Collaboration best practices

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  1. Collaboration Best Practices

This article outlines best practices for effective collaboration within a MediaWiki environment. Whether you are a new contributor or an experienced editor, understanding these guidelines will help you work seamlessly with others to build a high-quality, accurate, and comprehensive wiki. This guide covers communication, editing etiquette, conflict resolution, and technical aspects of collaborative editing.

Why Collaboration Matters

MediaWiki is designed to be a collaborative platform. Its strength lies in the collective knowledge and effort of its community. Effective collaboration leads to:

  • Increased Accuracy: Multiple perspectives help identify and correct errors.
  • Broader Coverage: Contributors with diverse expertise can expand the scope of the wiki.
  • Improved Quality: Constructive feedback enhances writing style and clarity.
  • Faster Development: Tasks are distributed, leading to quicker completion.
  • Community Building: Collaboration fosters a sense of ownership and shared responsibility.

Communication is Key

Before diving into edits, communication is crucial. Clear and respectful communication prevents misunderstandings and fosters a positive collaborative environment.

  • Talk Pages: Each article has a corresponding Talk:Article name page. This is *the* primary place to discuss changes, suggest improvements, and raise concerns. Always discuss significant changes on the talk page *before* implementing them. Use the "New section" button to start a new thread.
  • User Talk Pages: Use User:Username pages to communicate directly with other editors. This is appropriate for personal messages, feedback, or requests.
  • WikiProject Pages: Many wikis have WikiProject:Project name pages dedicated to specific topics. These projects coordinate efforts and establish guidelines for articles within their scope. Joining relevant WikiProjects is an excellent way to collaborate with like-minded editors.
  • Edit Summaries: Every edit should have a concise and informative edit summary. This brief description explains the purpose of your changes. Good examples include "Fixed typo," "Added section on X," or "Expanded on Y with source Z." Vague summaries like "Minor edits" or leaving it blank are discouraged.
  • Be Respectful: Assume good faith. Even if you disagree with another editor, approach the situation with respect and a willingness to understand their perspective. Avoid personal attacks or inflammatory language.
  • Be Clear and Concise: When communicating, use clear and concise language. Avoid jargon or overly complex sentences.

Editing Etiquette

Following proper editing etiquette ensures a smooth and productive collaboration process.

  • Minor Edits: Use the "Minor edit" checkbox only for truly minor changes, such as fixing typos, formatting errors, or correcting obvious inaccuracies. Do *not* use it for content additions or substantial revisions.
  • Avoid Edit Wars: If you disagree with another editor’s changes, discuss it on the talk page rather than repeatedly reverting their edits. Repeatedly undoing another user's work is considered an edit war and can lead to sanctions.
  • Reverting Edits: If you must revert an edit, provide a clear explanation in your edit summary. Ideally, attempt to discuss the issue with the editor first.
  • Source Your Edits: All content added to the wiki should be verifiable and supported by reliable sources. Provide citations for all factual claims.
  • Follow Style Guidelines: Each wiki has its own style guide. Familiarize yourself with these guidelines and adhere to them consistently. This ensures a uniform and professional appearance.
  • Be Bold, But Cautious: Don't be afraid to contribute, but always be mindful of the potential impact of your changes. Preview your edits before saving them.
  • Use Preview: Always use the "Show preview" button before saving your edits to ensure that your changes are formatted correctly and do not introduce any errors.
  • Don't Remove Valid Content Without Discussion: If you disagree with existing content, discuss it on the talk page before removing it. Removing valid, sourced information is disruptive.
  • Respect Copyright: Do not copy content from other sources without permission. All content must be either original or licensed under a compatible license. See copyright guidelines for more information.

Conflict Resolution

Disagreements are inevitable in a collaborative environment. Here's how to handle conflicts constructively:

  • Assume Good Faith: Start by assuming that the other editor has good intentions.
  • Discuss on the Talk Page: The talk page is the appropriate venue for resolving disputes.
  • Focus on Content, Not Personalities: Address the issue at hand, not the editor’s character.
  • Be Willing to Compromise: Collaboration often requires compromise. Be open to considering alternative solutions.
  • Seek Mediation: If you are unable to resolve the conflict on your own, consider seeking mediation from an experienced editor or administrator. Many wikis have a dispute resolution process.
  • Avoid Personal Attacks: Never resort to personal attacks or inflammatory language.
  • Document the Discussion: Keep a record of the discussion on the talk page.

Technical Aspects of Collaboration

MediaWiki provides several technical features to facilitate collaboration.

  • Watchlists: Add pages to your watchlist to receive notifications when they are edited. This allows you to stay informed about changes to articles you are interested in.
  • Page History: Use the page history to view previous versions of an article and identify who made specific changes.
  • Diffs: A diff shows the differences between two versions of a page. This is helpful for understanding exactly what changes have been made.
  • User Rights: Different users have different levels of access and permissions. User rights determine what actions a user can perform (e.g., editing protected pages, deleting pages).
  • Templates: Templates are reusable blocks of code that can be used to standardize formatting and content across multiple pages.
  • Categories: Categories are used to organize articles by topic. Adding articles to relevant categories makes them easier to find.
  • Redirects: Redirects allow you to create alternative titles for pages.
  • Sandbox: Use the sandbox to experiment with edits and test new ideas without affecting live articles.
  • VisualEditor: The VisualEditor provides a more user-friendly interface for editing pages, similar to a word processor.
  • Flow: Flow is a modern discussion system that replaces traditional talk pages on some wikis.


Strategies for Content Improvement

Beyond basic editing, several strategies can enhance content quality through collaboration.

  • Peer Review: Request a peer review from other editors to assess the quality and accuracy of your work.
  • Featured Article Candidacy: Work with others to develop high-quality articles that meet the criteria for featured article status.
  • Good Article Candidacy: Similarly, aim for good article status as a stepping stone to featured article status.
  • Stub Expansion: Expand existing stub articles to provide more comprehensive coverage of a topic.
  • Translation: Translate articles from other languages to expand the wiki’s reach.
  • Infobox Addition: Add or improve infoboxes to provide a concise summary of key information.
  • Image Integration: Add relevant images to enhance the visual appeal and understanding of articles. Ensure images are properly licensed.

Resources for Further Learning



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