SourceryForge:Quality guidelines

From SourceryForge

SourceryForge is a wiki and accepts contributions from everyone, but this doesn't mean that its content is amateurish. Articles hosted at SourceryForge should subscribe to some basic quality guidelines, described here.

Contents 1 Wiki formatting 2 English 3 Sections & paragraphs 4 Avoid nonsense 5 Brainstorming 6 Authoritative Voice

Wiki formatting

• You should become familiar with the wiki markup used on this site. Visit the Help page for more information.
• Remember to include a good number of links in your article. Don't create articles without any outgoing links.
• Don't create orphan pages, i.e. articles that are not linked from other nodes.
• Don't overdo it: Too much formatting may make your document hard to read!

English

• Magos recommends the use of British English.
• Use proper grammar and avoid spelling mistakes.
• Some sites that might help you: Dictionary.com, Differences between American and British English, European Commision English Writing Guide (PDF), Common Errors in English, Grammar Guide.

Sections & paragraphs

• Make your text easy to read by dividing it into paragraphs (to create a paragraph in the wiki, press the Enter key two times; pressing it once has no effect)
• Use sections and headings. If you use more than three sections then a table of contents will appear; you can hide it by including this text in your document: __NOTOC__
• By all means avoid the creation of empty sections (that is, headings not followed by text).
• Use bullets and lists where appropriate. You create a bullet list by using the * (asterisk or star) character in front of each line in the list.

Avoid nonsense

• Help the novice reader to understand what you are writing about by providing appropriate links and a good introduction. See SourceryForge:Establishing context

Brainstorming

Brainstorming as page is coming up with section headings and notes which you intend to flesh out later. Don't do this on the page, do it on the "Talk" page. Click "discussion" in the tabs at the top. At all times the page itself should be worded as if it were a complete article on the subject.

Authoritative Voice

Most of an article/page should be written in the authoritative voice. That means it should read like it was written by a single author who is explaining the subject. Discussions are fine, but keep them on the Talk: pages.