Bestor EN:Community Portal/Writing Tips

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Below, you will find information on what a good Bestor note looks like in terms of content. Every note in Bestor consists of a number of defined sections with fixed titles. It also contains cross-references and categories. Before you start writing, make sure that the note does not already exist!

Before writing: creating a new page

Before writing a new note, please check whether the subject already has a page in Bestor. You can ask us via e-mail or search in Bestor yourself. Enter your candidate's subject in the search engine (for persons, just give the surname, and try different spellings). This search can produce five possible results:

1. You will be taken directly to the page of the note: the note already exists

2. No results found - No pages found: the search word(s) does not yet have a note and does not appear in other notes, either in the title or in the text. You can get started.

3. No results found - match with content: The search word(s) does not have its own note, but it does figure in the title of another note(s). Please check carefully whether you can find your candidate subject in this list! If not, you can start writing the note yourself.

4. No results found - Match with subject: the search word(s) does not have its own note, but it does figure in the text of another note(s). Check carefully whether it is indeed your candidate subject that is referred to in the text of the other note(s). If this is the case, it means that your candidate subject is actively requested by Bestor. You can start writing the note.

5. No results found - Match with subject - Match with content: a combination of the two previous ones.

It is also possible that your candidate subject on Bestor FR or Bestor NL already had its own note. You should therefore repeat the same search on Bestor FR and Bestor NL. If the note does exist here, you can translate it (and possibly complete or correct it).

Are you a Bestor USER? Then read the Mediawiki manual Starting a new page on how to create a new page. (What is a User?)
Beware: Choose your title carefully. Once created, the page cannot be deleted!

While writing: using wikicodes

If you are a User, you can tap your note directly into the edit screen of the new page. Formatting your text so that it appears on the screen in the Bestor style is done by placing certain codes in your text. These are wiki codes. The coded text is called a "source text". This may seem complicated, but don't worry, experience makes perfect. Moreover, you can correct mistakes immediately by clicking on the edit tab again and modifying your source text.

Consult the Mediawiki manuals at the bottom of this page for more information on text formatting. You can also study the easy Wikipedia tutorial on formatting.

While writing: style and structure

Tip 1: Stick to the Bestor structure with fixed title blocks

Every note in Bestor consists of a number of defined sections with fixed titles. Simple collaborators can follow the structure below when creating their memo. Users of Bestor can write the note directly in the wikicode. They can use the example notes indicated below as a template. (What are Users and Simple Contributors?)

Each note (unless very short) starts with a short sentence indicating the main function of the person or body and the date and place of birth or year of establishment. Any family connections are also mentioned here.

For a person (template note Sarton, George Alfred Leon (1884-1956)):

Biography	Here, a sketch of the person's life and career is provided. This should include details of education, diplomas and positions, with time indications where possible. Memberships in academies, societies, editorial boards etc., special foundations, collaborations, travels, grants and prizes also deserve a mention. Cross-references to notes on other persons - teachers, successors, colleagues, pupils - or on institutions and societies enrich the text. Family information, personal details and other peculiarities also have their place here. Add endnotes if necessary.
Publications	Optional. Can be incorporated in the Biography section, but can also be a separate section if it is worthwhile. This section contains a list of (the most important) publications, if possible with links to freely available online full text. Or possibly an (online) reference to a publication list of the figure.
...	Other titles can be added if desired.
Bibliography	Here you indicate the publications you use, possibly with a digital location.
Notes	Endnotes are placed at the very end.

For an institution/organisation/etc. (Template note: Museum of the History of Science):

History	Outline the establishment and developments, add footnotes if necessary
Organisation	Optional. Here the practical organisation is described: membership fees, meeting times, elections, regulations, hierarchy, awards, etc.
List of members, list of presidents, seat, prices etc.	Optional
...	Other titles can be added if desired.
External link	Please provide the website of the institution/organisation/etc. if it still exists.
Bibliography	Here you indicate the publications you use, possibly with a digital location.
Notes	Endnotes are placed at the very end.

For a thematic note (Template note: History of science in Belgium):

A thematic note deals with a specific subject. This may be a particular detail or a special event in the history of science, such as a festive occasion or inauguration, the founding of a journal, a harsh exploration journey or a scientific discovery... But a theme note can also shed light on a broader development or provide a global overview. Examples are: the evolution of a certain discipline, the development of a scientific instrument through time, the organisation of a certain field of science, etc.

A thematic note is primarily aimed at readers who are not completely at home in the history of the sciences. It is a focal point for cross-references, and therefore very suitable as a starting point for an exploration of Bestor's notes. Therefore, please include sufficient cross-references.

The structure of a thematic note is free. However, you should always include a bibliography and possibly endnotes.

Tip 2: Pay attention to possible directs

Bestor's aim is to expose the connections and networks in the Belgian scientific landscape. Integrating references (hyperlinks) in your text is a good way to capture this complex layering. Therefore, a Bestornote is always full of hyperlinks to other pages. These are underlined in blue in the final text. Always check whether the subject you want to describe has connections with people, bodies, etc. who already have a note in Bestor, and mention them. In other words, don't just write a note, but also consider what place it will occupy in the whole of Bestor. Then make a referral. The more referrals your note has, the more it will be viewed.

• FOR SIMPLE CONTRIBUTERS: Indicate the hyperlinks in the text of your note. Mark them with a colour, for example. After receiving your text, the Bestorteam can then make possible hyperlinks operational via wiki coding.
  
• FOR USERS: See the Mediawiki manual editing on how to create links. (What are Users and Simple Contributors?)

Tip 3: Open up your note with categories

Think about the categories under which your topic falls. By putting your note under certain categories, you unlock your note. You make it findable for other readers. You can browse the category tree from Bestor's homepage to find the right categories.

• FOR SIMPLE CONTRIBUTERS: Indicate the desired categories at the top of your note. The Bestorteam can then make these categories operational via wiki coding after receiving your text.
• FOR USERS: See the Mediawiki manual editing on how to insert categories. (What are Users and Simple Contributors?)

Tip 4: Liven up your note with images

Images increase the attractiveness of your note.

• FOR SIMPLE CONTRIBUTERS:Send these images along with your note. Always state the origin of the image and respect the copyrights.
• FOR USERS: See the Mediawiki manual images on how to include images. (What are Users and Simple Contributors?)

Tip 5: Be encyclopaedic and objective

Write encyclopaedically. A note should be able to be read as an independent piece. We are creating an encyclopaedia, not a dictionary, link-list or weblog. Write objectively, without value judgment and from a neutral point of view.
Specifically:

• Avoid words that can be interpreted as value judgments: for example, "genius", "outstanding", "ahead of its time", or "unfortunately", "rightly", "fortunately", "naturally" and "logically". Other readers may understand these words as an opinion or a value judgment. They can usually be omitted without losing information.
• Avoid writing about people or issues about which you hold strong opinions or with which you have a personal (family/membership) connection.
• Do not use advertising, propaganda, obscene language or informal language.

Tip 6: A note does not have to be finished

In contrast to classical encyclopaedias and reference works, Bestor does allow for additions and changes. So don't be afraid to start working on a subject you don't know everything about. What you know and describe is a good start. By starting an article, others may be encouraged to add to it. Even with short notes, clarity and diligence are required, as are references.

Tip 7: Explain scientific jargon

Writing about science involves specialist terminology. Nevertheless, try to use jargon words in moderation or add an explanation that a layman in the discipline can also understand. When appropriate for the readability of the text, use endnotes.

Research resources

In Some sources and works on the history of the sciences you will find an overview of works, journals and biographical dictionaries on history of science.

Mediawiki manuals for writing notes

• Manual editing pages: here you will find information on how to make changes to a note.
• Manual new pages: Here you will find information on how to create a new page. Take care: Choose your title carefully. Once created, the page cannot be deleted!
• Manual editing: Here you will find information about formatting, creating links, tables etc.
• Manual formatting: Here you can find information on creating lists, indenting lines, italicising or boldfacing words, etc.

See also

• Deonthology and methodology of Bestor for the historiographical views and codes of conduct to be followed by the Bestor community in writing, editing or commenting