Difference between revisions of "Checklist for Contributors"

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{{GUIDEPAGE}}
{{GUIDEPAGE}}


Please refer to this checklist each time you review your assigned pages, '''also available in PDF format''': [[media:Checklist for Contributors (Nov 2016).pdf | Editorial Checklist for Contributors]]
Please refer to this checklist each time you review your assigned pages, '''also available in PDF format''': [[media:Checklist for Contributors.pdf | Editing Guide and Checklist for Contributors]]


# The purpose of reviewing pages is to ensure changes in law are reflected in content. 
Clicklaw Wikibooks aims to provide understandable, reliable, up-to-date, plain language information to British Columbians addressing legal problems or learning about the law.  
# Clicklaw Wikibooks provide reliable, up-to-date, plain language information to help British Columbians address legal problems or learn about the law
# Some Wikibooks offer brief, punctual tips — other titles offer more comprehensive guidance. 
# What is your Wikibook's editorial objective? Consider the purpose, tone and audience of the title as a whole when making edits.  


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 ==
# 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?
# 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.
# 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.


For each page you review, please go through the following steps:


=== Read each page ===
== 1. Review for accuracy ==


{{checkbox}} Read and take notes on pages assigned to you
=== Reviewing the law ===
{{checkbox}} Review statute law — check statutory excerpts and compare to current legislation, check for recent changes <br/>
{{checkbox}} Check caselaw — note up cited cases in [http://www.canlii.org CanLII], note up key sections of legislation <br/>
{{checkbox}} Consult secondary resources — review relevant CLEBC / TLABC materials


=== Review the law ===
=== Verify descriptions of process and procedure ===
{{checkbox}} Read laws in context — start with existing citations in the article <br/>
{{checkbox}} Review statutory law — check statutory excerpts and compare to current legislation; check Proclamations ([http://www.courthouselibrary.ca/training/BCProclamations.aspx BC] & [http://www.courthouselibrary.ca/training/CanadaProclamations.aspx Canada]) for recent changes <br/>
{{checkbox}} Check caselaw — note up cases in [http://www.canlii.org CanLII]; note up key sections of legislation to find new cases <br/>
{{checkbox}} Consult secondary resources — CLE articles, treatises, journals, etc.
 
=== Verify statements and specifics ===
{{checkbox}} Procedural steps — have rules or policies changed? <br/>
{{checkbox}} Procedural steps — have rules or policies changed? <br/>
{{checkbox}} Forms — has a form changed name or been replaced? <br/>
{{checkbox}} Forms — has a form changed name or been replaced? <br/>
{{checkbox}} Deadlines — readers rely on these being correct <br/>
{{checkbox}} Deadlines — are stated deadlines current?
{{checkbox}} Monetary amounts, costs or limits — have these details changed? <br/>


=== Resource Links ===
=== Resource links ===
{{checkbox}} Check existing links — make sure they work and ALSO make sure they still point to the intended content <br/>
{{checkbox}} Check existing links — make sure they work and point to the intended content <br/>
{{checkbox}} Best external resources — have newer resources arrived and did old ones get stale? <br/>
{{checkbox}} Best external resources — are there newer resources, did the old ones get stale? <br/>
{{checkbox}} Best internal links — are concepts discussed that could be cross linked to more Wikibooks and pages?
{{checkbox}} Best internal links — are concepts discussed that could be cross linked to more Wikibooks and pages?
Once you've reviewed your pages for legal accuracy, you may decide:
# Edit not needed → {{checkbox}} Just update the “[[Clicklaw_Wikibooks_Contributor_Guide#Legal_accuracy_date|last reviewed for legal accuracy]]” date
# Edit is needed → See step 2 below.


== 2. Edit & develop content ==
== 2. Edit & develop content ==
Line 42: Line 46:
=== Cure existing legal inaccuracies ===
=== Cure existing legal inaccuracies ===


{{checkbox}} Fix incorrect statements — top priority is to correct wrong information, or at least remove the incorrect information <br/>
{{checkbox}} Fix incorrect statements — your top priority is to correct wrong information, or at least remove incorrect information <br/>
{{checkbox}} Update citations — add new legislation or caselaw (use CanLII's short URLs) <br/>
{{checkbox}} Update citations — add new legislation or caselaw using CanLII's short URLs <br/>
{{checkbox}} Fix broken links and resources
{{checkbox}} Fix broken links — repair or delete broken links
 
=== Develop & write ===


Write new content when tweaking existing content won't do. Please consider:
=== Develop and write ===


{{checkbox}} Gaps — what is the gap in information and is filling it crucial? <br/>
{{checkbox}} Gaps — are there gaps in the content, is filling them crucial? <br/>
{{checkbox}} Plain language — keep your words simple and your sentences short (read about writing [http://www.plainlanguage.gov/whatisPL/definitions/Kimble.cfm tips], or try the online [http://www.hemingwayapp.com Hemingway App]). <br/>
{{checkbox}} Plain language — keep the text simple and sentences short <br/>
{{checkbox}} Brevity — edits should clarify meaning, not add length <br/>
{{checkbox}} Comprehension — edits should clarify meaning <br/>
{{checkbox}} Organization — lists, subheadings and short paragraphs make reading easier and orient the reader <br/>
{{checkbox}} Organization — lists, subheadings and short paragraphs make reading easier and orient the reader <br/>
{{checkbox}} Legal references — would more citations benefit or just overwhelm the reader? <br/>
{{checkbox}} Legal references — would more citations benefit or just overwhelm the reader, are there too many cites already? <br/>


=== Simple & consistent ===
=== Simple & consistent ===
{{checkbox}} Clarify legal terms, include parenthetical definitions where needed <br/>  
{{checkbox}} Clarify legal terms include parenthetical definitions where needed <br/>  
{{checkbox}} Be consistent in word choice (e.g. choose either “renter” or “tenant”) <br/>
{{checkbox}} Consistency — be consistent in the terms you use <br/>
{{checkbox}} Familiarize yourself with and apply [[Clicklaw_Wikibooks_Style_Guide|Style Guide]]: <br/>
{{checkbox}} Familiarize yourself with and apply the [[Clicklaw_Wikibooks_Style_Guide|Style Guide]]: <br/>
:{{checkbox}} Correct [[Clicklaw_Wikibooks_Style_Guide#Emphasis|word emphasis]], [[Clicklaw_Wikibooks_Style_Guide#Acronyms|acronyms]], and [[Clicklaw_Wikibooks_Style_Guide#References|case citation style]] <br/>
:{{checkbox}} Correct [[Clicklaw_Wikibooks_Style_Guide#Emphasis|word emphasis]], [[Clicklaw_Wikibooks_Style_Guide#Acronyms|acronyms]], and [[Clicklaw_Wikibooks_Style_Guide#References|case citation style]] <br/>
:{{checkbox}} Apply [[Clicklaw_Wikibooks_Style_Guide#Lists|bullets/numbered lists]] and [[Clicklaw_Wikibooks_Style_Guide#Punctuation|punctuation]] <br/>
:{{checkbox}} Apply [[Clicklaw_Wikibooks_Style_Guide#Lists|bullets/numbered lists]] and [[Clicklaw_Wikibooks_Style_Guide#Punctuation|punctuation]] <br/>
{{checkbox}} 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 ==
== 3. Optional steps ==


{{checkbox}} Is there extraneous information that should be removed? <br/>
{{checkbox}} Superfluous content — is there extraneous information that could be removed? <br/>
{{checkbox}} Is the overall language clear and approachable? <br/>
{{checkbox}} Clarity and tone — is the overall language clear and approachable? <br/>
{{checkbox}} Are there other Wikibooks pages that would be improved by linking to your content? Speak to that other editor
{{checkbox}} Cross links — are there other Wikibooks and other pages that would be improved by linking to your content?





Latest revision as of 22:48, 3 August 2018

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: Editing Guide and 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 and write

Gaps — are there gaps in the content, is filling them crucial?
Plain language — keep the text simple and sentences short
Comprehension — edits should clarify meaning
Organization — lists, subheadings and short paragraphs make reading easier and orient the reader
Legal references — would more citations benefit or just overwhelm the reader, are there too many cites already?

Simple & consistent

Clarify legal terms — include parenthetical definitions where needed
Consistency — be consistent in the terms you use
Familiarize yourself with and apply the Style Guide:

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

3. Optional steps

Superfluous content — is there extraneous information that could be removed?
Clarity and tone — is the overall language clear and approachable?
Cross links — are there other Wikibooks and other pages that would be improved by linking to your content?