Wikispooks:Document Editing Rules

Pages in the Document namespace (i.e. with names which begin "Document:") are not ongoing original productions by Wikispooks editors, but copies of finished pieces of work already published elsewhere. Accordingly, two rules apply to the Document: namespace which apply nowhere else on Wikispooks:

1. Use Template:Document

All pages in the document: namespace use the template:Document template at the top. This provides a convenient way to provide metadata such as the author, source, publication date, document type and so on. Putting all the metadata in a predictable place facilitates Semantic Mediawiki. All this information is editable, and you are encouraged to fill out as many of the fields as you can. If the document's author is new to this website, you are recommended to help readers by making a page for the author, even if it has relatively little content, e.g. just a few URLs.

2. No Content Editing

Unlike other namespaces, where page editing is encouraged, content of pages in the document: namespace must not be changed, since they are finished pieces of work by the author(s) credited in template:Document; the authenticity of source documents must be preserved with the same attention as direct quotations.

Good practice

You are recommended to re-publish works in their entirety as a single document, even when they are serialised, unless their are special reasons for treating them separately (for example, if they have different subjects, or if their separate publication dates are important).

Choice

Focus on historically important documents rather than ephemera, i.e. memoranda issued in an official capacity by relevant people rather than blog posts which are mere commentary. For example, the Document:Countering Criticism of the Warren Report memo for years shaped use of the phrase "conspiracy theorist". The discovery of The Parrott Memo was an important part in the exposure of G. H. W. Bush. Aim for documents which are small in size but large in relevance. Be selective, too in choice of subjects -- list the main subjects only, avoid overloading especially for popular words and phrases.

Linking

In contrast to content edits, formatting improvements (especially adding internal wikilinks) are encouraged. A standard concession to Wikispooks style is to replace single quotes (') by double quotes (") where they are used for direct quotations.

Errors

Preserving of errors is helpful to indicate the accuracy (or otherwise) of the document. Simple typographical errors are best just left, but if the document contains unambiguously verifiable falsehoods (e.g. matters of undisputed fact rather than interpretations), best practice is to add a footnote clarifying this. e.g. "<ref>In fact, the author was [[John Gatto]] — [http://www.unwelcomeguests.net/The_Underground_History_of_American_Education See here]</ref> — ~~~~", The "~~~~" characters will expand to a signature, giving the time and date of your correction.

Discussion

For discussion about a document, use its Talk page. To make a more formal and permanent comment about a document, the recommended way to do so is to use Template:Rate.