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| '''Conservapedia''' is an [[internet]] [[encyclopedia]] project that attempts to present information from a [[conservatism|conservative]], [[Young Earth creationism|creationist]] and pro-[[United States of America|American]] viewpoint. It is a [[wiki]] project using the same [[Mediawiki]] [[software]] as [[Citizendium]] and [[Wikipedia]]; the site has set itself up in opposition particularly to Wikipedia and its perceived "[[liberalism|liberal]] bias".<ref>''Conservapedia'': '[http://www.conservapedia.com/index.php?title=Examples_of_Bias_in_Wikipedia&oldid=249783 Examples of bias in Wikipedia].' July 25th 2007.</ref> It was founded in November 2006 by [[Andrew Schlafly]], son of conservative commentator [[Phyllis Schlafly]], and originally began as a class project by [[homeschooling|homeschooled]] students.<ref>''Conservapedia'': '[http://www.conservapedia.com/Conservapedia:About Conservapedia:About].'</ref> As of July 2007, it had about 16,000 articles.
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| ==Editorial policy==
| | '''Conservapedia''' is an [[Internet]] [[encyclopedia]] project whose purpose is to present information from a [[American conservatism|conservative]] viewpoint. Founded in November, 2006, by Andrew Schlafly, son of the conservative commentator [[Phyllis Schlafly]], and originally begun as a class project by [[homeschooling|homeschooled]] students,<ref>''Conservapedia'': '[http://www.conservapedia.com/Conservapedia:About Conservapedia:About],'</ref> it is a [[wiki]] project using the same [[Mediawiki]] [[software]] that [[Citizendium]] and [[Wikipedia]] do. It has, in particular, set itself up in opposition to Wikipedia and its perceived "[[liberalism|liberal]] bias".<ref>''Conservapedia'': '[http://www.conservapedia.com/index.php?title=Examples_of_Bias_in_Wikipedia&oldid=249783 Examples of bias in Wikipedia].' July 25th 2007.</ref> As of October, 2008, it had about 26,000 articles.<ref>''Conservapedia'': '[http://www.conservapedia.com/Special:Statistics Special:Statistics].'</ref> |
| Like Wikipedia, all contributors can freely edit articles unless the page has been protected, and [[anonymity]] is permitted. In line with its [[religion|religious]] and [[Christianity|Christian]] theme, Conservapedia's editorial policy consists of "Commandments", a reference to the [[Ten Commandments|two sets of laws]] the [[Bible]] says were handed down to [[Moses]] from [[God]]. The Commandments require, among others, that "everything... be [[truth|true]] and verifiable" and also enforce a [[family]]-friendly policy.<ref>''Conservapedia'': '[http://www.conservapedia.com/index.php?title=Conservapedia:Commandments&oldid=207247 Conservapedia:Commandments].' June 23rd 2007.</ref> Until March 2007, Conservapedia required by Commandment that "As much as possible, American [[spelling]] of [[word]]s must be used",<ref>''Conservapedia'': '[http://www.conservapedia.com/index.php?title=Conservapedia:Commandments&oldid=55263 Conservapedia:Commandments].' March 21st 2007.</ref> but now the site's "Manual of Style" presents American spellings as being preferred, with [[Commonwealth of Nations|Commonwealth]] spellings possible depending on the [[context]].<ref>''Conservapedia'': '[http://www.conservapedia.com/index.php?title=Conservapedia:Manual_of_Style&oldid=252988#Spelling Conservapedia:Manual of Style - Spelling].' July 27th 2007.</ref>
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| Conservapedia also emphasises that it does not "attempt to be [[neutrality|neutral]] to all points of view". However, this [[relativism]] seems to potentially allow for descriptions which ''favor'' one side rather than none; its own example of how "[[terrorism|terrorist]]" is preferable to "militant", in contrast to what Wikipedia might use, presupposes that the subject ''is'' a terrorist.<ref>''Conservapedia'': '[http://www.conservapedia.com/index.php?title=Conservapedia:How_Conservapedia_Differs_from_Wikipedia&oldid=239880 How Conservapedia Differs from Wikipedia].' July 18th 2007.</ref> Similarly, the site often promotes a creationist perspective which is flatly contradicted by overwhelming [[science|scientific]] evidence; its article on [[kangaroo|kangaroo]]s, for instance, promotes the idea that these [[marsupial]]s did not [[evolution|evolve]] but are descended from a pair that boarded [[Noah's Ark]].<ref>''Conservapedia'': '[http://www.conservapedia.com/index.php?title=Kangaroo&oldid=242574 Kangaroo].' July 20th 2007.</ref> The site has attracted heavy criticism and ridicule as a result of pages such as this,<ref>''thestar.com'': '[http://www.thestar.com/sciencetech/article/190501 Conservative wants to set Wikipedia right].' March 11th 2007.</ref> and Conservapedia administrators frequently have to block [[vandalism (wiki)|vandals]] attempting to insert inappropriate material.<ref>''Conservapedia'': '[http://www.conservapedia.com/Special:Ipblocklist IP block list]. According to this list, in June 2007, administrators blocked 1,598 accounts and [[IP address]]es; in the same period, the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:Ipblocklist English-language Wikipedia blocked 8,574], despite the latter having about 100 times more articles. Citizendium [http://en.citizendium.org/wiki/Special:Ipblocklist blocked four], with about 2,400 articles.</ref>
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| ==Footnotes== | | ==Footnotes== |
| <div class="references-2column"> | | <div class="references-2column"> |
| <references/> | | <references/> |
| </div> | | </div>[[Category:Suggestion Bot Tag]] |
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| ==External links==
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| *[http://www.conservapedia.com Conservapedia]
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| *[http://www.conservapedia.com/Special:Popularpages Conservapedia: Popular pages] - list of the most-viewed pages; in July 2007, the top ten included articles on [[Scientology]], [[evolution]], [[astronomy]], [[homosexuality]] and [[unicorn]]s
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| *[http://www.poli.ucalgary.ca/Flanagan.htm Tom Flanagan] - academic home page of [[political science|political scientist]] and conservative [http://www.thestar.com/sciencetech/article/190501 critic of Conservapedia]
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| ==See also==
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| *[[Wikipedia]]
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| *[[Citizendium]]
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| *[[Young earth creationism]]
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| *[[Intelligent design]]
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| [[Category: Topic Informant Workgroup]]
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| [[Category: Computers Workgroup]]
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| [[Category: Religion Workgroup]]
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| [[Category: Politics Workgroup]]
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| [[Category: CZ Live]] | |
