CZ:Approval Announcements
May 8, 2007
- Newly approved articles:
The big news this Tuesday is our 2 newly approved articles: Complex number and Prime number. These are the first mathematics articles ever nominated for approval!
Like the first Biology articles, these articles likely need copyediting and the nominating editors can contact me to effect these.Nancy Sculerati 08:49, 8 May 2007 (CDT)
- Like the first Biology article, there seems to be discussion that a line or two is not accurate, or at least well stated, in one of the articles. Is this a copyedit? No, but if 3 editors can quickly agree to fix it, a version 1.1. of a "glitched' newly approved article can be up within 24 hours.
Congratulations Mathematics Workgroup!
Just as no book was ever published (to my knowlege anyway) without need for an erratum or copyedit (if a reader looked closely enough), these articles are a real accomplishment on the part of co-operative effort to synthesize a good article on the wiki - but, as newly frozen articles are likely to be imperfect.
- Hopefully, editors will soon reach consensus on copyedits, and the workgroup will look over both articles for any outstanding issues to be QUICKLY corrected.
- Other changes, and further development of each article, will - of course- continue on the draft pages and all are welcome to author there.
- Now that the Mathematics group has learned how it's done, we look forward to many more articles from you.
- Articles newly nominated for approval:
In the Literature Workgroup- the lead article: Literature is due for approval on May 10. Discussion and correction is welcome. If no Literature editor removes the template, or asks that the date be extended, approval will occur on May 10.
In the Media Workgroup: Telephone Newspaper is due for approval on May 11.
WHICH version gets approved?
The template for nominating an approved version point to a version, at the same time the draft is modified up until approval. How does the Constabulary know which version to approve? I call on the constabulary to answer here, please. Nancy Sculerati
- Keep in mind that the constable doesn't actually approve articles, only editors may do this. The constable only performs the mechanics of protecting the pages and setting up the draft versions. When the editor points to a version on the ToApprove template, that is the version that the constable performs the mechanics of approval and protects. Any edits made after the version that the editor pointed to will only be included in the new Draft version, not the Approved version. So technically, once an editor nominates a version for approval, authors may continue to work without being part of the approval process. Keep in mind that the approving editor (or editors) may update the version at any time before the "date to be approved" to include those new changes. So, when the the date of approval arrives, the constable performs the mechanics upon the version that the ToApprove template is pointing to on that day. --Matt Innis (Talk) 14:06, 8 May 2007 (CDT)
What's the answer, then? It depends on the specific article and on communication between the nominating editor(s) and the constable approving the version - that's the answer. For the upcoming Literature article, for example, e-mails to the editor that nominated the article for approval may resolve any controversy over which version. Unless the template is changed to point to a new version,- or removed altogether by an editor in that workgroup-, when the approval date comes, it is the version pointed to by the template that the constable will approve. What if new incorporations in the draft would make it a better article? Well, then the article can be approved again- a new version, using the same rules that produced the first approval. Generally, however, if modifications between approved versions are minor, and the nominating editor(s) ask the constable for a short approval time between nomination and approval (like 24 hours) that will be granted.Nancy Sculerati
- I have been involved in a few approvals both as editor and sysop activating the approved version, and actually pioneered (and wrote) the slightly challenging draft approval (Version 1.1 etc.) process. All this is obvious to editors who have been through extensive editing and approval of big articles like Biology and Life.
- The decision about which version is approve comes up time after time. It seems always to be complicated by a rush of last minute changes, and most frustratingly, while we are attempting to complete last minute copy edits, there will be a late arrival of a controversial edit of substance which by older rules, would freeze further copy editing because it is slow to be reverted in the approved copy (eg see long debate about proofs in the forums, recent talk in Life, older talk in Biology etc). The very recent entry of Dr Schulerati as an editing role hopefully will solve these trivial but annoying challenges.
- My considered advice, in blunt terms is:
- Intellectuals should shut up for a few days till the approval V 1.1 goes through, then let fire with all cartridges with a pistol fully loaded. Deep philosphical debates at the wrong time are slowing down the printing presses and confusing the workers!.
(Tongue in cheek emoticon goes here (-)
But which version?
The path I have trodden as nominating editor is to continually update the URL pointer in the template To approve Tag to the latest version containing good copy, and annotate, with each pointer update, the approval area with comments like
- URL pointer updated David Tribe 16:47, 8 May 2007 (CDT)
so that the sysop (constable) actioning the approval has a clear indication of which version has full editorial support. This is assuming that ALL the edits contained in the pointer are typographical correction to a just previously duly nominated approved version. Again, last minute proposals to change text in a substantial way derail the judgement process by the "disinterested" constable.
In the last two Math approvals, even after the deadline, there were debates that required mathematical and other judgments. I took the view that I was unqualified as a sysop to judge the validity of them ( I understood what they were, and thought the Taylor series link was probably OK and a trivial decision but it's 40 years since I studied Taylor series) and that the articles had been through a thorough approval period, and that in any case if the issues turned out in the judgment of the Math editors out to be crucial, Math editors could push for Version 1.1 within about 24 hours if need be.
Revision of a Approved article to Version 1.1 or 1.2 should be no big deal. Version 1.1 should be an efficient phase for identifying overlooked glitches on approved versions, and my advice is to avoid redrafts and major change till even version 1.2 is on the board.
My attitude is based on the conviction we need to notch up many more approved articles, and that the degree of error in articles that have reached this (Version 1) stage is trivial compared to the great swathe of mediocre stuff we still have sitting there. As we say repeatedly, we have bigger fish to fry.
In fact we should have a "Bigger fish to fry", or just a fish image , template to make the point David Tribe 16:47, 8 May 2007 (CDT)
May 3, 2007
This Thursday we'd like to focus on developing articles that require editors' and authors' attention.
The lead article in the Literature Workgroup is coming along beautifully. Are there Literature editors out there who have not yet applied for Editorship? Granted, it's a steep hurdle for qualifications - but if you have a Ph D in Literature or related fields, please e-mail personnel@citizendium.org. This is an important article that is on the verge of blossoming. Eyes wanted.
All interested editors, authors and readers, please see Literature.
- UPDATE: Now nominated.
New medium of the last "turn of the century": Telephone Newspaper
It's an obscure topic, true- but a fascinating one! Telephone Newspaper is a window into the past development of journalism in electronic media - albeit very low voltage electronic media. Is this article properly classified as to workgoup? It certainly seems that nomination for approval should be the next step by the editor(s) who can perform due diligence and verify accuracy. Will it languish, fully formed, for want of approval?
Where is its nominating editor?
Telephone Newspaper awaits you!
- UPDATE: Now nominated.
Here's one we have the editors for; getting this article into shape for approval nomination requires meeting a different sort of challenge. This article is inter-disciplinary to its core, at least among the sciences, including social sciences, and — it's in the workgroup — philosophy, too.
- Can there be a swarm of authors and editors that buzz this one into high polish?
- Or will it continue its tradition of being one of Citizendium's magnets for contention ?
Scientific method is developed, and has been developing — as well as been deconstructed — for a very long time.
Now is the time for all good men and women to review:
- Articles newly nominated for approval:
Two mathematics articles are now up for approval: Complex number and Prime number. These are the first mathematics articles ever nominated for approval! I've copied the nominating editor's remarks from the Forums below: Note that these articles can still be improved before the approval takes hold on Sunday, May 6. In particular, a few sections were rearranged or moved to other articles recently, so the current version probably doesn't flow as well as it used to from section to section. But also there are several comments on their discussion pages that haven't been addressed yet; while many of them can wait for the future, we might as well try to get as good a first version approved as we can. So be bold! Greg Martin
no new articles have been approved in the last two days
May 1, 2007
- Articles newly nominated for approval:
Two mathematics articles are now up for approval: Complex number and Prime number. These are the first mathematics articles ever nominated for approval! I've copied the nominating editor's remarks from the Forums below: Note that these articles can still be improved before the approval takes hold on Sunday, May 6. In particular, a few sections were rearranged or moved to other articles recently, so the current version probably doesn't flow as well as it used to from section to section. But also there are several comments on their discussion pages that haven't been addressed yet; while many of them can wait for the future, we might as well try to get as good a first version approved as we can. So be bold! Greg Martin
- Newly Approved Articles:
Our very first History articles to be approved!
CONGRATULATIONS!!
April 27, 2007
This announcement is for the wiki hackers among us: the skin for Approved articles needs a facial.
What's needed? (All registered users should feel free to add to & edit this list)
- Approved articles need a look that tells the user that he or she is reading an approved article
- A conventional means of indicating important facts (such as: nominating editor, date approved, list of approving editors) is also needed
- A clear disclaimer
What's been said so far?
Here are threads on the forum that all deserve our attention (please add to these):
- Article Approval notice box size too large? http://forum.citizendium.org/index.php/topic,861.0.html
- Re: Proof versions of articles« Reply #32 on: April 19, 2007, 04:43:23 PM »[1]
- Should there be a Group Approval Template? [2]
Here are current pages on Citizendium that have to do with Approval templates:
- Our current Nomination for Approval Template http://en.citizendium.org/wiki/Template:ToApprove
Invitation to link sandbox trials here
(To make your own sandbox page, edit your user page and create a link to the sandbox page as if it already existed, like this: [[User:Nancy_Sculerati/Sandbox]]. After completing the edit, you'll see the red link; just click on the red link to start the new page. Any author can create a page anywhere in the same way. -- as per Pat Palmer)
Perhaps drafts of templates and styles for approved articles might be linked here?
- http://en.citizendium.org/wiki?title=User_talk:Larry_Sanger/Approved_in_pagehist&oldid=100084129
- http://en.citizendium.org/wiki/User:Nancy_Sculerati/Sandbox
- http://www.harbormist.com/pat/Biology.htm - fake page with example of a watermark
April 26, 2007
Developing articles that need editors to nominate them for approval (or indicate what is needed before such nomination can be made):
Copying Jason's post from the Forums [3]: I have a favor to ask of the History Workgroup. The article First Punic War appears high on Google searches. It has been steadily climibing, currently 10 to 12 in rank on a search for first punic war. If this article can be pushed along to approved status, this would be good PR. -Jason Potkanski Tech Lead
April 24, 2007
Our first of the Tuesday Night Rundowns on approved articles begins! Our first set of announcements is itself an "announcement of firsts".
Developing articles that need editors to nominate them for approval (or indicate what is needed before such nomination can be made):
- Calling Mathematics editors to review:
These are candidates for our first Mathematics articles for nomination. Where are our editors?
- Articles newly nominated for approval:
Humanities
Our very first History articles to be nominated!
Just Approved Articles
- Infant colic Our very first Health Sciences article to be approved!