User:Ocaasi/coinotes

Background

I became familiar with the project in 2005 and have been editing regularly since 2008, first under various internet accounts and then in 2010 as Ocaasi. I think this is an amazing project, full of dedicated intelligent people, people trying to learn and share information, and many people struggling to understand how to use the site.

Helping users

Because of the complexity of encyclopedic writing, the Wikipedia interface, markup code, community norms, and dense and interrelated policies, many new editors struggle to be successful here. Improving our ability to welcome and engage new users quickly and painlessly is a project I have been working on since I started. I edit and write help documentation, propose new ways to present orientation material and create interactive tutorials, and offer assistance at the #wikipedia-en-help channel.

Paid editing and advocacy

Some users want articles but don't want or know how to edit. Other user are employed by organizations with an interest in the factual accuracy and/or promotion of their individuals, groups, companies, or products. These users exist. They are already here. It's been Jimmy Wales hard-line position that paid editing is anathema to the goals of this 'cathedral of knowledge', but the community has consistently failed to meet consensus when it comes to banning paid editors. Further, our current conflict-of-interest guidelines do not prohibit the practice. So not only are they here, they're allowed to be here. The question, then is, how can we help them benefit the encyclopedia's mission of sharing the sum total of the world's knowledge.

Rationale

1. Information is power
2. Thus, Wikipedia is powerful
3. Wikipedia is hard to use, it takes time and skill to learn and to edit well
4. Improving the interface and help documentation is ongoing but not yet sufficient
5. Offering help to those who need it only works if they are able, willing, and available to learn
6. Offering options to those who can't help themselves doesn't work if they don't want to pursue those options by themselves
7. Providing compensated editing services to those who still can't or don't want to participate fills a gap and lets editors stay engaged with a project they value and enjoy
8. Done well, compensated contributions add to the mission of distributing the sum total of the world's encyclopedic knowledge

Process

1. Don't let compensated editing interfere with the goals of the project or our broader work here
2. Disclose any compensated projects fully on your userpage, article talk pages, and in your comment signatures
3. Research all available reliable sources: newspapers, books, magazines, journals, trade publications, expert websites.
4. Create a reference bibliography
5. Draft an introduction and key sections for organization
6. Check the draft for neutrality
7. Add inline citations
8. Format the page properly in accordance with the Manual of Style
9. Add infoboxes, images, and categories where appropriate
10. Produce a well researched, well formatted, properly annotated draft
11. Submit the article or additions for review from other editors
12. Cite policy where issues would be contentious
13. Solicit feedback for changes likely to be challenged
14. Defer to community consensus
15. Don't use multiple accounts to create support for articles or canvass users whom I suspect who support me
16. Don't make a guarantee of inclusion or duration
17. Use higher standards than would be minimally required a maximum of independent, reliable sources, manual of style compliance, and well copy-edited articles

Options

1. Do it yourself
2. Follow tutorials, help documentation, and information pages
3. Learn by trial and error
4. Use other articles as models and guides
5. Use the Article for Creation wizard
6. Have article reviews provide feedback
7. Use the help desk and help channel on IRC
8. Ask a librarian or other professional to assist you
9. Ask another editor for help
10. See if a WikiProject is interested in helping
11. Use community noticeboards for guidance, recruiting help, and feedback
12. Read policy pages for insight
13. Read editing guides
14. Request that an article be created using Request for Creation
15. Request an edit be completed on the talk page
16. Wait to see if someone else makes the changes or creates the article on their own

Questions

1. Does editing for compensation make one incapable of pursuing quality and neutrality?
2. Where is the line between volunteerism and martyrdom? Between compensation and objectivity?
3. Can editors who know the site well use their skills to support their lifestyle?
4. Does allowing editing for compensation make bias easier to spot and facilitate better editing?
5. Can users simultaneously edit for volunteerism and compensation, on different articles

Ideas

• Conflict of interest WikiProject done already... see WP:WikiProject Cooperation
• Conflict of interest service and request board
• Conflict of interest IRC help channel
• Conflict of interest certification

Best practice editors

• User:CanalPark - Monitor Group
• User:Eclipsed - Alex Konanykhin
• User:Mdrozdowski - Overture Networks
• User:WWB Too
• User:Jchernov - Eloqua
• User:Jeff Bedford - Diet Pepsi

See also

• Conflict of interest policy
• Paid editing (essay)
• Request for comment on paid editing, 2009#
• Failed paid editing guideline
• Failed paid editing policy
• Notability policy
• Corporate notability guideline
• Business FAQ
• Plain and simple conflict of interest editing guide
• Suggestions for COI editors
• Reward board
• Bounty board
• Conflict of interest noticeboard#
• Best practice for COI editors
• User:Eclipsed/COI Declaration
• User:CanalPark COI declaration