Resources

http://www.c2.com/cgi/wiki?GoodWikiCitizen

Wiki Etiquette

There are several things to remember as you enter a wiki community.

First, realize that the entries provided on the wiki generally represent a significant amount of time and effort from the contributors. It is inexcusably rude to summarily delete others' work or to vandalize content they have provided. Only when you are CERTAIN there is error in the posting should you remove another's work. Even then, the proper procedure is to leave the old data, but provide a correction or better explanation. If your information is truly more correct or appropriate, comments to that affect will appear and eventual deletion of old material may be sanctioned.

As an offshoot of the above courtesy, do NOT post whimsical, incorrect, slanderouos, or poorly written submissions. The wiki phenomenon is taken very seriously by many people. You degrade the value of the wiki with poor postings. Make sure you have your information accurate, as people will refrence what you have written to make decisions of their own.

Wiki pages are only avaailable to be modified by one user at a time. This means that the best way to add to a wiki entry is to construct your submission in an external word processor, to check for spelling and grammatical errors, as well as to leave the subject available for other's use.

Do not use the wiki as a venue to make personal attacks. As 'flaming' in messaage boards is prohibited so are personal attacks in poor form on the wiki. The genreally amiable tone and environment of helpful academia can be quickly poisoned by just a few malicious users. A wiki is useful exactly as long as the content therin is useful. Do not pollute the content of the wiki with virtrolic submissions.

Give credit where due. If you use a wiki entry in your personal or professional writing, make cite that entry. While the wiki may seem like public domain, it is not. If you learned something from the wiki you could incorporate into your own work, that information was certainly not 'common knowledge'.

Use common sense. Do not do anything destructive or improper. The golden rule applies well here, as in many social situations. Treat others submissions and data with the repsect you would like yours to be treated with.

-- PatrickQuinn