community, archiving it along the way. It serves as a host for primary, secondary, and tertiary sources.

|To organize and archive the world's knowledge in an encyclopedia, a tertiary source.

~~|To share and organize knowledge among the Vassar community (and archive it along the way). It serves as a host for primary, secondary, and tertiary sources.~~

|-

|'''Scope'''

|Inclusion is contingent on [[wikipedia:Wikipedia:Notability|notability]], generally determined through inclusion in reliable sources. ~~All subjects~~ can be written on, [[wikipedia:Wikipedia:What_Wikipedia_is_not|within limits]].

|Inclusion is contingent on being somehow related to Vassar College, whether that's campus life, history, scholarship, or something else. There is no "notability" requirement for inclusion.

~~|There is no "notability" requirement for inclusion. Inclusion is contingent on being somehow related to Vassar College, whether that's campus life, history, scholarship, or something else~~.

|Inclusion is contingent on [[wikipedia:Wikipedia:Notability|notability]], generally determined through inclusion in reliable sources. Subjects in any domain can be written on, [[wikipedia:Wikipedia:What_Wikipedia_is_not|within limits]].

|-

|'''POV'''

|Articles are written from a neutral point of view, but non-neutral content on user pages is encouraged.

|All articles are written from a [[wikipedia:Wikipedia:Neutral_point_of_view|neutral point of view]].

~~|Articles are written from a neutral point of view, but non-neutral content on user pages is encouraged.~~

|-

|'''Tone'''

|As of June 9, 2026, there are no [[VassarWiki:Guidelines|guidelines]] on tone for articles. User page content can be written in any tone.

|Articles are written in a [[wikipedia:Wikipedia:Neutral_point_of_view#Impartial_tone|formal, impersonal, and dispassionate tone]].

~~|As of June 9, 2026, there are no guidelines on tone for articles. User page content can be written in any tone.~~

|-

|'''Audience'''

|Articles are written primarily to the Vassar community. This is especially the case when an encyclopedia (e.g. Wikipedia, Vassar Encyclopedia) article on that subject already exists.

|Articles are written to a global audience.

~~|Articles are written primarily to the Vassar community, especially when an encyclopedia article on that subject already exists.~~

|-

|'''Sources'''

|~~All content must~~ be accompanied by ~~reliable~~ sources. ~~[[wikipedia:Wikipedia:No_original_research|Original research~~ is ~~not allowed on articles.]]~~

|Content should generally be accompanied by sources of many types. Reliability is considered in an expansive sense that includes oral history; the comparative reliability of sources is considered when resolving content disputes. "Original research" is allowed, but must be designated as such through sourcing.

~~|Content should be accompanied by reliable sources, with reliability reflecting a~~ expansive ~~conception~~ that includes oral history~~. The~~ reliability of sources is ~~evaluated~~ when resolving disputes. "Original research" is allowed, but must be designated as such.

|All content must be supported by sources deemed reliable by the community. [[wikipedia:Wikipedia:No_original_research|Original research is not allowed on articles.]]

|}

== See also ==

* [[VassarWiki:About]]

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
-{{Position|users=[[User:EdwardNWM]]}}
+{{Proposal}}
-Most people have only been exposed to [[Wikipedia:Wiki|wikis]] through reading [https://en.wikipedia.org Wikipedia], or perhaps a fan wiki like the [https://minecraft.wiki Minecraft wiki]. As a result, many people erroneously believe that "wiki" is just another term for an online [[Wikipedia:Encyclopedia|encyclopedia]]. The term "wiki" describes any website collaboratively edited and managed by its audience through a web browser. As a result, wikis are able to serve a variety of purposes beyond encyclopedias, including collective note-taking, code documentation, and project management.
+Most people have only been exposed to [[Wikipedia:Wiki|wikis]] through reading [https://en.wikipedia.org Wikipedia], or perhaps a fan wiki like the [https://minecraft.wiki Minecraft wiki]. As a result, many people erroneously believe that "wiki" is just another term for an online [[Wikipedia:Encyclopedia|encyclopedia]]. In reality, the term "wiki" describes any website collaboratively edited and managed by its audience (often through a web browser). As a result, wikis are able to serve a variety of purposes beyond encyclopedias, including collective note-taking, code documentation, and project management.
-VassarWiki aims to primarily serve as a way to share knowledge among the Vassar community. As such, it can be viewed an encyclopedia in a loose sense, a compendium of knowledge about Vassar. However, this term fails to encompass the community-building integral to the project.
+[[VassarWiki]] aims to primarily serve as a way to share knowledge among the Vassar community. As such, it can be viewed as an encyclopedia in a loose sense, since it's a compendium of knowledge about Vassar. However, the term "encyclopedia" fails to encompass the community-building that is integral to the project—hence "'''an encyclopedia and more'''".
+VassarWiki is also not Wikipedia for Vassar. That already exists—that's Wikipedia. VassarWiki has a similar but distinct mission, hopefully made clear through the table below:
 {| class="wikitable"
-|+Differences between Wikipedia and VassarWiki
+|+
 !
+!VassarWiki
 !Wikipedia
-!VassarWiki
 |-
 |'''Purpose'''
+|To facilitate the sharing and organization of knowledge for/about the Vassar community, archiving it along the way. It serves as a host for primary, secondary, and tertiary sources.
 |To organize and archive the world's knowledge in an encyclopedia, a tertiary source.
-|To share and organize knowledge among the Vassar community (and archive it along the way). It serves as a host for primary, secondary, and tertiary sources.
 |-
 |'''Scope'''
-|Inclusion is contingent on [[wikipedia:Wikipedia:Notability|notability]], generally determined through inclusion in reliable sources. All subjects can be written on, [[wikipedia:Wikipedia:What_Wikipedia_is_not|within limits]].
+|Inclusion is contingent on being somehow related to Vassar College, whether that's campus life, history, scholarship, or something else. There is no "notability" requirement for inclusion.
-|There is no "notability" requirement for inclusion. Inclusion is contingent on being somehow related to Vassar College, whether that's campus life, history, scholarship, or something else.
+|Inclusion is contingent on [[wikipedia:Wikipedia:Notability|notability]], generally determined through inclusion in reliable sources. Subjects in any domain can be written on, [[wikipedia:Wikipedia:What_Wikipedia_is_not|within limits]].
 |-
 |'''POV'''
+|Articles are written from a neutral point of view, but non-neutral content on user pages is encouraged.
 |All articles are written from a [[wikipedia:Wikipedia:Neutral_point_of_view|neutral point of view]].
-|Articles are written from a neutral point of view, but non-neutral content on user pages is encouraged.
 |-
 |'''Tone'''
+|As of June 9, 2026, there are no [[VassarWiki:Guidelines|guidelines]] on tone for articles. User page content can be written in any tone.
 |Articles are written in a [[wikipedia:Wikipedia:Neutral_point_of_view#Impartial_tone|formal, impersonal, and dispassionate tone]].
-|As of June 9, 2026, there are no guidelines on tone for articles. User page content can be written in any tone.
 |-
 |'''Audience'''
+|Articles are written primarily to the Vassar community. This is especially the case when an encyclopedia (e.g. Wikipedia, Vassar Encyclopedia) article on that subject already exists.
 |Articles are written to a global audience.
-|Articles are written primarily to the Vassar community, especially when an encyclopedia article on that subject already exists.
 |-
 |'''Sources'''
-|All content must be accompanied by reliable sources. [[wikipedia:Wikipedia:No_original_research|Original research is not allowed on articles.]]
+|Content should generally be accompanied by sources of many types. Reliability is considered in an expansive sense that includes oral history; the comparative reliability of sources is considered when resolving content disputes. "Original research" is allowed, but must be designated as such through sourcing.
-|Content should be accompanied by reliable sources, with reliability reflecting a expansive conception that includes oral history. The reliability of sources is evaluated when resolving disputes. "Original research" is allowed, but must be designated as such.
+|All content must be supported by sources deemed reliable by the community. [[wikipedia:Wikipedia:No_original_research|Original research is not allowed on articles.]]
 |}
+== See also ==
+* [[VassarWiki:About]]