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

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We can use Wikipedia articles as places to start our articles here on the ''Citizendium.''  But we should bear in mind that [[CZ:We aren't Wikipedia|the ''Citizendium'' is a different project]], for which we are creating a new culture.  To the extent that Wikipedia articles themselves encode a navel-gazing, user-unfriendly culture that we want to reject, we absolutely must revise these articles entirely--or start over from scratch.
{{seealso|CZ:Import}}
{{TOC|right}}
== 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]]).


== The advantages of writing from scratch ==
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 [[CZ:DeWPify|de-WP-ify]] articles.


Maybe you should simply write an article from scratch.  There are many advantages to doing so:
== 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.
* '''Editing Wikipedia articles can be a pain.'''  Wikipedia articles might appear to be impressive on first glance, but we have found that they are in fact frequently poorly-written and need huge amounts of revision.  It can be faster, and certainly more pleasant anyway, to start over.
 
* '''Editing Wikipedia articles tends to lock you into things that need redeciding.'''  Editing someone else's article usually means you retain the structure/outline of the article, the writing style, and in general ''everything'' that you do not specifically choose to undo.  If the article you're editing happens to be of high quality, this is not a problem; but if not...
 
* '''Writing from scratch is more motivating.'''  If you write from scratch, you experience the joy of creation in a way you do not if you merely clean up someone else's article.  Furthermore, if an article originated with the ''Citizendium,'' then ''other'' people arguably will be more interested in joining in; it's more interesting to collaborate with the original author(s) of an article than on a neutral article for which no one in particular is responsible.
 
* '''Writing from scratch allows us to avoid using the GFDL.'''  There's an excellent chance that we will be releasing our own articles, i.e., those with no Wikipedia content, under a Creative Commons license rather than the GFDL.  Arguably, this makes it easier for other people to use those articles.
 
== Should you really upload that Wikipedia article to the ''Citizendium?'' ==
 
Maybe, maybe not.  Your answers to the following questions should all be "Yes":
 
* '''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.  If the Wikipedia article is mediocre, we would prefer that you start over from scratch.
 
* '''Do you ''actually'' intend to do significant work on the article sometime in the next hour?'''  If not, don't upload it, or not until you actually want to start working on it.  We are ''not'' creating a mirror of Wikipedia here. If you merely want your brilliant work on Wikipedia to be reprinted in another, more credible source, then you must make up your mind: are you really going to maintain the article here on the ''Citizendium'' or not?  If not, stick with Wikipedia.
 
* '''Have you actually bought into this ''Citizendium'' thing at all?'''  If not, leave well alone, please, and stick with Wikipedia until you're actually convinced.  This means, among other things, that you are committed to working in a collegial, mature atmosphere, guided gently by expert editors.  It also means that you are actually using your own real name; we ''do'' take that policy seriously here.  More generally it means you accept our [http://www.citizendium.org/fundamentals.html Statement of Fundamental Policies.]
 
== First, check the "Content is from Wikipedia?" box ==
 
The very first step, after you copy a Wikipedia article's text here, is to '''check the "Content is from Wikipedia?" box,''' which appears just below the edit summary.  This is a box that appears only on the ''Citizendium,'' so Wikipedians may not be familiar with it.  But it's there and it is waiting to be checked, if you use any text from Wikipedia!
 
Also, simply save the copy from Wikipedia without making any changes.  This will allow others to see how many changes you've made, when they look at the page history.


== Improving articles stylistically ==
== Improving articles stylistically ==
When you rewrite Wikipedia articles:


Many Wikipedia articles have certain stylistic problemsWhen you rewrite them:
* '''Make sure that the articles are well-written and unified,''' following a coherent, well-organized narrative, not grab-bags of unintegrated facts.   


* '''Make sure that the articles are well-written and unified,''' following a coherent, well-organized narrative, not grab-bags of unintegrated factsThe purpose of an encyclopedia article is not just to list out information about a topic, but to contextualize general information about a topic in a single readable "story," as it were.
* '''Use engaging language,''' not the sleep-inducing prose that some people seem to think is required for encyclopedia articlesAvoid stilted or hackneyed expressions.


* '''Craft your sentences using engaging language,''' not the typical vague, unadventurous, and soporific prose that some people seem to think is required for encyclopedia articles.
* '''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").


* '''Generally, keep your audience in mind.'''  Bear in mind that articles on the ''Citizendium'' are written first and foremost 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.  More particularly, bear in mind that your audience is university-level, unless your topic itself absolutely requires a higher-level treatment (cannot be understood "at the undergraduate level").  You might have to rewrite completely those articles that appear to be written by people more concerned with showing off what they learned in their graduate seminars than actually introducing a topic to people who need an article about the topic.
Also see [[CZ:Introduction_to_CZ_for_Wikipedians#Differences in style, approach and tone|Differences in style, approach and tone]]


== Improving article mechanics ==
== Improving article mechanics ==


While we follow many of Wikipedia's conventions of mechanics, such as '''bolding''' titles---our own are being developed at [[CZ:Article Mechanics]]--we are stripping down many others.  In particular, we are removing many templates, virtually all categories, and all interwiki links.
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 ===
 
Templates should ''help'' the user rather than ''distracting'' the user.
Templates should "pay their own way" by actually ''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 be sure to upload the template from Wikipedia.  Sorry, no, we will not be uploading the entire Wikipedia template namespace; that's too much of an inducement for people to replicate Wikipedia's overuse of templates here.
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 [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Infobox_templates infobox templates] and [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Navigational_templates navigational templates] need to be completely revisited.  Many are useful, but many are not.
Many [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Infobox_templates infobox templates] and [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Navigational_templates navigational templates] need to be completely revisited.  Many are useful, but many are not.


=== Categories ===
=== Categories ===
Delete all categories not specifically added for the ''Citizendium.''


Delete all categories that were not specifically added for the ''Citizendium.''  That means virtually all categories.  Categories ''not'' to delete include "workgroup" categories, <code><nowiki>[[Category:CZ Live]]</nowiki></code>, and occasionally some other extremely well-chosen categories.
There is an excellent chance that we will replace subject categories with an in-line system of "Subtopics" and "Related topics"; [http://forum.citizendium.org/index.php/topic,513.0.html see this Forums post.]  So, please do not create new categories.


=== Interwiki links ===
=== Interwiki links ===
 
Delete all of these, but keep internal links to other articles in English.
Delete all of these.  They will be broken, and many ''Citizendium'' articles will have different titles from Wikipedia articles--in all languages.


=== 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, if you like, do upload all ''usable'' images from Wikipedia or Wikimedia Commons.  But note that some images are not usable.  Make sure that you also upload ''all licensing information'' as well!
=== See also ===
 
* [[CZ:Import]]
In particular, do ''not'' upload images (and delete links to these) that were created by someone who ''on Wikipedia'' was evidently using a pseudonym.  We must be able to locate the original uploader of all media, and a real name is a minimum requirement for this.  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.
* [[CZ:We aren't Wikipedia|We aren't Wikipedia]]
* [[CZ:Introduction to CZ for Wikipedians|Introduction to CZ for Wikipedians]]


Also, do not upload images that do not have clear licensing data.  And again, ''copy'' that licensing data.
{{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