Franciscan Wiki/Introduction
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Introduction
This Wikipedia is devoted to topics Franciscan -- any and all topics are appropriate. If you see a entry which needs development, please add the needed text. If you see topics which are missing, please add a new topic. The usual Wikipedia policies apply. Right now, this wiki is only available in English. If other languages are wanted, they can be added later.
If your secular fraternity isn't listed, feel free to add an entry for it. If your religious congregation isn't listed, add an entry. If your province's entry is lacking information, add more material. This is our wikipedia, and with time it can be the definitive source for Franciscan information.
What is a Wiki?
Basically, they are grassroots-produced online encylopedias. The theory is that we all know some things and if we pool our knowledge we can produce an authoritative source. If you are a Secular Franciscan, you know who the officers are of your fraternity. If you are a student at a Franciscan university, you know the history of your institution and how Franciscan values are lived there today. By pooling this information, we can produce a resource which can be consulted by anyone having a question about Franciscans and Franciscan topics.
If you are not familiar with wikis, this article is a good introduction.
Why a Franciscan Wiki?
There are now wikis devoted to a large number of topics. The English Wikipedia is probably best known for having the widest range of topics. By setting up a Franciscan wiki we can expand the online information for and about the followers and admirers of Sts. Francis and Clare of Assisi.
Add New Content
How does one become a wiki contributor? Is it difficult?
One becomes a contributor by adding or correcting content in an existing topic or by starting a new topic. It's very easy to do. If you're not familar with Wikis, these topics may help you:
- Introduction to Wikipedias and editing
- A tutorial on Editing
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Help Files (a work in progess)
Adding or Correcting Information
You can examine the existing topics by clicking the Contents link at the top right of this page. If you find a topic which needs correcting or expanding, simply click the Edit tab in the bar above the article. If you are making other than minor corrections, you should also update the Discussion page to describe what you changed or added. This discussion page is the place to hold discussions if others add or change information you feel is incorrect. Together we can reach a consensus about how the content should read.
Adding a New Page
If you can't find a page that should be in the Wiki, please free to add it. There are two ways to do this:
- One way is simply to search for the topic. When it can't be found, you will be invited to add the page. (Note that when searching, capitalization does matter. "Francis of assisi" and "Francis of Assisi" are two different topics.)
- Another way is to add a link to an existing topic. When you click on that link (which will appear in red since the topic does not yet exist), you will be told that the topic does not exist and will be invited to create the page.
Getting Help
There are extensive tutorials and help files available. You can also ask other authors and editors on the site. We're all available to help you.
Registering
You do not have to register in order to update or add content. There are, however, some good reasons to register:
- It's free! How many things are free in today's world?
- You will receive credit for the information you add or correct.
- You can set your individual preferences.
- You can create a watchlist to track changes to pages in which you have an interest.
- You can create your own talk page where others can leave you messages.
- You can set up your own user page to describe yourself and your interests.
- You will be able to upload images.
To open your own account, simply click on the Create Account link at the top of the page.
Getting Started
To "prime the pump", I copied over a number of articles which were on the Washington Teological Union site. I also copied over some articles from the English Wikipedia but, frankly, some of these articles are terrible. Please feel to correct problematic text or to add new content. Please feel free to add new topics.
To get started, click on the Contents link at the top right of this page and check the articles that are on the wiki.
