CZ:How to convert Wikipedia articles to Citizendium articles: Difference between revisions

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imported>Gareth Leng
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imported>John Stephenson
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We can use Wikipedia articles as places to start our articles here on  ''Citizendium'', but  bear in mind that [[CZ:We aren't Wikipedia|the ''Citizendium'' is a different project]], for which we are creating a new culture.
{{seealso|CZ:Import}}
 
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== Should you upload that Wikipedia article to ''Citizendium?'' ==
== Should you upload that Wikipedia article to ''Citizendium?'' ==
Citizendium encourages original content, but if you do upload your content from WP, please check the "Content is from Wikipedia?" checkbox when you save the page.  Also, please place the [[Template:WPauthor|WPauthor template]] at the top of the talk page (see also [[Template:WPauthor2|WPauthor2 template]]).


* '''Is the Wikipedia article reasonably good?'''  In other words, to create an expert-approvable article, in your judgment, it should be more efficient to edit the article than start over from scratch.   
Many articles still retain "mirrored" content from WPIf the article has the "Content is from Wikipedia?" checkbox checked, then some of the article's content had previously been uploaded from WP. Please '''''do not''''' uncheck this checkbox.  If you are interested in ameliorating this content, please see how to [[CZ:DeWPify|de-WP-ify]] articles.
 
* '''Do you ''actually'' intend to do significant work on the article sometime in the next day (or week at least)?''' If  not, don't upload it until you actually want to start working on it (''significant work'' means, at a minimum, to put your article into the context of other ''Citizendium'' articles by  the [[CZ:Subpages|subpages system]], particularly the [[CZ:Definitions|definitions]] and [[CZ:Related Articles|Related Articles]].
If the answers to these are "yes", then first save the copy from Wikipedia without making any changes. This will let others see what changes you've made by looking at the page history.
 
Then, '''check the "Content is from Wikipedia?" box,''' which appears just below the edit summary unless 
#if you copy ''only'' what you personally wrote.  If you are the ''sole'' author of the version of the article that you are importing, then you ''need not'' check the "Content is from Wikipedia?" box. In that case, please place the [[Template:WPauthor|WPauthor template]] at the top of the talk page (see also [[Template:WPauthor2|WPauthor2 template]]).
#if the Wikipedia material is an unchanged copy from a third source (like ''Encyclopedia Britannica'' 11th edition (1911); make sure you cite that third source; Wikipedia does not get any credit.


== Article accuracy ==
== Article accuracy ==
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=== Templates ===
=== Templates ===
 
Templates should ''help'' the user rather than ''distracting'' the user.
Templates should "pay their own way" by ''helping'' the user rather than ''distracting'' the user from important information.


Delete ''many'' [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Template_messages template messages]--particularly the ones that are for contributors and are self-referential.  This includes [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Template_messages/General#Timing-related_messages timing-related messages], [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Template_messages/General#Expansion_requests expansion requests], and all [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Sister_projects Wikimedia sister projects].
Delete ''many'' [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Template_messages template messages]--particularly the ones that are for contributors and are self-referential.  This includes [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Template_messages/General#Timing-related_messages timing-related messages], [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Template_messages/General#Expansion_requests expansion requests], and all [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Sister_projects Wikimedia sister projects].


Other templates to delete include: [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Template_messages/Sources_of_articles#Requesting_sources requesting sources], [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Template_messages/Deletion deletion], [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Template_messages/Disputes disputes and warnings], [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Template_messages/Maintenance maintenance], [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Template_messages/Cleanup cleanup], and
Other templates to delete include: [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Template_messages/Sources_of_articles#Requesting_sources requesting sources], [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Template_messages/Deletion deletion], [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Template_messages/Disputes disputes and warnings], [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Template_messages/Maintenance maintenance], [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Template_messages/Cleanup cleanup], and
[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Template_messages/Lists lists].  Presumably, we will want to rewrite our own such templates--if we have any at all--and place them on talk pages, not on the articles themselves.
[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Template_messages/Lists lists].  


If you ''do'' retain a template in an article you're working on, for an infobox for example, then upload the template from Wikipedia.  We will not be uploading the entire Wikipedia template namespace.
If you ''do'' retain a template in an article you're working on, for an infobox for example, then upload the template from Wikipedia.  We will not be uploading the entire Wikipedia template namespace.
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=== Images ===
=== Images ===
Please  upload all ''usable'' images from Wikipedia or Wikimedia Commons along with ''all licensing information''. Do not upload images that do not have clear licensing data. Do ''not'' upload images (and delete links to these) that were created by someone who ''on Wikipedia'' was using a pseudonym.  We must be able to locate the original uploader of all media, and a real name is a minimum requirement.  You might be able to get the person to reveal his or her name for our use here on ''Citizendium;'' you can attempt to contact the person on Wikipedia.
Please  upload all ''usable'' images from Wikipedia or Wikimedia Commons along with ''all licensing information''. Do not upload images that do not have clear licensing data. Do ''not'' upload images (and delete links to these) that were created by someone who ''on Wikipedia'' was using a pseudonym.  We must be able to locate the original uploader of all media, and a real name is a minimum requirement.  You might be able to get the person to reveal his or her name for our use here on ''Citizendium;'' you can attempt to contact the person on Wikipedia.


=== See also ===
=== See also ===
* [[CZ:Import]]
* [[CZ:We aren't Wikipedia|We aren't Wikipedia]]
* [[CZ:We aren't Wikipedia|We aren't Wikipedia]]
* [[CZ:Introduction to CZ for Wikipedians|Introduction to CZ for Wikipedians]]
* [[CZ:Introduction to CZ for Wikipedians|Introduction to CZ for Wikipedians]]


{{Content Policy}}
{{Content Policy}}

Latest revision as of 08:15, 29 June 2012

See also: CZ:Import

Should you upload that Wikipedia article to Citizendium?

Citizendium encourages original content, but if you do upload your content from WP, please check the "Content is from Wikipedia?" checkbox when you save the page. Also, please place the WPauthor template at the top of the talk page (see also WPauthor2 template).

Many articles still retain "mirrored" content from WP. If the article has the "Content is from Wikipedia?" checkbox checked, then some of the article's content had previously been uploaded from WP. Please do not uncheck this checkbox. If you are interested in ameliorating this content, please see how to de-WP-ify articles.

Article accuracy

If you are thinking about importing content from Wikipedia, do some fact-checking to ensure that the content is reliable. General reference works such as the Encyclopedia Britannica are a good way to check basic facts about a subject. Specialized reference works are better, though. The standard reference works of a discipline are what experts themselves consult, and tend to reflect current scholarship much better than general works.

Improving articles stylistically

When you rewrite Wikipedia articles:

  • Make sure that the articles are well-written and unified, following a coherent, well-organized narrative, not grab-bags of unintegrated facts.
  • Use engaging language, not the sleep-inducing prose that some people seem to think is required for encyclopedia articles. Avoid stilted or hackneyed expressions.
  • Remember your audience; our goal is to express, not merely impress. Articles on Citizendium are written for the educated person who needs an introduction to the topic--and not for the author to catalog very impressively everything he knows on the topic. Bear in mind that your audience is university-level, unless your topic itself requires a higher-level treatment (cannot be understood "at the undergraduate level").

Also see Differences in style, approach and tone

Improving article mechanics

We follow many of Wikipedia's conventions of mechanics, such as bolding titles--but not all. In particular, we are removing many templates, virtually all categories, and all interwiki links.

Templates

Templates should help the user rather than distracting the user.

Delete many template messages--particularly the ones that are for contributors and are self-referential. This includes timing-related messages, expansion requests, and all Wikimedia sister projects.

Other templates to delete include: requesting sources, deletion, disputes and warnings, maintenance, cleanup, and lists.

If you do retain a template in an article you're working on, for an infobox for example, then upload the template from Wikipedia. We will not be uploading the entire Wikipedia template namespace.

Many infobox templates and navigational templates need to be completely revisited. Many are useful, but many are not.

Categories

Delete all categories not specifically added for the Citizendium.


Interwiki links

Delete all of these, but keep internal links to other articles in English.

Images

Please upload all usable images from Wikipedia or Wikimedia Commons along with all licensing information. Do not upload images that do not have clear licensing data. Do not upload images (and delete links to these) that were created by someone who on Wikipedia was using a pseudonym. We must be able to locate the original uploader of all media, and a real name is a minimum requirement. You might be able to get the person to reveal his or her name for our use here on Citizendium; you can attempt to contact the person on Wikipedia.

See also


Citizendium Content Policy
Approval Standards | Article Mechanics | Subpages | Importing material from other sources | Citable articles
How to Edit
Getting Started Organization Technical Help
Policies Content Policy
Welcome Page