Archive:The Big Write

What is the Big Write?

This is another mass initiative, modeled loosely on The Big Speedydelete. Basically, we are going to sit down and write a lot of basic articles--but how we're going to do it is, perhaps, interesting.

Each Citizendium editor may and is encouraged to nominate 3-5 "high priority" topics (below) in his or her field. Others--or perhaps the editor again--then sign up to write a "credible start" on the topic. To be a "credible start," an article must be at least 750 words. As many people who want to sign up to write on any topic may sign up to do so, but everyone who does sign up to write on a topic is then obligated to do so (and soon, i.e., within a day or two of signing up). For each nominated topic, the editor is committed to reviewing and (if all goes well) blesses "a credible start" whatever is submitted. This is not an approval, but merely the editor's opinion that the article in its present form is on its way to being a reliable summation of the topic. The editor offers this blessing below.

This should not be much work for editors, but by committing in this small way, you can help "jump start" work in your area. As for persons writing "for" an editor, this is an excellent and interesting opportunity to get feedback from a professional in a field on your work.

We would like to have nominations, if possible, from at least 20% of Citizendium editors, i.e., about 35 editors. That would entail the creation (or review) of 105 to 175 top priority articles. More importantly, it will help us get to know each other and to "jump start" many workgroups.

Editor instructions

• Choose three to five topics in your field(s) that are very high priority, but about which you have some specialized knowledge.

• List each topic below following this format:

Format:

Name of topic
:Reviewed by: ~~~
:Volunteer authors:
:A credible start?
:Blessed:

Note: the ":" needs to be flush left, it indents a line.

For example:

Epistemology

Reviewed by: Ed Itor

Volunteer authors: [authors place names here]

A credible start? Yes

Blessed: Ed Itor 19:00, 21 February 2007 (CST)

Please file your topics in alphabetical order, and for your own benefit, write down the name of the topic you're managing.