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From SCIFIPEDIA
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Are there submission guidelines for SCIFIPEDIA?
Yes. You may find these at SCIFIPEDIA:Submission Guidelines.
Is there a style guide for SCIFIPEDIA?
Yes. You may find it at SCIFIPEDIA:Style Guide.
Why can't I upload images or other media?
There are issues both mechanical and legal which are being worked out to allow the posting of images and other media. The chief concern is that copyrighted material will be posted illegally and without proper permission from the copyright holders.
It is the intention of SCIFIPEDIA to work toward a resolution of these issues that will allow the posting of images. When the resolution has been developed to our satisfaction, we will allow the posting of images, subject to review and approval by the administrators of SCIFIPEDIA.
Can I use CSS in my entries?
Yes. Basic CSS (up to 2.1) is allowed. SCIFIPEDIA already has basic formatting built in with Wiki commands and that should be used whenever possible. CSS is most useful when constructing a new Project Page or a Portal. See the SCIFIPEDIA Style Guide for more.
Can I use HTML in my entries?
Very basic HTML may be used for formatting purposes. However, SCIFIPEDIA is based on MediaWiki, which has a wide variety of formatting tools available to the user. Bold and italic font styling, article divisions, hyperlinking within or outside of the Wiki and even table construction have support in MediaWiki.
Can I use JavaScript in my entries?
No. For security reasons JavaScript is not allowed in any entry in SCIFIPEDIA. If you attempt to create an article or other part of SCIFIPEDIA containing JavaScript coding, you will not be allowed to save it until the JavaScript is removed.
Can I expand an entry in SCIFIPEDIA?
Absolutely. Every article is a work in progress and your additions are welcome provided that they are related to the topic under which you write.
Can I correct an entry in SCIFIPEDIA?
Yes, or course. Although we hope every article in SCIFIPEDIA will be accurate and complete, we realize that everyone makes errors now and then and we hope that anyone who finds an error will help everyone else out by fixing it.
Can I rename an article in SCIFIPEDIA?
Yes, unless the article is protected (an article can allow edits but still be restricted from being moved). Renaming is essentially moving an article. Be sure there's a consensus on renaming or moving before taking action upon an already established article.
Can I move an article in SCIFIPEDIA?
Yes. Moving is an important part of the Disambiguation process. As always, check for a consensus first if others have been there before you.
Can I reclassify an article in SCIFIPEDIA?
Yes. It's as simple as changing the categories at the bottom of the article when editing. As always, check with other interested parties watching the article through its Discussion page if it entails undoing someone else's hard work. Note: expanding an article's categories is fine, but a radical re-classification should require consensus.
Can I add categories to an article in SCIFIPEDIA?
Yes. Again, we know that not every viewpoint will be represented initially when an article is created and categorized and refining the content of SCIFIPEDIA, which will include re-categorizing articles, will be an ongoing process.
What if I know an article is needed but one doesn't exist?
You're encouraged to write an article if you think it's needed and discover that it doesn't already exist.
If you can't writer the article yourself, you're encouraged to request the creation of the article.
What if I don't have time to write articles for all the entries I think SCIFIPEDIA needs?
Again, request that articles be created. These requests will be posted to an area where volunteers can see what it being asked for and choose to fill the void by creating an article on the subject in question.
What is a stub?
A stub is a very short article or the beginnings of a longer article put in place by a participant who either doesn't have the time to write a full article or who lacks the necessary knowledge to deliver an attempt at complete coverage on a subject.
Stubs are tagged by use of a template. See Help:Stub for more information.
How do I start an article?
As you browse SCIFIPEDIA, you will see names, subjects and phrases highlighted in red within other articles. If you click on one of these highlighted entries, you'll be taken to a new page which will inform you that no such article yet exists and invites you to create it.
Alternatively, you can search for a subject and if the search produces no result, again, you'll be invited to create an article under the subject you've searched for.
How do I edit an article?
Just click on the tab that appears above every article that says "Edit"
What, if any, restrictions are there on article titles?
Some special characters shouldn't be used in article titles: : ; & @ # ! ?==
What is allowed in an article?
Facts and dates relating to the subject. Descriptions of story elements and characters.
Avoid opinions not supported with established facts. Avoid speculations about events not established.
There is already Creator page for the article I want to write. What do I do?
Don't try to edit the Creator page. However, feel free to edit the open article on the same subject.
There is already an article like mine in the SCIFIPEDIA but I think it's inadequate. What should I do?
You should consider trying to add to the article and otherwise edit it to bring it up to what you regard as an acceptable level. However, since someone else has already made an effort in creating the article, it might be a good idea to start with the "Discussion" page associated with the article where you can give notice of the changes you propose to make and, if necessary, compare notes with other writers interested in the subject.
What voice should I use to write in?
Use the objective third person voice. Avoid "I" and "You"
What should be my article's point of view?
The preferred point of view is neutral and objective.
What is NPOV?
Neutral Point of View (NPOV) is a writing style which avoids partisanship and opinions and tries to deliver the established facts in a non-judgmental way, without advocacy or bias.
The subject I wish to write about is complex and could fit many categories. How do I approach this?
Feel free to list an article under as many different categories as it seems to fit into. In the course of writing the article, you should include sufficient details to justify each of your choices of category.
What is SCIFIPEDIA's definition of a primary article?
A primary article is any subject that could many related articles but fit under an umbrella addressing the work or subject as a whole. A primary category should be established for any complex subject and used as a jumping off point for related entries, including a Portal for the subject. An example would be an article in SCIFIPEDIA called Battlestar Galactica. As a primary article, "Battlestar Galactica" should talk about the show and related works in a NPOV summary that will lead readers to other primary pages relating to the original series, the 1980s series, and the re-imagined series; other links within it would obviously be to important names, dates, etc.
A primary category can grow unwieldy very quickly. If you're the first one on the field, consider keeping it informative but simple and making a Portal (see below).
What is a Portal?
A Portal in SCIFIPEDIA is essentially a combination of master guide or compendium organizing related articles, community meeting place and Project page guide, all for a particular subject that is highly complex and very likely the subject of lively debate. Examples would be specific genre subjects such as Star Trek or Doctor Who.
A Portal differs from a primary page in that whereas a primary page is just another article within SCIFIPEDIA, a Portal is a namespace. Consider it to be the SCIFIPEDIA field guide to your subject. You can talk about the science fiction or fantasy work at hand and also provide a centralized access point for other readers to the myriad related subjects involving media spin-offs, character biographies, timelines, bibliographies—it's up to you. You can also list resources for interested parties, a call for articles or clean-up tasks, etc.
What is a fnord?
A fnord is a magic word that you cannot see. It is used liberally in news stories and government press releases. You were conditioned in grade school to feel fear, unease and a desire to be told what to do whenever you see the word "fnord", suppressing any conscious acknowledgement of the word. Fnord. You will not remember reading this fnord you will skip over it fnord you will not read the next question fnord.
Did I just see that?
No, you did not. Fnord.
My subject could have more than one meaning, each very different. How do I resolve this?
Create a separate article for each different meaning of the subject and then create a Disambiguation page which defines each different meaning, briefly explains the differences and distinctions between or among them, and provides links to an article for each variant.
What is a Disambiguation Page?
A Disambiguation Page is a special page. The purpose of a Disambiguation Page is to help users distinguish the difference between two or more subjects which have the same name.
When should I create a Disambiguation Page?
You should create a Disambiguation Page when you encounter two distinctly different concepts or subjects which have exactly the same name.
An example of a concept in need of a Disambiguation Page is "Singularity" which is both an astrophysical concept and a philosophical one.
There is already an article with my subject as its title. My subject means something very different. What should I do?
Create your new article with the different subject and immediately create a Disambiguation Page to help other users distinguish between the different meanings.
There are no articles with my subject as the title but I know the subject title could have more than one meaning. How should I approach this?== Do I have to write something for every meaning?
If you wish, you can simply write an article on the subject you're interested in. However, since you know that a Disambiguation Page will eventually be needed, it would be a useful contribution to establish the alternate meaning and create the Disambiguation Page as well.
2008, SCI FI. All rights reserved.
