WikiHealthCare Guidelines

The following guidelines are intended to serve as instructions for users who may have questions about formatting, appropriateness of content and writing style.

General

Be bold in updating pages

Wikis develop faster when people fix problems, correct grammar, add facts, insert links to other topics and contribute their own ideas and expertise.

Be Collaborative

The community of health care providers, researchers, technicians, administrators and other professionals should work collaboratively when creating an article. This joint effort leads to a product which is greater than the sum of its parts.

Build the site

Connect relevant topics throughout the application through the use of hyperlines and WikiWords. The ability to move effortlessly from one topic to another makes the site more usable.

Topic size

There is no predetermined limit to a topic's size. Authors should consider readability and organization when creating or editing a topic. In many cases, it may be more useful to create a new topic and link it to related pages, rather than expanding an existing topic.

Discussion

Use Discussion pages to collaborate with fellow authors and resolve differences of opinion. These pages should also be used to pose questions or encourage the posting of additional content within a topic. (e.g., "Could someone add content that reflects the experiences of a small and rural facility?")

Behavior

Etiquette

Contributors have different views, perspectives, and backgrounds, sometimes varying widely. This is one of the primary strengths of the collaborative model. Treating others with respect is key to collaborating effectively and building this application.

Encourage new users

Many new contributors lack knowledge about WikiHealthCare policies (although everyone should read the policies topic). Accidental edits and breaches in etiquette are often the work of new users who are unfamiliar with the process of editing the wiki or participating in this type of forum. Remember that these new users are a potential resource to the community. Help them get acclimated to the site and encourage their participation.

Profanity and Offensive Content

Words and images that might be considered offensive, profane, or obscene by other readers should not be used. If you identify offensive content, edit the topic and remove the offensive content. Depending upon the nature of the content, you may want to contact the author and direct him/her to the policies topic, or report the incident to WikiHealthCare administrators (ContactUs).

User page

You can use your user page to add a little information about yourself which may help others identify your areas of expertise and interests. This content can be used to network with other users and/or enhance the credibility of your posts. It is important to remember, however, that WikiHealthCare is not a blog or a forum for advertising/self-promotion.

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Note: These guidelines were orginally adpapted from those used in Wikipedia. They may change as the WikiHealthCare site begins to form its own identity and community norms.