CZ:Application Review Procedure

The following is a proposal. It will be adopted or revised no later than November 15.

Goals of a pilot project application system

We have a strong interest in making sure that participants in the Citizendium, particularly during the crucial pilot project period, be trustworthy. Of all participants, we require:

• a username that is the participant's own real name (special permission to use a pseudonym must be applied for)
• a short bio
• a working e-mail address
• endorsement of the Statement of Fundamental Policies

In the first few weeks of the pilot project, we also required a resume or CV from authors, as well as Web links, establishing that a person had a certain identity. We no longer require this of authors, although, because of their greater responsibility in the system, we still require it of editors and constables.

The application procedure

To join the pilot project, a contributor goes through these steps:

1. At the wiki, the contributor should create a username (that is his/her own real name) in "Firstname Lastname" form. Examples of acceptable usernames: John Doe; P. John Doe; John P. Doe; John Peter Doe. Examples of unacceptable usernames: JPD; JDoe; J. Doe; John D. Names in other forms are acceptable if it is shown that a person uses that name commonly (e.g., signs much academic work "J. P. Doe").
2. The contributor then sends an e-mail to personnel@citizendium.org (preferably titled "Let me in" or "Access please") with three items: (1) the username; (2) a biography to be posted on the person's user page, containing (minimally) name, educational and professional highlights (i.e., just a list of degrees and/or main positions held would do), and areas of interests; and (3) a claim to the effect that contributor endorses the Citizendium Statement of Fundamental Policies.
3. Once all three items are received, Personnel Administrators then change the username's permissions. (Users will be given a so-called "wikieditor" permissions, but this does not mean that one is a Citizendium editor. It means only that one has read/write access to the wiki.)
4. Personnel Administrators add the person's bio a {{welcome}} template and [[Category:CZ Authors]] to the new person's page (unless the person has applied for editorship; see below).