m21 Wiki Editor Guidelines

Some Agreed Graphics and Editing Standards when using the wiki website

This one is 50 x 50 pixcels
Please try to keep to our compact format (vertically compact)
The essence of wiki is to present information in an informal, easy, accessible, co-authorable form
This means balancing the businesslike terseness of meanings with the need for playfulness
Reduce unnecessary gaps between lines but leave occasional breathing spaces
The italicised section under the main header can also be used in the page's 'description' box (see above).
Avoid 'double carriage returns'. (Blue Headers automatically create additional spaces between lines)

This is even better - 122 x 89 pixcels (= 4k in size).
Also, it has no distracting edges or background and it faces into the body of the wiki
rule of thumb for small icons 80 x 80 pixels (e.g. cat = 83 width x 84 height - 2.93 cm x 2.96 cm)

Wiki is not the perfect vehicle for broad publication...it is even less suitable than Blogging
It can be really useful as a semi-private space for co-authoring notes and sharing ideas
But it doesn't take that much more energy to make a page widely accessible as it does to clarify it for private consumption
This can considerably reduce our final task of making reports (i.e by confronting difficulties/need for innovation early enough)

When you are creating a page you know its purpose, origin and context...your reader does not
Imagine the page is isolated
Imagine your reader may only see this page
Think of the long-term evolution of the website
Always give a proper context - e.g. pages called Feedback Notes or Recent Problems will soon become impossible to find/understand

See the sympoiesis article by JW and Otto...it describes some idealised aims for a mutually beneficial version of co-authorship
Some like to write their ideas down without adding too many corrections, or formatting processes - this is OK!
Others may find it easier to read things by adjusting them (i.e. trying to make them look clearer - graphically / drafting-wise]
This kind of co-authorship enables potential ambiguities or redundancies to be eradicated - by negotiated actions (not criticisms)
Seeking to re-draft can help co-authors to locate hidden areas of possible misunderstanding or disagreement.
The process of 'tweaking' can also be a dress-rehearsal for later, possible publication

It is nice (but not essential) to have a small image on white background (as above)
You can find some images on the 'Image Browser' (when you start editing, it's above right, next to the coloured icons)
See also the basics of editing and other emerging issues
Try to do a little and often...have fun...anything can be tidied up later...copy the code from approved pages you like.
If you get into a pickle, we can 'roll back' to a previous version...
Or mess about in the sand pit...

Always use copyright free (or equivalent) images wherever possible. Check out these sites for a start:

Actually, this may of tenuous relevance - especially if it's uplifting, or funny

The basic links (bottom of page) are set up automatically when you create a page
But please put in essential links (e.g. within a series of hierarchically related pages)
Ask yourself who will really need to find the page you are creating...and from where they would be starting
Although we have the menu bar under the sky banner (and the right-hand menu)...it may help new readers if you include special links
This is a 2-way process -
1) What should link to the page you are creating?
2) Where should this page be pointing the reader?
Ideally, each wiki web page should have at no less than 5 and no more than 20 helpful and appropriate links to relevant pages
This will make the page look 'alive', and helps the functionality of the 3D Browser
So ensure that each page has up-to-date clickable links to other, relevant pages
There is no need to put a Home Page link at the foot of each page - this is done for you automatically.

Take care with spacing...it's a balance between offering compact information but offering some breathing space
Use small pictures to bring colour and life to your text. (see picture format standards below)
Use one main heading at the top of each page (by starting the text with a single exclamation mark)
Follow this with a longer line of italicised text (by making 2 single quotes at beginning and end of text)
Follow this with a horizontal blue line (just do a carriage return, followed by 3 hyphens: ---)
Follow a blue line immediately (no carriage return) with a blue text heading.
(to do this, start the line with more than one exclamation mark
the more you use the smaller the heading gets)
When following a heading with a line of text...just make one carriage return (i.e. no gap)
The wiki will automatically create a 'breathing space' between Headings and other things
To create a bullet point use a (left-justified) asterisk, followed immediately by the first letter of the line.
Aim to write sentences of no more than twelve words if possible.
(The above line consist of twelve words exactly)
If necessary, break long sentences up
You can do this by breaking up the sentence
with 3 percentage signs (="%') in succession
When citing book titles use the Harvard Referencing Standard (see the m21 booklist)
Use the three 'hyphens in a row' to create horizontal spacer lines

Each page should normally be assigned to the appropriate Category or Categories
Assign Category levels to ensure that access balances privacy with a respect for the contribution of others.
Set up a meaningful hierarchy of headings throughout the document/page.

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