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| {{Consensus|status=draft|users=[[User:Ewelchmorgan]]}} | | {{Consensus|status=draft}} |
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| Welcome to '''VassarWiki''', a wiki for the Vassar College community! | | Welcome to '''VassarWiki''', a wiki for the Vassar College community! |
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| A wiki is a collaboratively edited website. While many wikis are encyclopedias, they don't have to be. VassarWiki was created to be [[VassarWiki:An encylopedia and more|an encylopedia and more]]. VassarWiki is a space to collectively share and organize information about Vassar, connecting our community and building a shared institutional memory.
| | Put simply, a wiki is a collaboratively edited website.<ref>https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wiki</ref> While many wikis are encyclopedias, they don't have to be. VassarWiki was created to be an encyclopedia and more: an open space for the Vassar community to collectively share and organize information. We hope to build a persistent institutional memory and bridge otherwise isolated corners of our campus. |
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| == Getting started == | | == Getting started == |
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| === Who can contribute? === | | === Who can contribute? === |
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| Anyone connected to Vassar can contribute! All you have to do is sign up with your Vassar email. If you're connected to Vassar but lack a Vassar email, you must apply to have your account approved. (This process is currently not established yet.) | | Anyone connected to Vassar can contribute! All you have to do is [[Special:CreateAccount|sign up]] with your Vassar email. If you're connected to Vassar but lack a vassar.edu email, [https://tally.so/r/aQEMRW you have to apply to have your account approved]. |
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| === How can I contribute? === | | === How do I contribute? === |
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| Once you register an account, click the "Edit" button. You can either use the visual editor (recommended for new editors) or switch to the source editor on the upper-right. Make whatever changes to the page you want, write a short edit summary, and save your changes. If your changes only contain superficial differences (e.g. fixing typos or minor formatting errors), click the minor edit button before saving your changes. | | Once you register an account, click the "Edit" button by a section or at the top of the page. You can either use the visual editor (recommended if you're new to editing) or switch to the source editor on the upper-right. |
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| If you want to create a page, search the name of the page you want and click the red link. You may want to use a template to get started.
| | Make whatever changes to the page you want, write a short edit summary, and save your changes. If your changes only contain ''superficial'' differences (e.g. fixing typos or minor formatting errors), click the minor edit button before saving your changes. |
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| === What can I contribute? ===
| | If you want to create a page, search the name of the page you want and click the red link. [[VassarWiki:Templates|You may want to use a template to get started.]] |
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| Contributions generally don't require prior approval, so '''be bold'''! If there's an issue with your edit, another editor can revert it and you can discuss on a talk page. It's recommended that you read and understand VassarWiki [[VassarWiki:Policies|policies]] and any relevant [[VassarWiki:Guidelines|guidelines]] before you edit. | | == What can I contribute? == |
| | {{See also|VassarWiki:What should I contribute?}} |
| | Contributions generally don't require prior approval, so '''be bold'''! If there's an issue with your edit, another contributor can revert it and you can discuss on a talk page if needed. Please read and understand VassarWiki [[VassarWiki:Policies|policies]] before you edit. It's encouraged that you read any relevant [[VassarWiki:Guidelines|guidelines]] before you edit, but there is no need to be an expert. |
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| == What belongs on VassarWiki? ==
| | VassarWiki is deliberately open-ended to adapt to community needs. There are two main types of pages: |
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| VassarWiki is deliberately open-ended to adapt to community needs. There are a few main types of pages. If you feel limited by these types, please bring your concern to the [[VassarWiki:Village pump|village pump]]!
| | * '''Articles''' can be about things like [[:Category:Student orgs|student orgs]], events, classes, departments, and college lore. Content should be written from a neutral third-person point of view<ref>but by no means soulless!</ref> and [[VassarWiki:Policies|be sourced when possible]]. |
| | * Every contributor has a [[VassarWiki:User pages|'''user page''']] that only they can edit. You can put pretty much anything on your user page (e.g. interests, projects, org memberships, essays or freeform content, contact information). |
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| === Encyclopedia pages ===
| | But there are other types of pages as well: |
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| '''Encyclopedia pages''' are about things like student orgs, events, classes, departments, and college lore. Content should be written from a neutral point of view and reflect group consensus. Unlike other pages, all content here must be sourced (see [[VassarWiki:Policies|the policy on sourcing]]). | | * Every page has a corresponding '''talk page''', where you can resolve disputes about page content or otherwise talk freely about that page's subject. |
| | * '''[[VassarWiki:Categories|Categories]]''' are assigned to pages to assist in navigation and organization. They are listed at the bottom of a page. |
| | * '''[[VassarWiki:Templates|Templates]]''' are pages designed for inclusion in other pages. |
| | * '''[[VassarWiki:Files|Files]]''' like images, videos, and audio files, can be embedded in pages. Files should almost be uploaded to [https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:UploadWizard Wikimedia Commons], where they will be released to the public domain. |
| | * [[VassarWiki:Project pages|'''Project pages''']] (those with the prefix "VassarWiki") deal with the governance and maintenance of VassarWiki. |
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| === User pages === | | == Policies and guidelines == |
| | {{Main|VassarWiki:Policies|VassarWiki:Guidelines}} |
| | Policies are the site's foundational principles that all contributors must follow. Put simply, contributors should: |
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| Unlike other pages, '''user pages''' can only be edited by the relevant individual. You can put anything in your profile, within reason (e.g. interests, projects, org memberships, essays / freeform content, contact information).
| | * Build and respect consensus when disputes arise |
| | * Leave a trail of citations, edit summaries, and talk page signatures |
| | * Not publish copyrighted work here |
| | * Not censor information they don't like |
| | * Be civil and assume other contributors come in good faith |
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| === Project pages ===
| | Guidelines are records of best practices in content and behavior. While there is no need to be an expert on guidelines when starting out, contributors should generally defer to and attempt to follow them. |
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| '''Project pages''' (those with the prefix "VassarWiki") deal with the governance and maintenance of VassarWiki. Some notable project pages include:
| | Like everything on VassarWiki, policies and guidelines are established by community consensus and can change. |
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| * [[VassarWiki:Improvements]]: Suggestions and discussions about improving this project should be held here.
| | == Governance == |
| * [[VassarWiki:Guidelines]]: Records of consensus that contributors should attempt to follow are kept here.
| | VassarWiki adopts a collective governance model, where decisions are made through deliberation and consensus-building. The weight of each contributor's voice should be evaluated by the strength of their argument. |
| * [[VassarWiki:Reports]]: Policy violations should be reported and discussed here.
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| * [[VassarWiki:Help]]: Reach out with questions here! The page also includes a directory to guides made by other contributors.
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| All project pages should be listed with [[Template:Consensus]] to indicate whether the page reflects an established consensus, a proposal under consideration, or the position of a specific group or individual.
| | Certain technical actions require their access be limited to a smaller group of contributors called [[VassarWiki:Administrators|administrators]]. These actions include suspending users, deleting and restoring pages, and approving prospective contributors lacking a vassar.edu email. Administrators remain bound to community consensus and are not given any precedence in disputes. |
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| === Talk pages ===
| | [[VassarWiki talk:Administrators|Anyone can apply to be an administrator]]. While there are no official requirements, candidates should have a track record of constructive editing (given how new the wiki is, feel free to immediately apply if you're interested!). Applications to be an administrator are approved following community discussion. Administrators who abuse their authority should be [[VassarWiki:Reports|reported]]. |
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| Every page has a corresponding '''talk page''', where you can resolve disputes about page content or otherwise talk freely.
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| === Categories ===
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| Pages can be assigned to multiple '''categories''', to assist in navigation and organization. Categories are listed at the bottom of a page.
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| === Templates ===
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| '''Templates''' can be
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| == Policies ==
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| '''Policies''' are foundational principles of the site. They should always be followed. Policies are established by community consensus.
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| They should not be confused with [[VassarWiki:Guidelines|guidelines]], which are records of consensus that contributors should ''attempt'' to follow, generally regarding more specific issues.
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| === Build consensus ===
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| Disputes over content should be discussed on the respective talk page and resolved through consensus. While voting can be utilized, it should not act as a replacement for discussion. If a dispute doesn't go your way, please respect the community's decision and move on.
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| Where there is a dispute and a consensus hasn't yet formed or cannot form, the page should remain at the ''status quo ante bellum'' (the status quo before the conflict). If this is for some reason especially untenable, please [[VassarWiki:Reports|report]] the page and it will be dealt with by an administrator. Edit warring (reverting back and forth) is not tolerated (even if you're right).
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| === Leave a trail ===
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| Please sign all messages on talk pages. The visual editor should do this for you automatically on talk pages. When in the source editor, you can add your signature with four tildes (~).
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| To help page histories be navigable, please write a short edit summary for each of your contributions.
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| ==== References ====
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| All content on encyclopedia pages must be sourced with in-line references.<ref>Like this one!</ref> While you are not required to source content on other spaces, it is encouraged.
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| References can be brief, and they don't have to be in any citation style. If possible, link the sources to the relevant VassarWiki page or external website. By sourcing your edits, you help tether the project to reality and help readers find external resources.
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| Sources fall into three categories, listed in decreasing authority:
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| # Reliable publications like external newspapers/journals, ''The Miscellany News'', and official Vassar websites
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| # Public statements by Vassar administration, departments, and VSA-recognized student organizations
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| # Current or past Vassar individuals (including you!)
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| It's super easy to add references! On the visual editor, click the "Cite" button. On the source editor, click the book with a ribbon or write the reference content between <nowiki><ref></nowiki> and <nowiki></ref></nowiki>.
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| === Don't steal ===
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| All content on VassarWiki must be original or in the public domain. If you want to include a resource that is copyrighted, please link to it in an "External links" section. By contributing to VassarWiki, you release your contribution under the [https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/ Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License].<ref>See [[VassarWiki:Disclaimer]]</ref>
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| === VassarWiki is not censored ===
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| VassarWiki is not censored. As a result of this principle, negativity towards any subject is allowed. On encyclopedia pages, negative information must be verified by sources of types 1 or 2, and like all other pages, written from a neutral point of view. Content concerning living people is held to a higher standard than content about other subjects.
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| === Conduct ===
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| Please be respectful and civil. Harassment, defamation, and privacy violations are not tolerated. Deliberately nonconstructive edits will be removed, and editors responsible may be permanently or temporarily suspended from editing VassarWiki.
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| Unless there is clear evidence to the contrary, assume that fellow contributors are here in good faith to improve the project.
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| == Administration ==
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| {{See also|VassarWiki:Adminstrator elections}}
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| VassarWiki adopts a collective governance model, which means it has no single owner or leader. However, certain technical actions require their access to be limited to a smaller group of contributors. '''Administrators''' are contributors who have been granted the ability to perform special actions on VassarWiki, including:
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| * suspending users for policy violations
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| * approving prospective contributors who lack a vassar.edu email
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| * deleting and restoring pages
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| Administrators are ''not'' given any precedence in content disputes (unless the dispute involves a legal issue).
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| Anyone can apply to be an administrator. While there are no official requirements, candidates should have a track record of constructive editing. Applications to be an administrator are approved by consensus through community discussion. Administrators who abuse their authority should be [[VassarWiki:Reports|reported]]. | |
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| == See also == | | == See also == |
| * [[VassarWiki:Launch checklist]] | | * [[VassarWiki:Disclaimer]] |
| | * [[VassarWiki:Privacy policy]] |
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| == References == | | == References == |
| <references /> | | <references /> |