CZ:The Author Role: Difference between revisions

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==What's the big picture?==
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As an author, you are the lifeblood of the ''Citizendium''.  You collaboratively write [[CZ:Article Mechanics|encyclopedia articles]] and help supplement them with things like bibliographies and image galleries (see [[CZ:Subpages]] for the full list of supplements).  You also benefit from the "gentle expert oversight" of [[CZ:The Editor Role|Citizendium editors]]--real-life bona-fide ''experts'' in their field--who can certify articles you help write as meeting certain [[CZ:Approval Standards|approval standards]] befitting of quality and accurate encyclopedia articles.  If you become one of our particularly active authors (and we hope you do), you will soon discover that you are part of a vibrant online [[CZ:organization|community]] where you discuss with others the best way to craft article content, debate project policies and development, and sometimes even [[CZ:Humor|joke around]].  What is more, you can do all this with a mission in mind: to help create an encyclopedia of unrivaled quality that is ''free'' to the world (see [[CZ:Why Citizendium?|Why Citizendium?]]). 
As an author, you collaboratively write [[CZ:Article mechanics|encyclopedia articles]] and help supplement them with things like bibliographies and image galleries (see [[CZ:Subpages]] for the full list of supplements).  If you join us, you will become part of an online [[CZ:organization|community]] where you discuss with others the best way to craft article content, debate project policies and development, and sometimes even [[Archive:Humor|joke around]].
 
== Okay, I get the big picture.  How do I get started?==
It's really easy, trust us.


== How do I get started?==
;Begin articles!
;Begin articles!
:Do you know a topic enough to provide at least a starting point to an encyclopedia article about it?  Then '''[[CZ:How to start a new article|start a new article]]!'''  No one ''assigns'' work to authors.  It is your own interests that should guide your authoring.  Still, if you'd like some ideas, you can look over the lists of topics at our [[CZ:Core Articles|Core Articles Initiative]] (click along the gray tabs atop the blue box up top) or our [[CZ:Requested Articles|User-Requested Articles]].
:Do you know a topic enough to start an encyclopedia article about it?  Then '''[[CZ:How to start a new article|start a new article]]!'''  No one ''assigns'' work to authors.  It is your own interests that should guide your authoring.  


;Add to articles
;Add to articles
:You can join in where others have already been at work.  Part of the power of Citizendium is that we ''collaborate'' globally and produce more and much better articles that way.     
:You can join in where others have already been at work.  on ''Citizendium'' we ''collaborate'' globally and produce better articles that way.     
 
If you get stuck, just [mailto:[email protected] ask these friendly folks for help].


== I think I'm ready to get started.  Is there anything else I should know first?==
== I think I'm ready to get started.  Is there anything else I should know first?==
There are several things
;You can explore the [[CZ:Workgroups|Workgroups]].
;Get involved with workgroups
:Click on a Workgrou and you can add yourself as an author there to help others find you for discussionYou can look at the recent changes and see the articles in that area begin so far.
:See [[CZ:Workgroups|Workgroups]] in the left-hand column, under "project pages"?  (You might have to scroll up.Click on that.  You can add yourself as an author to any workgroup, and join the group's mailing listThen you can look at the recent changes, look over the offerings so far, and--maybe most importantly--expand our content about [[CZ:Core Articles|basic topics]].


;Monitor project-wide recent changes
;Monitor project-wide recent changes
:From any page at all, look to the left, under "project pages," for the "[[Special:Recentchanges|Recent changes]]" link.  Click that and explore the links you see.  That will give you an idea of what has been going on on the wiki lately.  Note that you can opt to view up to 500 changes at a time.  You can help others out and talk about what you're doing, either on the article's [[CZ:Talk Pages|talk page]] or on the person's "user talk" page.  (Go to the person's user page and then hit the "discussion" tab.)
:From any page at all, look to the left, under "project pages," for the "[[Special:Recentchanges|Recent changes]]" link.  Click that and explore the links you see.  That will give you an idea of what has been going on on the wiki lately.  Note that you can opt to view up to 500 changes at a time.  You can help others out and talk about what you're doing, either on the article's [[CZ:Talk Pages|talk page]] or on the person's "user talk" page.  (Go to the person's user page and then hit the "discussion" tab.)
 
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;Look into our latest initiatives
;Look into our latest initiatives
:We often have some community-wide [[CZ:Initiatives|initiatives]] going on, that you can join.
:We often have some community-wide [[CZ:Initiatives|initiatives]] going on, that you can join.
 
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== How does collaboration work? ==
== How does collaboration work? ==
A robust wiki is  ''strongly'' collaborative.  Articles are unsigned, so new contributors don't feel they're stepping on the toes of the previous author(s).  (You can still see who has worked on an article, however, in the page history: click the "history" tab.)  Authors take pride in their work, but individual articles are owned and managed by the whole community.  Instead, we all take responsibility, and mostly we negotiate (on [[CZ:Talk Pages|talk pages]]) to a mutually acceptable compromise.
A robust wiki is  ''strongly'' collaborative.  Articles are unsigned, so new contributors don't feel they're stepping on the toes of the previous author(s).  (You can still see who has worked on an article, however, in the page history: click the "history" tab.)  Authors take pride in their work, but all articles are owned and managed by the whole community.  We all take responsibility, and mostly we negotiate (on [[CZ:Talk Pages|talk pages]]) to a mutually acceptable compromise.


This content is free forever--so, if it's good enough, people will be inspired to improve it indefinitely.  This is an opportunity to create vast amounts of content that represents the full spectrum of human understanding, in a way both credible and [[CZ:Neutrality Policy|neutral]].  And free!
This content is free forever--so, if it's good enough, people will be inspired to improve it indefinitely.  This is an opportunity to create vast amounts of content that represents the full spectrum of human understanding, in a way both credible and [[CZ:Objectivity_Guidance|objective]].  And free!






== See also ==
== See also ==
;[[CZ:Home|Home]] (The jumping-off place for all community pages
;[[CZ:Home|Home, The jumping-off place for all community pages]]
 
 
;[[CZ:Getting Started|Everything you need to get started]]
;[[CZ:Getting Started|Everything you need to get started]]
;[[CZ:Article Mechanics|A guide to mechanics and style]]
 
 
;[[CZ:Article mechanics|A guide to mechanics and style]]
 
 
;[[CZ:Introduction to CZ for Wikipedians|Introduction to CZ for Wikipedians]]
;[[CZ:Introduction to CZ for Wikipedians|Introduction to CZ for Wikipedians]]
;[[We aren't Wikipedia]]; We do things differently here.
 
 
;[[CZ:We aren't Wikipedia|We aren't Wikipedia]]. We do things differently here.
 
 
;[[CZ:How to edit an article|How to edit an article]] (Technical help; how to use MediaWiki)
;[[CZ:How to edit an article|How to edit an article]] (Technical help; how to use MediaWiki)
;[[CZ:How to use talk pages|How to use talk pages]] (One of the crucial tools of a wiki, where we explain edits and come to agreements)
 
;[[:Category:CZ Authors|:A list of ''Citizendium'' authors]]
 
;[[CZ:The Editor Role|The Editor Role]]
;[[CZ:How to use talk pages|How to use talk pages]] (where we explain edits and come to agreements)
 
 
;[[:Category:CZ Authors|A list of ''Citizendium'' authors]]
 
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;[[CZ:The Editor Role|The Editor Role]] -->


{{Getting Started}} [[Category:Getting Started]]
{{Getting Started}} [[Category:Getting Started]]

Latest revision as of 05:50, 13 October 2024


As an author, you collaboratively write encyclopedia articles and help supplement them with things like bibliographies and image galleries (see CZ:Subpages for the full list of supplements). If you join us, you will become part of an online community where you discuss with others the best way to craft article content, debate project policies and development, and sometimes even joke around.

How do I get started?

Begin articles!
Do you know a topic enough to start an encyclopedia article about it? Then start a new article! No one assigns work to authors. It is your own interests that should guide your authoring.
Add to articles
You can join in where others have already been at work. on Citizendium we collaborate globally and produce better articles that way.

I think I'm ready to get started. Is there anything else I should know first?

You can explore the Workgroups.
Click on a Workgrou and you can add yourself as an author there to help others find you for discussion. You can look at the recent changes and see the articles in that area begin so far.
Monitor project-wide recent changes
From any page at all, look to the left, under "project pages," for the "Recent changes" link. Click that and explore the links you see. That will give you an idea of what has been going on on the wiki lately. Note that you can opt to view up to 500 changes at a time. You can help others out and talk about what you're doing, either on the article's talk page or on the person's "user talk" page. (Go to the person's user page and then hit the "discussion" tab.)

How does collaboration work?

A robust wiki is strongly collaborative. Articles are unsigned, so new contributors don't feel they're stepping on the toes of the previous author(s). (You can still see who has worked on an article, however, in the page history: click the "history" tab.) Authors take pride in their work, but all articles are owned and managed by the whole community. We all take responsibility, and mostly we negotiate (on talk pages) to a mutually acceptable compromise.

This content is free forever--so, if it's good enough, people will be inspired to improve it indefinitely. This is an opportunity to create vast amounts of content that represents the full spectrum of human understanding, in a way both credible and objective. And free!


See also

Home, The jumping-off place for all community pages


Everything you need to get started


A guide to mechanics and style


Introduction to CZ for Wikipedians


We aren't Wikipedia. We do things differently here.


How to edit an article (Technical help; how to use MediaWiki)


How to use talk pages (where we explain edits and come to agreements)


A list of Citizendium authors


Citizendium Getting Started
Quick Start | About us | Help system | Start a new article | For Wikipedians