Wikipedia:Wikipedia Signpost/Newsroom/Submissions

"WP:OP-ED" redirects here. For the guideline on not editorializing in article content, see MOS:OP-ED. For the policy on op-eds and original research, see WP:NOROPED. For the guideline on citing op-eds as sources, see WP:NEWSOPED.

Submission desk

Please propose Signpost stories you want to write (or have already begun writing). Submitted stories are published subject to the approval of the Editor-in-Chief, JPxG. We value the involvement of Wikipedians, and appreciate your submissions. If you have ideas or questions that don't fit neatly into this framework, don't hesitate to address us on our user talk pages, by email, or as a last resort, on the general Signpost talk page.

The Signpost's content guidelines may be useful to aspiring writers; take note, especially, of the statement of purpose section. We encourage you to contact us early in the process of developing a story. Different writers have varying levels of interest in editorial input, and we pride ourselves on finding the right balance with each writer; but in most cases, a brief discussion early on can help all parties shape our expectations, and can help produce a strong finished piece. We aim to support Wikimedians wishing to share news with their peers, and look forward to working with you.

Submission

• Submission: User:Schierbecker/Wikiality
• Column: Humour
• Author: Schierbecker
• Discussion:
  

On the perils of believing everything you read online. This is partially inspired by the Stephen Colbert Wikiality bit and also a short story by B. J. Novak. Written with quite a bit of assistance from ChatGPT.

Submission

• Submission: Invisible in the Hyperlink Network https://medium.com/p/90fbbaf7d182
• Column: TDB
• Author: OpenSexism
• Discussion:
  This piece is about the Wednesday Index, which has used PAC’s Wikidata tool to measure the gender diversity in the biographies linked from a set of 26 English Wikipedia pages — from ‘Reality’ to ‘Universe’, ‘Science’ to ‘Justice’ —for the past two years to get a sense for both the extent of citation bias on Wikipedia and how quickly it changes. In addition to data visualizations and discussion, the piece links to related research and the two previous posts about the Index. After I published this piece on Medium, I was referred to the Signpost, as it has a large audience in the Wikipedia community. I read the submission guidelines and understand that you prefer to work with writers earlier in the writing process, but I wanted to touch base to see if there was a place for the work in your publication. OpenSexism (talk) 21:41, 7 November 2023 (UTC)

Submission

• Submission: User:A.FLOCK/Signpost Story1
• Column: TDB
• Author: A.FLOCK
• Discussion:
  This piece is about... the coverage of the Arbitration Committee in online media A.FLOCK (talk) 05:46, 11 September 2023 (UTC)

@A.FLOCK: This looks like a good start for a pitch; right now it seems like something more appropriate for an entry in News and Notes, or maybe In the Media, rather than a standalone article. I would be fine with incorporating it into one of these columns if you'd like. Otherwise I think it would require some more in the way of introduction, independent analysis or interpretation, et cetera. Perhaps it would be possible to do a deeper examination of the actual casepages and decisions involved and compare them to the video? jp×g 06:14, 26 October 2023 (UTC)

@JPxG: I'm okay with being part of an article as long as I am credited in the byline. Thank you and sorry for the long wait!! A.FLOCK (talk) 22:21, 4 December 2023 (UTC)

Crossword 2

• Submission: User:Cremastra/Crossword2
• Column: Crossword
• Author: Cremastra
• Discussion:
  Crossword proposal 🎄Cremastra 🎄 (talk) 18:05, 27 December 2023 (UTC)

@Cremastra: This looks good, probably do with being a bit bigger. If you wanna do that, epic, otherwise I will try and throw something together. jp×g🗯️ 01:16, 19 May 2024 (UTC)

WikiProject report with a focus on active Wiki Fixup Projects

• Submission: User:Kazamzam/sandbox/Wiki Fixup Projects
• Column: WikiProject report
• Author: Kazamzam
• Discussion:
  This piece is about the efforts, obstacles, struggles, and successes of editors working on projects like WP:ORPHAN and WP:URA. Kazamzam (talk) 02:02, 5 January 2024 (UTC)

@Kazamzam I'd be curious about what kind of events these projects work on, e.g. drives, and why do individuals affiliate with the projects, when many people engage in these activities uncoordinated? I like your focus/question on bots for example. Choosing multiple projects to profile is atypical, so clarity why you choose the projects you did, would make sense, for example why not copyrighters guild, NPP, AfC (other than fact they're active?) ~ 🦝 Shushugah (he/him • talk) 12:43, 7 January 2024 (UTC)

@Kazamzam also check out the archive for past inspiration, specifically Article rescue squadron. ~ 🦝 Shushugah (he/him • talk) 21:41, 7 January 2024 (UTC)

• @Kazamzam: This looks like a good outline; if you'd like to flesh it out more I would be happy to run it. Let us know (here or at the Newsroom) if you'd like any support with anything. jp×g🗯️ 01:16, 19 May 2024 (UTC)

WikiProjects Israel and Palestine

• Submission: Wikipedia:Wikipedia Signpost/Next issue/WikiProject report
• Column: WikiProject Report
• Author: Shushugah
• Discussion:
  No deadline from my side. Would like to make sure it strikes right tone and also accuracy, given sensitivity of the topic in our community. ~ 🦝 Shushugah (he/him • talk) 23:26, 7 January 2024 (UTC)

 Done Published -- a good article -- don't know why this was stickling around on the submissions page still. jp×g🗯️ 01:10, 19 May 2024 (UTC)

Progress on the plan: How the Wikimedia Foundation has advanced on its Annual Plan goals

• Submission: User:ELappen_(WMF)/Sandbox/AP_progress_post
• Column: News from the WMF
• Author: ELappen (WMF) on behalf of the Foundation's Annual Planning group
• Discussion:
  This piece outlines the progress the Foundation has made so far towards its Annual Plan for fiscal year 2023-2024. By sharing progress reports, we are hoping to give Signpost readers more insight into how work is advancing and allow for more conversations throughout the year. ELappen (WMF) (talk) 20:29, 31 January 2024 (UTC)

Hey JPxG first-time submission, just checking whether there's anything else I need to do in order for this piece to be considered for the next issue. Thanks so much! --ELappen (WMF) (talk) 20:24, 8 February 2024 (UTC)

@ELappen (WMF): Sorry about the delay -- I am happy to run this in the next issue if it is up-to-date, or can be made so (I would be glad to help in this if possible). Is this still extant? jp×g🗯️ 03:58, 19 May 2024 (UTC)

New Page Patrol receives a much-needed software upgrade

• Submission: User:Samwalton9 (WMF)/NPP Signpost article
• Column: TDB
• Author: Samwalton9 (WMF), Novem Linguae
• Discussion:
  This piece is about new page patrol requesting the WMF help repair its PageTriage software. There are several interesting parts to this, including the process of lobbying the WMF, and the collaboration that ended up happening between WMF and volunteer software engineers. –Novem Linguae (talk) 18:36, 15 February 2024 (UTC)

@Novem Linguae and Samwalton9 (WMF): Sorry about the delay -- I've moved this to Wikipedia:Wikipedia Signpost/Next issue/Technology report, should go out on the 31st. Thank you for submitting this; if you want to go over and make sure everything is still up to date I would appreciate it. jp×g🗯️ 02:11, 19 May 2024 (UTC)

Thanks @JPxG! Will do. Samwalton9 (WMF) (talk) 10:05, 20 May 2024 (UTC)

Submission proposal: Op-ed on Wikipedia in the age of personality-driven knowledge

• Submission: User:MPinchuk (WMF)/Signpost draft
• Column: Opinion
• Author: MPinchuk (WMF)
• Discussion:
  This piece is about the other socio-technical trend (not AI!) that is unfolding in the world and is (I think) just as important for Wikipedians to think and talk about: generational changes in preference for how to get information online, with increasing preference for getting news/history/trivia/educational content from personalities on social video platforms— instead of impersonal text-heavy places like search engines and websites (... plus, the huge incentives heaped on creators to make this kind of content for platforms that offer and monetize it). I have no easy answers, but I'd like to pose this as a topic for community discussion. Thanks for your consideration, Signpost! Maryana Pinchuk (WMF) (talk) 22:27, 6 March 2024 (UTC)

 Done In Wikipedia:Wikipedia Signpost/2024-03-29/Op-Ed -- good stuff. jp×g🗯️ 01:02, 19 May 2024 (UTC)

Update on the new Community Wishlist

• Submission: User:JWheeler-WMF/Designing a new Community Wishlist
• Column: TDB
• Author: JWheeler-WMF
• Discussion:
  Sharing an update regarding the Community Wishlist survey, when it's re-opening, what's changing, and why. JWheeler-WMF (talk) 23:06, 7 March 2024 (UTC)

 Done as Wikipedia:Wikipedia_Signpost/2024-05-16/News_and_notes#A new Community Wishlist survey -- good stuff. jp×g🗯️ 01:03, 19 May 2024 (UTC)

Wikimedia Foundation publishes its Form 990 for fiscal year 2022-2023

• Submission: User:ELappen_(WMF)/Signpost draft
• Column: News from the WMF
• Author: ELappen (WMF) on behalf of the Wikimedia Foundation
• Discussion: This short piece covers the highlights of the Foundation's fiscal year 2022-2023 Form 990 and directs the reader on where to learn more.

ELappen (WMF) (talk) 19:44, 14 May 2024 (UTC)