Checklist for Contributors

From Clicklaw Wikibooks
Revision as of 20:33, 12 July 2018 by Desy Wahyuni (talk | contribs)

This is a help page for contributors or users.


Please refer to this checklist each time you review your assigned pages, also available in PDF format: Editorial Checklist for Contributors

Clicklaw Wikibooks aims to provide understandable, reliable, up-to-date, plain language information to British Columbians addressing legal problems or learning about the law.

The purposes of reviewing pages are to ensure that: changes in the law are reflected in content; content is well-organized, explains its subject well and is easy to read; and, readers are provided with the most useful, most relevant resources.

  1. Review for accuracy
    • Read each page from beginning to end.
    • Is the law up to date? Has the legislation changed? Are there important new cases?
    • Are descriptions of processes, forms, deadlines and fees up to date?
    • Are resources up to date? Do the links still work? Are there better resources to link to?
    • Is the language clear, consistent and understandable?
  2. Edit and develop content
    • Fix any legal inaccuracies in the existing text.
    • Fix any grammatical or spelling errors in the existing text.
    • Correct, reorganize or replace writing that isn’t clear and concise.
    • Add new content where helpful.
    • Add links to important new cases, new legislation and new resources.
  3. Optional steps
    • Remove irrelevant information and links to irrelevant resources.
    • Check that existing text is approachable and easy to understand.
    • Add links to other relevant pages within the Wikibook.


1. Review for accuracy

Reviewing the law

Review statute law — check statutory excerpts and compare to current legislation, check for recent changes
Check caselaw — note up cited cases in CanLII, note up key sections of legislation
Consult secondary resources — review relevant CLEBC / TLABC materials

Verify descriptions of process and procedure

Procedural steps — have rules or policies changed?
Forms — has a form changed name or been replaced?
Deadlines — are stated deadlines current?

Resource links

Check existing links — make sure they work and point to the intended content
Best external resources — are there newer resources, did the old ones get stale?
Best internal links — are concepts discussed that could be cross linked to more Wikibooks and pages?

2. Edit & develop content

Cure existing legal inaccuracies

Fix incorrect statements — your top priority is to correct wrong information, or at least remove incorrect information
Update citations — add new legislation or caselaw using CanLII's short URLs
Fix broken links — repair or delete broken links

Develop & write

Write new content when tweaking existing content won't do. Please consider:

Gaps — what is the gap in information and is filling it crucial?
Plain language — keep your words simple and your sentences short (read about writing tips, or try the online Hemingway App).
Brevity — edits should clarify meaning, not add length
Organization — lists, subheadings and short paragraphs make reading easier and orient the reader
Legal references — would more citations benefit or just overwhelm the reader?

Simple & consistent

Clarify legal terms, include parenthetical definitions where needed
Be consistent in word choice (e.g. choose either “renter” or “tenant”)
Familiarize yourself with and apply Style Guide:

Correct word emphasis, acronyms, and case citation style
Apply bullets/numbered lists and punctuation

Format neutral language — writing "See the chapter/page on…" is better than "Click here for information on…" since Wikibooks are also printed

3. Optional checklist

Is there extraneous information that should be removed?
Is the overall language clear and approachable?
Are there other Wikibooks pages that would be improved by linking to your content? Speak to that other editor