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| The '''Citizendium''' ([http://www.citizendium.org/cit.mp3 sit-ih-ZEN-dee-um]), a "citizens' compendium of everything", is an experimental new wiki project created with a goal to build a "better free encyclopedia". The project, started by Larry Sanger(a founder of wikipedia), aims to improve on that model by adding "gentle expert oversight".
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| | {{Image|Citizendium, the Citizens' Compendium front page 2016-07-01 17-41-54.png|right|400px|Citizendium home page in July 2016.}} |
| | [https://en.citizendium.org/ The '''Citizendium'''] (''si-tih-ZEN-dee-um'', "a citizens' compendium") is a [[wiki]]-based free [[encyclopedia]] project founded in 2007 by [[Larry Sanger]], who also co-founded [[Wikipedia]]. It allows users to write and edit articles on many subjects, as long as they register and edit under their real, verified name. Citizendium articles are released under a [[Creative Commons]] license that allows acknowledged duplication. We allow material from other wikis to be used with attribution. The project currently has {{PAGESINCAT:CZ Live}} articles in varying stages of development. |
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| ==Origin of Citizendium==
| | <big>A better summary is probably to be had '''[[CZ:Introduction_to_CZ_for_Wikipedians#Why Citizendium?|here]]'''. We no longer are following the "expert guidance" model used in prior years.</big> |
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| The first recognized wiki was created by Ward Cunningham, who began development of WikiWikiWeb in 1994.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://c2.com/doc/etymology.html|date=November 2003|title=Correspondence on the Etymology of Wiki|accessdate=09-05-2007}}</ref> Since then, other wikis were created to serve various purposes; [[wikipedia]] being the most popular, was created to be the world's first "open encyclopedia". Despite the openness of the wiki model, Wikipedia entries have often succumbed to vandalism, falsehood, "revert-wars", sockpuppetry, and other forums of abuse.
| | ==Structure== |
| | The Citizendium is run according to a set of [[CZ:Policies|policies]]. The community itself, through consensus and discussion, is responsible for shaping the content of articles, as well as funding, appointments, and other administrative matters. In the past, members were elected or appointed to represent the project, make interim decisions and mediate disputes. At present, the wiki is operated by a small, dedicated group of volunteers. |
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| In an effort to create an improved encyclopedia, Larry Sanger announced the concept for Citizendium on September 15, 2006 at Berlin's Wizards of OS 4 conference. The project moved on to a pilot phase in October, and formally launched on March 25, 2007.
| | Members of the project used to be called "Citizens" and were, at one time, divided into "Authors", who were regular project members, and "Editors", who were recognized experts. This model of operation was not successful, and now, all contributors are equal. Other roles include: the [[CZ:Technical Team|technical staff]], who maintain the [[software]] and [[server]]s of the wiki; the Treasurer, who administers the project's finances; and the Editor in Chief and Assistant Editor, who may arbitrate controversies if it becomes necessary. |
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| ==Fundamental Principles== | | ===Open collaboration=== |
| | Citizendium is similar to Wikipedia in that it is an open wiki: the public is invited to participate and edit most pages. Anonymous edits are not allowed, but in principle members can edit most pages. |
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| To aspire to its ultimate goal, the project adheres to the following organizational principles:
| | ===Real names=== |
| | Citizendium requires that all contributors be logged in and edit under their real name, as this is thought to reduced vandalism, encourage a civil atmosphere, and help readers to judge how accurate an article may be. Any applicant must not only declare that the name they have submitted is their own, but must submit evidence that verifies this. Common verification methods include use of a non-free e-mail address, such as one used at an educational institution or company, or the submission of scanned identity documents such as a driver's license (information other than the applicant's name may be blacked out). Minors are asked to provide less personal information. All contributors must also maintain at least a short public biography about themselves, to give readers some idea of the knowledge or abilities the Citizen has brought to their edits. |
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| ===Accuracy===
| | In contrast to the [[pseudonym]]s common on Wikipedia, Citizendium contributors believe the use of real names adds to the credibility and accuracy of Citizendium articles and that real names lead to the likelihood of more courteous interactions among contributors. |
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| Citizendium implements an article approval process where particularly good articles may be nominated for approval, pending a review by subject experts. Articles thus approved become the default article served to readers (though people are encouraged to keep improving the article on a "draft" page).
| | ===Citable articles=== |
| | Some years ago, a (then) Editor could declare a version of an article essentially complete and of reasonably good quality. A copy of this approved version was made available, locked to further editing, on a subpage of the main article. The article itself remains freely editable and can later be re-approved and replace the citable version. |
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| A key component to maintaining a standard of accuracy is the ability to attribute ''credibility'' to the information contained therein. Thus contributors are required to login, and to do so under their ''real names''. This may be a hurdle to participation (see Criticisms section) but it's seen as a necessary step for fostering a culture of accountability and professionalism and thus attracting experts to the project. A significant part of the rationale for this is the theory that people act in a much more responsible manner when their good name is on the line.
| | ===Article inclusion policy=== |
| | Citizendium has the following [[CZ:Content_Policy|content policy]]. There is no requirement that article topics be "notable", which means Citizendium does not exclude topics solely on the ground that their topics have not been covered extensively in the media or reliable online websites. Citizendium asserts that what may be completely trivial to one person might in fact be quite important to another, and our content policy allows you, for example, to write an article about a small, obscure local park. |
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| ===Expert Contribution===
| | However, the wiki does not allow articles that involve [[CZ:Policy_on_Self-Promotion|self-promotion]] or advocacy of causes. Debates about inclusion generally belong in [[Forum_Talk:Content]] but may also occur on the Discussion page of specific articles. |
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| As Sanger has put it, "people who know a great deal about a subject, who are recognized by various societal mechanisms for that knowledge, can add a great of value to Web 2.0 projects, if they are given special roles that recognize their expertise." <ref>Sanger (2006) ''Why Make Room for Experts in Web 2.0'' Keynote delivered at SDForum, San Jose, California, Oct. 24, 2006, retrieved from [http://www.citizendium.org/roomforexperts.html http://www.citizendium.org/roomforexperts.html] on May 7, 2007.</ref> This principle envisions most edits happening in a bottom-up fashion but certain specific decisions being placed in the hands of subject experts.
| | ==Footnotes== |
| | | {{reflist|2}}[[Category:Suggestion Bot Tag]] |
| A metaphor often cited to describe the project is an extension of [[Eric S. Raymond|Eric S. Raymond's]] story about [[The Cathedral and the Bazaar]]. Sanger suggests that we "Think of editors as the village elders wandering the bazaar and occasionally dispensing advice and reining in the wayward. Their presence is merely a moderating, civilizing influence. They don't stop the bazaar from being a bazaar." <ref>Sanger (2006) ''The Citizendium FAQ'', retrieved from [http://www.citizendium.org/faq.html#editors http://www.citizendium.org/faq.html#editors] on May 7, 2007.</ref>
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| ===Neutrality===
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| Like other encyclopedic wikis, Citizendium has it's own Neutrality Policy<ref>{{cite web|url=http://en.citizendium.org/wiki/CZ:Neutrality_Policy|title=Neutrality Policy|date=09-05-2007|accessdate=09-05-2007}}</ref>. Although the current neutrality policy is adapted from Wikipedia's Policy circa December 2001, it sets a precedent for what constitutes neutrality in the context of the project.
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| The policy asserts the following conclusions about neutrality:
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| * Reduction of Bias: It is accepted that there are many different viewpoints of topics all around the world by different people, and as such there is no "Correct" viewpoint but "accurate" viewpoints. In this sense it's the responsibility to provide comprehension and fairness to all topics and viewpoints regardless of personal belief or feelings. Unfortunately it is impossible to reduce the amount of bias to zero, but the policy does indicate that recognition of bias is beneficial to the project.
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| * Facts vs Opinion: The project has a responsibility to produce articles based on established and attributable fact. However it also should be noted that while this dissuades opinion, the guidelines deem it not irresponsible to produce facts about ''all opinions on a subject'', provided they can be resourced, acknowledged, and attributed by fact.
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| * Fairness and Sympathy: Every position must be represented as plausible. It is recommended that this be implemented by use of a consistently positive tone when representing viewpoints. Conceptually, it's suggested that it is unfair to highlight one viewpoint over another, exclusively represent one viewpoint, or to exclusively ''not'' represent one viewpoint. Omission of viewpoints can have the same effect as exclusivity.
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| ===Responsibility===
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| Responsibility covers a broad scope within this project. Not only do members have responsibilities to the project and it's contributors, but they also are responsible for the content they produce. The project has created policy that determines it will maximize attribution, either to an author or a source.
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| Additionally, the Citizendium guidelines propose that editors and authors alike have a responsibility to the public at large. It is the duty of all contributors at CZ to ensure that information on an article can be attributed to fact, and does not contain any questionable or unauthorized/copyrighted material, unless that required permission has been specifically granted for our use.
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| There is also a great importance of projecting reliable information; if Citizendium articles are not accurate then how can the project be credible? The goal is to create a "better free encyclopedia", and it's users and content should aim to fufill that.
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| Should there be any incident of irresponsibility or abject behavior or content, CZ has processes and policies in place that are able to deal with these in the most professional manner available, and those should be exercized first to prevent user conflict and infighting.
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| ===Family-Friendliness===
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| Citizendium has several differences that seperate itself from Wikipedia<ref>{{cite web|url=http://en.citizendium.org/wiki/CZ:We_aren%27t_Wikipedia|title=We aren't Wikipedia|date=23 April 2007|accessdate=09-05-2007}}</ref>. In the preceding [http://en.citizendium.org/wiki/CZ:We_aren%27t_Wikipedia article], there are several points that illustrate this aim:
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| * We will never have nearly as many articles about porn stars and sexual fetishes. We aim to be family-friendly.
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| * We take defamation seriously. We believe defamation is a horrible thing, and we have zero tolerance for people playing fast and loose with people's reputations in their biography articles. This is why we have a [[Policy on Topic Informants]] and a [[Topic Informant Workgroup]].
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| * We expect professional behavior and have very low tolerance for disruption. Our Constabulary has some pretty firm rules which require professionalism. This means that not only do we have rules against personal attacks, blatant violations of the neutrality policy, and so forth, we actually enforce them. We enforce our rules by warnings (in most cases) followed by permanent bans, which can be rescinded only through appeal or application for reinstatement. We do not have "24 hour bans", which do nothing but annoy and antagonize.
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| All of these serve to indicate that Citizendium does not wish to harbor content that is morally questionable, or allow disruptive or abusive behavior toward its contributors or against its own community.
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| Additionally, there is a primer for those who have chosen to migrate from Wikipedia to Citizendium located [http://en.citizendium.org/wiki/CZ:Introduction_to_CZ_for_Wikipedians here]. A summarized version of the family-friendly policy can be found [http://en.citizendium.org/wiki/CZ:Family-Friendly_Policy here]. It is CZ's aim to ensure that all articles about sexual topics will be scholarly and tactful, and none will contain graphic photos.
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| ==Governance==
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| The Citizendium's Fundamental Policies<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.citizendium.org/fundamentals.html|date=22 January 2007|title=Version 1.5|accessdate=09-05-2007}}</ref> describes five guidelines for the governance of the project within it's community. They are as follows:
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| * All contributors to the Citizendium must do so using their real names, unless special and unusual permission is granted by project management.
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| * The Citizendium will be open to contribution by anyone (tentatively, "authors") who is able to make a positive difference and who is willing to work collaboratively under the policies and management of the project.
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| * The Citizendium will invite subject area experts to serve as editors.
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| * The Citizendium will have a set of persons of mature judgment specially empowered to enforce rules, called (at least tentatively) "constables."
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| * There will be a separation of powers: enforcement officials ("constables") will not be able to make editorial decisions, and editors will not have the ability to enforce their own decisions, though they will be able to make recommendations.
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| The combination of these guidelines result in a project that while still existing as an "open system", must have attribution, accuracy, and the unbridled freedom for subject matter experts to be a part of the project. However, the problems of pre-existing systems have been acknowledged and solutions to those are qualified by responsible individuals not encompassed by total empowerment.
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| ===Online Republic===
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| Sanger has repeatedly stressed that he envisions Citizendium as a new sort of internet community, one that contains all the elements of a traditional democratic republic: a constitution, inclusive participatory governance, and an executive, legislative, and judicial branch. The next step in implementing this sort of governance, most likely the organization of a "constitutional convention", will occur when enough stakeholders have joined the project.
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| ==Reception==
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| ==Criticism==
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| ==Citations and Notes==
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| <div class="references-small" style="-moz-column-count:2; column-count:2;">
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| <references />
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| </div>
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| [[Category:Computers Workgroup]]
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| [[Category:CZ Live]] | |
(CC) Screenshot: Citizendium Citizendium home page in July 2016.
The Citizendium (si-tih-ZEN-dee-um, "a citizens' compendium") is a wiki-based free encyclopedia project founded in 2007 by Larry Sanger, who also co-founded Wikipedia. It allows users to write and edit articles on many subjects, as long as they register and edit under their real, verified name. Citizendium articles are released under a Creative Commons license that allows acknowledged duplication. We allow material from other wikis to be used with attribution. The project currently has 16,420 articles in varying stages of development.
A better summary is probably to be had here. We no longer are following the "expert guidance" model used in prior years.
Structure
The Citizendium is run according to a set of policies. The community itself, through consensus and discussion, is responsible for shaping the content of articles, as well as funding, appointments, and other administrative matters. In the past, members were elected or appointed to represent the project, make interim decisions and mediate disputes. At present, the wiki is operated by a small, dedicated group of volunteers.
Members of the project used to be called "Citizens" and were, at one time, divided into "Authors", who were regular project members, and "Editors", who were recognized experts. This model of operation was not successful, and now, all contributors are equal. Other roles include: the technical staff, who maintain the software and servers of the wiki; the Treasurer, who administers the project's finances; and the Editor in Chief and Assistant Editor, who may arbitrate controversies if it becomes necessary.
Open collaboration
Citizendium is similar to Wikipedia in that it is an open wiki: the public is invited to participate and edit most pages. Anonymous edits are not allowed, but in principle members can edit most pages.
Real names
Citizendium requires that all contributors be logged in and edit under their real name, as this is thought to reduced vandalism, encourage a civil atmosphere, and help readers to judge how accurate an article may be. Any applicant must not only declare that the name they have submitted is their own, but must submit evidence that verifies this. Common verification methods include use of a non-free e-mail address, such as one used at an educational institution or company, or the submission of scanned identity documents such as a driver's license (information other than the applicant's name may be blacked out). Minors are asked to provide less personal information. All contributors must also maintain at least a short public biography about themselves, to give readers some idea of the knowledge or abilities the Citizen has brought to their edits.
In contrast to the pseudonyms common on Wikipedia, Citizendium contributors believe the use of real names adds to the credibility and accuracy of Citizendium articles and that real names lead to the likelihood of more courteous interactions among contributors.
Citable articles
Some years ago, a (then) Editor could declare a version of an article essentially complete and of reasonably good quality. A copy of this approved version was made available, locked to further editing, on a subpage of the main article. The article itself remains freely editable and can later be re-approved and replace the citable version.
Article inclusion policy
Citizendium has the following content policy. There is no requirement that article topics be "notable", which means Citizendium does not exclude topics solely on the ground that their topics have not been covered extensively in the media or reliable online websites. Citizendium asserts that what may be completely trivial to one person might in fact be quite important to another, and our content policy allows you, for example, to write an article about a small, obscure local park.
However, the wiki does not allow articles that involve self-promotion or advocacy of causes. Debates about inclusion generally belong in Forum_Talk:Content but may also occur on the Discussion page of specific articles.
