Wikipedia:WPBT

Wikipedia:WPBT
This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Wikipedia:WPBT".

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Welcome to the Lists of basic topics WikiProject, dedicated to building an outline of human knowledge that doubles as a table of contents system for Wikipedia. Together, these lists are a form of site map for the encyclopedia, helping users to find their way around more easily, while showing them the structure of knowledge and how things fit together in the world.
For more information on WikiProjects, please see the Guide to WikiProjects and the Directory of WikiProjects.

Shortcuts: WP:LOBT WP:WPBT

Wikipedia's goal is to provide knowledge. But knowledge is only useful if you can find it. The main limitation of a search box is that it can only help you find what you already know exists. Our mission is to show what exists and provide easy access to that knowledge.

The system is far from complete. So keep in mind that recruiting more people to join this effort is currently as important as the effort itself. If you know anyone who loves Wikipedia, please tell them about the importance of this project!

By the way, do you use Firefox? If so, Linky is an invaluable extension. You'll also need WP:AWB (an auto-page-loader) which works with Internet Explorer. I've found these two tools essential for working on multiple lists. If you know of even better tools, please let me know.

The Transhumanist 10:49, 8 May 2008 (UTC)

Goals

Develop the Lists of basic topics, including the creation of new lists to fill in gaps in topic coverage, and to develop and maintain all the lists appearing on there, to provide a fundamental outline of human knowledge which also serves as one of Wikipedia's tables of contents systems.
Determine guidelines and design tools for the maintenance and development of such lists. Currently our main tool is Template:BLT.
Nominate and nurture the lists through Wikipedia:Featured list candidates

Scope

This project covers all basic topic lists, and all links leading to those lists.
- Note that this is one of the two successors of Lists of articles by category, the other being Lists of topics (which also has its own WikiProject).

Procedures and tips

List creation

The main procedure of this project is of course the creation of lists of basic topics. Two templates are available for creating such lists: Template:BLT and Template:BLT country. Instructions on how to use them are included in them.

If you create a basic topics list in article space, be sure to place a {{under construction}} template at the top of it. Otherwise, you run the risk that someone will come along and nominate the list for deletion after you barely get started. For example, the List of basic Canada topics was nominated for deletion at AfD when it only included a few links. Someone had to jump in and develop it fast in order to save it. The same thing happened to List of basic mining topics.

A safer approach is to create new basic topics lists in this WikiProject's space, starting the page title with "Wikipedia:WikiProject Lists of basic topics/Draft/". One must have a compelling reason to delete a draft, since it is by definition under development, and all problems are subject to being discussed on its talk page before it gets moved to article space. There are lists of drafts under development, below.

List maintenance

Active participants

If you'd like join the effort to complete this list set, including collaboration and communication with other members, please add your name below:

The Transhumanist (talk · contribs) - interested in lists and encyclopedia topic navigation systems
JFPerry (talk · contribs)
GUllman (talk · contribs) - Since I compiled one of the first versions of Lists of articles by category, it goes without saying that I have in interest in the page that succeeded it.
Dex1337 (talk · contribs) - Interested in starting List of basic Free Software Topics
bibliomaniac15 (talk · contribs)
xDanielx (talk · contribs) - Main interests are philosophy and computer science, but I think this is a great idea and would be happy to help out however I can, time permitting
DGG (talk) 08:19, 30 November 2007 (UTC) a good idea, but liable to degenerate into linkspam if not watched
Quiddity (talk · contribs)
Eklipse (talk · contribs)
Kathyedits (talk · contribs) - I'd like to develop a list of basic human rights topics
AnnaFrance (talk · contribs) - I've already begun working on a handful of the incomplete lists. I'll just keep going with whatever needs doing.
ImperfectlyInformed (talk · contribs) -- these things help me organize things in my mind, which I like
Erikzann (talk · contribs) - Just starting out in Wikipedia. Want to do some simple edits first.

Tasks

Maintain links to the basic topics lists: each article of the corresponding topic should have a link to its basic topic list in its see also section. Periodically check each see also section, as the links sometimes get removed. Linky comes in handy for this.
Build new basic topic lists. See Template:BLT.
Maintain existing basic topic lists
- Please place them on your watchlist and check your watchlist every time you log on. The lists need to be monitored for vandalism and mistakes.
Improve existing basic topic lists
- Add missing topics
- Match structure of the subject (outline it)
Place a WikiProject banner at the top of the talk pages of all lists of basic topics, leading here
Place a coverage banner at the top of the talk pages of all articles matching the subjects in the titles of basic topic lists, leading to the corresponding list.
- the coverage banner template needs to be designed
Nominate and push lists through the WP:FLC process.

Current featured list candidates

Wikipedia:Featured list candidates/List of basic geography topics

Missing or incomplete lists

There are still gaps in this list collection. We need basic lists to fill those gaps. Please list them here: Once a list is created, add it to the "Incomplete lists" list below.

Many of the lists are incomplete; those listed below are particularly sparse and need the most work. Each list should provide an overview of its subject, and present all the basic topics from its field. But please don't overdo it: keep in mind that these lists don't aim at being comprehensive—we have the Lists of topics for that. Each of the basic lists is a subset of its corresponding mother from that page.

Once a list has been sufficiently filled-in or fleshed out, please add its link to the Lists of Basic topics and mark is as Y Done below:

Basic topics lists for countries

These use the template {{BLT country}}. Substitute the template like this: {{subst:BLT country|Country name}}. Those completed enough to be moved to the article namespace have been marked "done", however, they are still incomplete and need further development.