CZ:Application Review Procedure

General policies and procedures

Goals of a project application system

We have a strong interest in making sure that participants in the Citizendium 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 (50 words is an absolute minimum; 100-500 words preferred)
• 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 evidence from authors, although of course it is still expected that people will contribute under their own real names and identities, and persons who use pseudonyms without permission may be excluded permanently from the project. Moreover, because of their greater responsibility in the system, we still require such evidence of identity from editors and constables. Finally, if any author ever misbehaves or there is some reasonable question raised about the person's identity, the Constabulary reserves the right to make further participation contingent on the delivery of evidence of identity.

The author application procedure

To join the pilot project, a contributor goes through these steps (editors see below):

1. E-mail constables@citizendium.org. The contributor sends an e-mail to constables@citizendium.org with three items: (1) the person's real name; (2) a biography (50 words minimum, 100-500 words preferred) to be posted on the person's user page, containing (at a minimum) name, educational and professional highlights (i.e., just a list of degrees, main positions held, and/or important experience would do), and areas of interest; and (3) a claim to the effect that contributor endorses the Citizendium Statement of Fundamental Policies.
2. Constables create the contributor's account and password. Once all three items are received, constables then create an account for the contributor.
3. Constables place the biography and a welcome message on the contributor's pages. Constables add to the new author's user page the author's bio, and the [[Category:CZ Authors|''Lastname, Firstname'']] tag (unless the person has applied for editorship; see below). On the user talk page, constables place a {{awelcome}} template followed by a signature (i.e., what is produced when typing "~~~~").
4. Constables send the new contributor a welcome message. Finally, the constable welcomes the new author to the project and points the person to the new user page.

The editor application procedure

The application procedure for editors is the same, except that editor candidates should also send to personnel@citizendium.org two additional items: a CV or resume attached (or linked), as well as some links to Web material that tends to support the claims made in the CV, such as conference proceedings, or a departmental home page. Both additional requirements may be fulfilled by a CV that is hosted on an official work Web page.

Note: it is perfectly acceptable for an editor to get started as an author. To become an editor, then, a person could simply place links to a CV, and perhaps other supporting material, on his or her user page, and then send a link to that page to personnel@citizendium.org.

Also different are the items the editorial personnel administrators will add to the new editor's user page. They will use the {{ewelcome}} template and, unless the editor specifically requests otherwise, the links to online work and/or CV the editor supplied.

Editorial personnel administrators may be either editors or constables. The persons making decisions about editor applications will be editors, not constables, but any constable may "fill in" an editor's user page once a decision has been made.

The constable application procedure

Constables will be chosen in a completely different way. All constable applications will be treated as author applications, but will be filed away for such future time as there is a need for new constables. (There are far more constable applications than constables positions.) The Chief Constable will, when the need arises, look through the constable applications and select from them.

Instructions for application review

General policies for application review

Here are some notes for personnel administrators, i.e., the people who monitor and respond to mail sent to constable [at] citizendium.org.

• We have a system in place in which a work assigner sends applications to particular constables. Please find out who this person is and get on his or her list.

• See above for what we require of authors and editors.

• All constables may adjudicate author applications (sent to constables@citizendium.org). Only personnel administrators who are also editors may adjudicate editor applications (sent to personnel@citizendium.org), unless a case is perfectly obvious and unproblematic.

• For minors (persons under 18 years old), we should edit biographies so that they do not have so much identifying information. For example, a state or province will suffice, and precise birthdays should also be excluded (birth years are OK). Delete any school and town information as well.

• Feel free to edit bios for relevance. We don't need info about how they feel about either Wikipedia or the Citizendium.

• A tacit requirement for participation is reasonably good English language proficiency, as indicated by the e-mail application. If the e-mail, bio, and/or other materials contain numerous elementary grammar and spelling errors, then we should send a gentle rejection: "Currently, the Citizendium requires a well-developed ability to write in English. While we have no problem whatsoever with non-native speakers joining the project, there is a requirement of excellent English language proficiency. You might be pleased to know that we will be launching versions of Citizendium in other languages, we hope in 2007."

• Obviously, use your best judgment!

Constable procedures for author applications

We might want to edit the following...

When you get an application, you have to decide if you need more info or if everything is present. What's everything?

1) Their name/username (if you're not sure, if they've included a middle name and it isn't obvious - check)

2) Their endorsement or support of the the statement of fundamental principles (endorsement or support, not understanding, not "I've read". We'd like them to be on board please. It seems trivial, but this is often when people start to pick their particular fights).

3) A bio. (See above.)

4) Ok, that's the end of the sorting. Now to the wiki. Go to the wiki and log on. Then go to special pages. One of the links is "Log in/create account".

5) Fill in the info. Make up a password. Check the appropriate boxes. Here is shown how the screens look: Create Account.

6) Create the account, here it is showing you the details Create Account

7) Now go to their user page (wiki/User:Sarah Tuttle, for example). You can just go to Special:Log and it should be very near the top.

It should be blank. Copy over their bio. Below their bio put the {{awelcome}} template which provides useful info. Sign it. (~~~~ does that). Also add [[Category:CZ Authors|Tuttle, Sarah]] so they get listed.

8) Email them with username and password (reminding them to change it). Tada! You've just made someones day. Have a cookie. (a crucial last step).

Editorial personnel administrator procedures for editor applications

The procedure is virtually identical to that for authors. Here are the differences:

• Only personnel administrators who are also editors may make decisions about the disposition of editor applications, in all but the most obvious cases.
• We check for (and, if necessary, request) more pieces of information (see above).
• We use {{ewelcome}} (the "editor welcome" template) rather than {{awelcome}}.
• We add both [[Category:CZ Editors]] and the category of the most appropriate workgroup, such as [[Category:Philosophy Editors]].
• Forward to sanger [at] citizendium.org (or whoever the moderator of citizendium-editors is) the e-mail address of the new editor and ask him/her to send a list subscription invitation to the new editor.
• In the welcome message, it would be a good idea to include a link to the discipline editor category page (e.g., Category:Philosophy Editors) and perhaps a few other pages such as the workgroup home page (e.g., CZ:Biology Workgroup).
• Finished applications are filed in the "Editors - Yes - Done" folder, not in the authors' folder.