Consider looking for related projects for help or ask at the Teahouse. If you are not currently a project participant and wish to help you may still participate in the project. This status should be changed if collaborative activity resumes.
Welcome to WikiProject Science Policy. Several Wikipedians have formed this collaboration resource and group dedicated to improving Wikipedia's coverage of Science Policy and the organization of information and articles on this topic. This page and its subpages contain their suggestions and various resources; it is hoped that this project will help to focus the efforts of other Wikipedians interested in the topic. If you would like to help, please add yourself as a participant in the project, inquire on the talk page, and see the to-do list, below.
Edit and maintain articles that are related to the area of science policy, from direct policy pages to the science that is used to build those policies.
Form a community dedicated to improving the quality of science policy related topics.
Accounts are not required to edit Wikipedia, but making an account will allow you to more easily track your history of contributions. Edits made by users with accounts, even if the account holder chooses to remain anonymous, tend to be viewed as more trustworthy and reputable by fellow Wikipedians. Creating multiple accounts is discouraged and can lead to being blocked from future editing (see WP:SOCK).
Many Wikipedians draft edits in their user sandbox (see WP:ABOUTSAND) before moving those changes to the main article. Sandboxes are particularly useful when making significant changes to the content or structure of an article, or when beginning an editing project that will take multiple days. Small changes, such as fixing typos or adding citations to existing content, can be quickly applied by editing the article directly. All edits, no matter how minor, should include a brief edit summary before being published.
WP:CTW is a comprehensive source of practical editing advice and WP:POLICYLIST provides links to detailed information about numerous Wikipedia policies and guidelines, spanning everything from notability guidelinestonaming conventions.
For a more philosophical perspective on editing, check out Wikipedia:Ten simple rules for editing Wikipedia. The entire essay is a good read, but we would like to highlight a few points that are particularly relevant when editing science policy articles:
Use secondary sources whenever possible. When editing scientific or academic information on Wikipedia, try to use sources that reflect a general consensus among experts. For example, instead of citing the results of a single research study, cite a review article or textbook chapter that summarizes the collective knowledge gained by multiple studies and researchers.
Write neutrally and provide appropriate context. Content should be presented from a neutral viewpoint and any “value” statements should be specific and always cited appropriately. For example, try to avoid using vague descriptions like “many,” “most,” “best” unless you are referencing a specific source.
Bad example: Most scientists prefer zebrafish over mice as a research model.
Better example: A 2020 survey by ABC journal found that 99% of geneticists preferred zebrafish over mice as a research model (citation).
Be mindful of potential conflict-of-interest issues. In general, do not edit or create articles about yourself, your family, colleagues, workplace, etc. However, you are encouraged to contribute information to articles relevant to your field of expertise (as long as all content is appropriately cited, as usual)!
Ligrayphd (talk·contribs) (I am most interested in articles related to science diplomacy, and any policy topic touching on public health, environmental health, conservation biology, infectious disease transmission and prevention, and climate change) Ligrayphd (talk) 22:53, 25 October 2020 (UTC)[reply]
Please feel free to list your new Science Policy-related articles here (newer articles at the top, please). Any new articles that have an interesting or unusual fact in them, are at least over 1,500 characters, don't have any dispute templates on them, and cite their sources, should be suggested for the Did you know? box on the Wikipedia Main Page.
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