Difference between revisions of "Help:Editorial guidelines"

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(50-100kb is a good benchmark. The maximum file size is usually 150kb unless absolutely necessary.)
 
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=IMPORTANT NOTE!=
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==Please Read!==
  
We, the Moderators, have proposed some new guidelines on creating and editing pages:
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These are the currently accepted guidelines that should be followed when editing this wiki, as agreed by the majority of users.
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Any alterations or additions should be suggested in the [[BRGS_Wiki:Community_Portal|Community Portal]].
  
*Please ensure you have something useful to write before creating or editing a page on the site. That way it saves others from spending time re-editing these pages.
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Please also note our new [[BRGS Wiki:Privacy policy|privacy policy]], which states that you should NOT post information about someone's personal life. All information on this site must be '''factual''' and '''directly relevant to the school''', so please do not post about peoples' previous lives, jobs, schools etc.
  
*We don't expect everyone to write a 10,000 word essay when creating a page, so don't worry if it's a bit sparse to start with. However, something more substantial than ''"Person A is orange" / "Person B is fit"'' will ensure the page is still there when you go back to add to it!
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'''Above all remember this is a site for anyone aged 11 upwards - keep it clean!'''
  
*{{c|red|Anyone posting derogatory, offensive or blatantly insulting comments will be banned for one day}}, as a fair warning. If a quote involves a swear-word, use asterisks! Repeated offenders will be hit with a more extensive ban, though we doubt we will need to use this.
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==Guidelines for editing==
  
*These changes have been brought about by the large amount of time we have to spend clearing up the vandalism of a, thankfully, ''extremely small'' minority. The 99.9% of people who use this site constructively have nothing to fear, and we thank you for your time and enthusiasm in making this site a success!
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Please ensure you read the (non-exhaustive) [[Vandalism|list of unacceptable edits]] so you don't fall foul of the rules.
  
==Proposed Guidelines==
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===Very important!===
===Introduction===
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Basically, please keep this site clean, useful, and enjoy using it! We hope it continues to grow, but it will only do this if people are willing to put their time into creating an informative, concise, and above all funny database.
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*'''All articles must be in no way offensive to an individual, or group of individuals'''. Keep it polite and light hearted, and know where to draw the line. {{c|red|Anyone posting derogatory, offensive or blatantly insulting comments will be [[Bans|banned]] for one day}}, as a fair warning.  
  
=====Basic Editorial Guidelines=====
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*'''Spelling and grammar should be checked before posting''' - it looks much more professional that way. Please take the time to write out your comments in ''full English'' - that is, not "txt spk". Pages which consist entirely of this nonsense are deleted immediately, so you're just wasting your time!
  
* '''Spelling and grammar''' should be checked before posting - it looks much more professional that way! Any grammatical mistakes are now underlined in red when you are editing, please take the time to go back and alter them!
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*'''You must not use images from [[BRGS_Wiki:Copyrights|copyrighted]] sources'''. Where possible, use thumbnails on content pages.
  
* Language must be clean or partially asterisked out for quotes.
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*'''Ensure all pictures must be suitable for a wide audience''' (ages 11 to 100-odd), and a reasonable file size - around 50-100kb is a good benchmark. The maximum file size is usually 150kb unless absolutely necessary.
  
* All articles must not be offensive to an individual, or group of individuals at BRGS. Keep it polite and light hearted! Poking fun at people is great, but know where to draw the line. Blatant offensiveness, or just 'slagging off' someone '''will result in a ban'''.
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*'''If a quote involves a swear-word, use asterisks!''' Quotes that consist entirely of swearing are completely unnecessary so please keep them to yourself, as this is a site for all ages.
  
* When writing about another person, '''avoid insults''' and make sure what you're writing about them is '''true''', or note/imply that it's fictional. Also, make the content relevant! Quotes, anecdotes, mishaps, all are great, but "in-jokes" that only two or three people find funny are pretty dull to everyone else who reads this.
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*'''When creating new pages, please Capitalise The First Letter Of Each Word!'''. If everyone does this; then we avoid duplicate pages which only have capitals different.
  
* '''Quotes''' are regarded liberally, so exact word-for-word isn't needed, but they need to have actually said it. Stories should be in their own sections.
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*'''When deleting large chunks of pages please state why'''. We want as much content as we can get on the wiki, so when deleting content please state a good reason.
  
* Images '''must not''' be from copyrighted sources and must be suitable for a wide audience (age 11 to 100). Where possible, use thumbnails on content pages.
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===A few helpful hints===
  
=====Extended Information=====
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*Please ensure you have something useful to write before creating or editing a page on the site. That way it saves others from spending time re-editing these pages. We don't expect everyone to write a 10,000 word essay when creating a page, so don't worry if it's a bit sparse to start with. However, something more substantial than ''"Person A is orange" / "Person B is fit"'' will ensure the page is still there when you go back to add to it.
  
* If you want to link to a page, please make sure the link is spelled correctly, with the correct capitals and punctuation. The first letter is not case sensitive, but the rest is, e.g. "technology" is the same as "Technology", but "Sports Hall" and "Sports hall" are different.
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*This is a Wiki site, and is therefore intended to be informative and well written. We do not want MySpace style pages for people with lots of exclamation marks and ''"lol"'' written every third word. Some good examples of well written pages are [[Doc Rob]] and [[Heskey]]'s, and if you still aren't sure what to do please [[Contact|ask us!]]
  
* Avoid external links to internal pages.
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*Quotes are regarded liberally, so exact word-for-word isn't needed, but they do need to have actually said it. Stories should be in their own sections.
  
* All your changes appear in [[Special:Recentchanges|Recent Changes]] for easy editing.
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*The 'Preview' button is your friend! Use it to check that what you have added looks ok on-screen. Repeated saving/editing fills up [[Special:Recentchanges|Recent Changes]] and makes it harder for [[What can each user do?|the moderators]] to spot vandalism and other changes. On the same sort of lines, experiment in the [[Sandbox]] before moving formatting over to a full page.
  
* Please correct any spelling or grammar problems you come across if you have time.
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*Try to include lots of internal links to subjects, teachers, quotes etc.. When people are browsing, they click on these, and it helps the site grow.
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 +
===Further Information===
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*If you want to link to a page, please make sure the link is spelled correctly, with the correct capitals and punctuation. The first letter is not case sensitive, but the rest is, e.g. "technology" is the same as "Technology", but "Sports Hall" and "Sports hall" are different.
 +
 
 +
*Avoid external links to internal pages.
 +
 
 +
*All your changes appear in [[Special:Recentchanges|Recent Changes]] for easy editing.
 +
 
 +
*Please correct any spelling or grammar problems you come across if you have time.
 +
 
 +
* If you have an account, it is given its own talk page. This can be found at [[User_talk:''Your_username'']] (for example, [[User_talk:Jonathan_Parton]]). Another user may occasionally write something in it, so try to check it regularly! (It's '''bolded''' in [[Special:Recentchanges|Recent Changes]] for easy identification)
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*If you need further information on how to edit a page check out [[Help:Editing|Editing Help]]
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Basically, please keep this site clean, useful, and enjoy using it. We hope it continues to grow, but it will only do this if people are willing to put their time into creating an informative, concise, and above all funny database. Thank you for your support!

Latest revision as of 19:29, 7 November 2010

Please Read!

These are the currently accepted guidelines that should be followed when editing this wiki, as agreed by the majority of users. Any alterations or additions should be suggested in the Community Portal.

Please also note our new privacy policy, which states that you should NOT post information about someone's personal life. All information on this site must be factual and directly relevant to the school, so please do not post about peoples' previous lives, jobs, schools etc.

Above all remember this is a site for anyone aged 11 upwards - keep it clean!

Guidelines for editing

Please ensure you read the (non-exhaustive) list of unacceptable edits so you don't fall foul of the rules.

Very important!

  • All articles must be in no way offensive to an individual, or group of individuals. Keep it polite and light hearted, and know where to draw the line. Anyone posting derogatory, offensive or blatantly insulting comments will be banned for one day, as a fair warning.
  • Spelling and grammar should be checked before posting - it looks much more professional that way. Please take the time to write out your comments in full English - that is, not "txt spk". Pages which consist entirely of this nonsense are deleted immediately, so you're just wasting your time!
  • You must not use images from copyrighted sources. Where possible, use thumbnails on content pages.
  • Ensure all pictures must be suitable for a wide audience (ages 11 to 100-odd), and a reasonable file size - around 50-100kb is a good benchmark. The maximum file size is usually 150kb unless absolutely necessary.
  • If a quote involves a swear-word, use asterisks! Quotes that consist entirely of swearing are completely unnecessary so please keep them to yourself, as this is a site for all ages.
  • When creating new pages, please Capitalise The First Letter Of Each Word!. If everyone does this; then we avoid duplicate pages which only have capitals different.
  • When deleting large chunks of pages please state why. We want as much content as we can get on the wiki, so when deleting content please state a good reason.

A few helpful hints

  • Please ensure you have something useful to write before creating or editing a page on the site. That way it saves others from spending time re-editing these pages. We don't expect everyone to write a 10,000 word essay when creating a page, so don't worry if it's a bit sparse to start with. However, something more substantial than "Person A is orange" / "Person B is fit" will ensure the page is still there when you go back to add to it.
  • This is a Wiki site, and is therefore intended to be informative and well written. We do not want MySpace style pages for people with lots of exclamation marks and "lol" written every third word. Some good examples of well written pages are Doc Rob and Heskey's, and if you still aren't sure what to do please ask us!
  • Quotes are regarded liberally, so exact word-for-word isn't needed, but they do need to have actually said it. Stories should be in their own sections.
  • The 'Preview' button is your friend! Use it to check that what you have added looks ok on-screen. Repeated saving/editing fills up Recent Changes and makes it harder for the moderators to spot vandalism and other changes. On the same sort of lines, experiment in the Sandbox before moving formatting over to a full page.
  • Try to include lots of internal links to subjects, teachers, quotes etc.. When people are browsing, they click on these, and it helps the site grow.

Further Information

  • If you want to link to a page, please make sure the link is spelled correctly, with the correct capitals and punctuation. The first letter is not case sensitive, but the rest is, e.g. "technology" is the same as "Technology", but "Sports Hall" and "Sports hall" are different.
  • Avoid external links to internal pages.
  • Please correct any spelling or grammar problems you come across if you have time.
  • If you need further information on how to edit a page check out Editing Help

Basically, please keep this site clean, useful, and enjoy using it. We hope it continues to grow, but it will only do this if people are willing to put their time into creating an informative, concise, and above all funny database. Thank you for your support!