User:Pee Tern/Sandbox/preliminary

Easing the maze of Wikipedia - a new main space page type?

As a user of Wikipedia and as new editor I find it very difficult to find what articles are related to a subject in any meaningful or efficent way. While there are categories, these do not give any real information about what other groups of subject articles might be related, they are just big lists of things. Also, categories are not presented as part of search done in main space by a reader.

I would like to propose a new type of main space page, called a knowledge map.

There are two major differences between a knowledge map and a category. A knowledge map describes a subject area and does not just list out a range of homogeneous articles about the exact same type of subject. Secondly and importantly, a knowledge map is available in main space and part of a normal reader's search scope.

The major difference between a knowledge map page and a disambiguation page is that a knowldedge map describes pages in only one broad subject area and covers the whole range of the subject area.

An example of a knowledge map is one for Law enforcement.

A fuller explanation is available on the proposed knowledge map document page.

Knowledge maps would be much rarer than categories. Knowledge maps link article pages to portals. Knowledge maps link Wiki projects to articles. Typically a knowledge map page will be a main page for a high level category. A knowledge map will contain a summary of other articles, each of which will typically be main pages for major sub categories.

What do people think? If it is a good idea, what is the next step? How does it become an accepted standard?

Does any one have a snazy icon of an explorer holding a map / looking at new horizons ?

Pee Tern (talk) 11:00, 18 February 2008 (UTC)

A '''knowledge map''' is a page in main Wikipedia article space which gives either an overview of Wikipedia articles within a broad subject area, or an overview of significant subject areas within a broader subject area.
{{TOCright}}
==Content of a knowledge map page==
===Knowldege map header===
A knowledge map page is headed by a message announcing that it is a knowledge map.  This is done using the <nowiki>{{</nowiki>[[kmap]]<nowiki>}}</nowiki> template.

For example <nowiki>{{kmap |broad subject area}}</nowiki> gives:{{kmap |A broader subject area}}
===Subject areas===
Subject areas are presented on knowledge map page using the template <nowiki<{{</nowiki>[[kmapsubarea]]<nowiki>}}</nowiki> for each subject area which is part of the broad subject area.  This is done multiple times, once for each subject area, following the knowledge map header.  For example <nowiki>{{kmapsubarea |An interesting subject area |[[A key article]] amazingly about nothing |[[Another key article]], interestingly about such and such }}</nowiki> gives:{{kmpasubarea |An interesting subject area |[[A key article]] amazingly about nothing |Another key article]], interestingly about such and such}}
===Sub knowledge maps===
If the broad subject area is broad enough to have major subject areas within it, then the relevant knowledge maps for the major subject areas are presented below the knowledge areas.  This is done using the template <nowiki<{{</nowiki>kmapsubmap<nowiki>}}</nowiki>.  This is done once for all sub knowledge maps.  For example <nowiki>{{kmapsubmap |broad subject area |A whole 
subset of stuff |Another whole subset of stuff}}</nowiki> gives: {{kmapsubmap |broad subject area |A whole subset of stuff |Another whole subset of stuff}}
===Subject area categories===
If there are important categories, which are part of the broad subject area, they should also be overviewed in the broad subject areas knowledge map.  This is done using the template <nowiki<{{</nowiki><nowiki<}}</nowiki> after any sub knowledge maps.  For example <nowiki>{{kmapcat| An important category| Another important category}}</nowiki> gives:<nowiki>{{kmapcat| An important category| Another important category}}</nowiki>
===Subject area portals===
===Subject area projects===
===Subject area disambiguation===
==Article pages and knowledge maps==
==Knowledge map versus category==
There are two major differences between a knowledge map and a [[category]].  A knowledge map describes a subject area and does not just list out a range of homogeneous articles at the levl of the category about the exact same type of subject.  Secondly and importantly, a knowledge map is available in main space and part of a normal reader's search scope.  Knowledge maps include relevant categories as part of the overviw they provide of the broad subject area.
==Knowldege map versus disambiguation==
The major difference between a knowledge map page and a [[disambiguation page]] is that a knowldedge map describes pages in only one broad subject area and covers the whole range of the subject area, where as a dismabiguation page will overview articles whihc happen to share the same or similar titles which may have no topic relationship at all.  Knowledge maps include references to disambiguation pages if there are other articles similarly named but not topically related to the broad subject area.
==See also==




<noinclude>
This template is placed at the top of a knowledge map page.<br>
<nowiki>{{</nowiki>kmap<br>
|subjectarea<br>
<nowiki>}}</nowiki>
</noinclude>
This page is a Wikipedia knowledge map for wikipedia articles related to '''{{{1}}}'''.<br>
<small>A Wikipedia knowledge map provides an overview of a broard knowledge area by giving Wikipedia readers a view of important subject areas and key articles within the knowledge area.</small>[[:Category:Knowledgemap]]

The topic '''{{{1}}}''' is a broad subject area within Wikipedia and includes articles on:

<noinclude>
This template is placed after the <nowiki>{{</nowiki>kmap<nowiki>}}</nowiki>template on a knowledge map page.<br>
<nowiki>{{</nowiki>kmapsubarea<br>
|subareahead<br>
|linkedescr0=<br>
. . .<br>
|linkedescr9=<br>
<nowiki>}}</nowiki>
</noinclude>
===={{{subareahead}}}====
{{#ifeq {{{linkedescr0|+}}} | {{{linkedescr0|-}}} |*{{{linkedescr0}}}}}
{{#ifeq {{{linkedescr1|+}}} | {{{linkedescr1|-}}} |*{{{linkedescr1}}}}}
{{#ifeq {{{linkedescr2|+}}} | {{{linkedescr2|-}}} |*{{{linkedescr2}}}}}
{{#ifeq {{{linkedescr3|+}}} | {{{linkedescr3|-}}} |*{{{linkedescr3}}}}}
{{#ifeq {{{linkedescr4|+}}} | {{{linkedescr4|-}}} |*{{{linkedescr4}}}}}
{{#ifeq {{{linkedescr5|+}}} | {{{linkedescr5|-}}} |*{{{linkedescr5}}}}}
{{#ifeq {{{linkedescr6|+}}} | {{{linkedescr6|-}}} |*{{{linkedescr6}}}}}
{{#ifeq {{{linkedescr7|+}}} | {{{linkedescr7|-}}} |*{{{linkedescr7}}}}}
{{#ifeq {{{linkedescr8|+}}} | {{{linkedescr8|-}}} |*{{{linkedescr8}}}}}
{{#ifeq {{{linkedescr9|+}}} | {{{linkedescr9|-}}} |*{{{linkedescr9}}}}}


<noinclude>
This template is placed after the <nowiki>{{</nowiki>kmapsubarea<nowiki>}}</nowiki> template on a knowledge map page.<br>
<nowiki>{{</nowiki>kmapsubmap<br>
|kmap<br>
|submap0=<br>
. . .<br>
|submap9=<br>
<nowiki>}}</nowiki>
</noinclude>
==Further knowledge maps within the {{{1}}} knowledge area==
{{#ifeq {{{submap|+}}} | {{{submap0|-}}} |*{{{submap0}}}}}



<noinclude>
<nowiki>{{</nowiki>furtherdab<br>
|dabpage0=<br>
. . .<br>
|dabpage=<br>
<nowiki>}}</nowiki>
</noinclude>
==Further disambiguation==
{{#ifeq {{{dabpage0|+}}} | {{{dabpage0|-}}} } |*{{{dabpage0}}}}}



<noinclude>
This template is placed at the end of a '''See also''' section of an article or page.<br>
<nowiki>{{</nowiki>kmappped</nowiki><br>
|kmap<br>
<nowiki>}}</nowiki><br>
</noinclude>
<small>''This {{#if: {{NAMESPACE}} | page |article }} is part of the [[{{{1}}}]] knowledge area in Wikipedia.  The [[{{{1}}}]] Wikipedia knowldge map provides an overview of other broadly related articles.''</small>