Manifold Atlas:Instructions for writing

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* For articles in the [[:Category:Manifolds|Manifolds]] chapter please review the [[Manifold Atlas:Structure of a Manifolds page|suggested structure]].
* For articles in the [[:Category:Manifolds|Manifolds]] chapter please review the [[Manifold Atlas:Structure of a Manifolds page|suggested structure]].
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== The evolution of a page ==
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== Hyperlinks ==
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* It will typically take many edits for a page to reach [[Manifold Atlas:Editorial Policy#Editorial criteria|maturity]].
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* A well-written article will find a good balance between the following extremes:
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** too few hyperlinks and your document is somewhat of a dead-end,
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** too many hyperlinks make texts hard to read and can distract the reader.
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* Here are some guides for hyperlinking:
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** you can use hyperlinks to both defined and emphasis key concepts,
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** you only need to link a give page once per page or section, unless emphasis is sought,
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** broken hyperlinks, appearing in red, can be useful: they indicate pages you think should exist but don't right now.
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** for ease of writing on your first draft, simply write your hyperlink as <tt>[[intended link]]</tt>: later on you, or other users, can fill in the links to make them active.
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* New and young pages bear the [[Template:Stub|Stub]] template indicating that they are under development.
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=== Wikipedia ===
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* [[Wikipedia:Wikipedia]] already contains a great wealth of mathematical articles and there is not point in duplicating this content.
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* After a page reaches maturity, the editorial board will organise for it to be [[Manifold Atlas:Editorial Process|refereed]].
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* Atlas articles will differ from Wikipedia articles in that they assume a higher level of mathematical background and will typically discuss manifolds in greater depth and with greater precesion than Wikipedia.
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* A good heuristic for linking to Wikipedia is the following:
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== Open-editing pages ==
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** use Wikipedia links to define concepts but,
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* Open-editing pages can be edited by any registered user.
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** do not reference Wikipedia for mathematical facts - for these refer to the peer-reviewed journals.
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* We hope that there will be a positive synergy between Wikipedia and the Atlas:
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* Open-editing pages offer the possibility of '''massively parallel''' collaboration for recording, organising and developing information about manifolds.
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** Atlas authors may wish to improve to and to Wikipedia articles to define the terms they use,
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** hopefully in time, Wikipedia can reference articles in the Atlas.
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* Open editing-pages require scientific co-operation and team-work a la Wikipedia.
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* You should feel free to:
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** edit typos,
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** fix mistakes,
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** add hyerlinks,
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** add new sections and subections,
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** improve presentation and organistaion (but think carefully here).
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* You should think carefully before making significant changes to existing text.
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* When in doubt about a prospective edit use the discussion page or email the other active users on the page.
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** If there there is no response after a couple of days, proceed with your planned edit.
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* In general questions of style or point of view should first be raised on [[Manifold Atlas:User orientation#Writing on discussion pages|discussion page]] before edits are made.
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* After making significant changes, it is helpful to leave a remark on the discussion page explaining or describing your edit.
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== Author-based pages ==
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* Author-based pages can be edited only by a '''single author''' or '''team of authors''':
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* Author-based pages offer the possibility for an expert or team of experts to develop information about manifolds in public and over the web.
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* Besides having restricted editing, author-based pages are open to development, editorial review and discussion just as an open-editing page.
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* All users can write on the discussion pages of author-based pages and provide feed-back, questions or suggestions.
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* A new author can be added to an author-based page at any time if all the current authors agree to it.
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* If all authors agree, an author-based page can be released to become an open-editing page at any time.
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** However this is, in general, an '''irreversible process'''.
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* The [[Template:Authors|author template]] appears at the top of each author-base page making the responsible authors immediately visible.
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* Please list the names of authors alphabetically.
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Revision as of 15:21, 24 September 2009

This page describes the scientific writing style of the Manifold Atlas.

1 Scientific style

  • The Manifold Atlas aims to be an reliable scientific reference for researchers and students of manifolds.
  • Please write rigorously and clearly for a topologically literate audience:
    • i.e. assume that your reader has taken relevant introductory graduate level courses for the area you are covering.
  • Please give proofs or references to peer-reviewed journals for all non-elementary statements.
  • As far as possible define the terms and concepts you use:
    • a quick way to achieve this is to hyperlink to Wikipedia or another web resource if the term is adequately defined.

2 Hyperlinks

  • A well-written article will find a good balance between the following extremes:
    • too few hyperlinks and your document is somewhat of a dead-end,
    • too many hyperlinks make texts hard to read and can distract the reader.
  • Here are some guides for hyperlinking:
    • you can use hyperlinks to both defined and emphasis key concepts,
    • you only need to link a give page once per page or section, unless emphasis is sought,
    • broken hyperlinks, appearing in red, can be useful: they indicate pages you think should exist but don't right now.
    • for ease of writing on your first draft, simply write your hyperlink as intended link: later on you, or other users, can fill in the links to make them active.

2.1 Wikipedia

  • Wikipedia:Wikipedia already contains a great wealth of mathematical articles and there is not point in duplicating this content.
  • Atlas articles will differ from Wikipedia articles in that they assume a higher level of mathematical background and will typically discuss manifolds in greater depth and with greater precesion than Wikipedia.
  • A good heuristic for linking to Wikipedia is the following:
    • use Wikipedia links to define concepts but,
    • do not reference Wikipedia for mathematical facts - for these refer to the peer-reviewed journals.
  • We hope that there will be a positive synergy between Wikipedia and the Atlas:
    • Atlas authors may wish to improve to and to Wikipedia articles to define the terms they use,
    • hopefully in time, Wikipedia can reference articles in the Atlas.
Retrieved from "http://www.map.mpim-bonn.mpg.de/index.php?title=Manifold_Atlas:Instructions_for_writing&oldid=911"
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