(*) working material for the "Guide to Writing Articles"

This scheme describes the structure of texts that make up the Encyclopedia. It applies to all articles regardless of their focus.

General approachedit]

Every article in the Encyclopedia of Nizhny Novgorod is a continually updated collection of publicly available, copyright-free informational material setting out the practical particulars of life in Nizhny Novgorod.

Differences from Wikipedia

The Encyclopedia of Nizhny Novgorod is not an analogue of Wikipedia — it has its own rules, norms and traditions, described in the section «City Wiki».[1] Articles in the Encyclopedia can be created and edited by any user who considers themselves a resident of Nizhny Novgorod, even without registering on the site.[1] Any phenomenon, process, personality or meme related to the Nizhny Novgorod region, or describing a Nizhny Novgorod perspective on some outside phenomenon, is a valid subject for description.[1]

Authorship and rights

Rights to the original content of the articles' material, and the liability arising from it, belong to the authors-compilers : users of the website WWW.NNOV.RU.

The main value of our articles lies in the fact that they are the product of the everyday informational work of city residents, oriented toward spending time on the internet in a way that is productive for real life.

The role of the editorial board

The About the Project editorial board directs this community work : it rewards the most active authors, monitors compliance with the Principles of the Project, performs the function of correcting the encyclopedia's structure, delegates exclusive rights to the owners of information, and holds meetings, contests and get-togethers. Four official principles of the Encyclopedia — "Faithfulness to the Word," "The Value of Any Viewpoint," "Clarity of Language" and "Service to Diversity" — define the editorial handling of all incoming material. A distinctive feature of the Encyclopedia, reflected in the "Clarity of Language" principle, is the constant expansion of articles and their enrichment with up-to-date Nizhny Novgorod information.[1]

Wherever possible, the editorial board avoids editing articles. We believe that the tags and categories assigned to an article provide a sufficient background for interpreting it. The editorial board may completely disagree with an opinion expressed, yet such material is not deleted but is instead placed into sections such as Personal Opinion and Informational Noise. The "Value of Any Viewpoint" section states that the Encyclopedia condemns no one and strives to connect every phenomenon with the context in which it is perceived as meaningful; humor, video illustrations and analysis are welcomed to aid understanding.[1]

Unlike Wikipedia, the Encyclopedia does not adhere to the principle of a neutral point of view: facts are presented objectively, after which reasoned criticism with references to sources is permitted.[1] The project's mission is formulated as "to report how Nizhny Novgorod life actually works"; every author-compiler bears full personal responsibility under the law of the Russian Federation for the accuracy of their submissions.[1] Special opinions and sharp criticism belong solely in an article's discussion section, not in its main text. Sharp criticism and special opinions belong only in an article's discussion section, not in its main text.[1] Advertising, self-praise and excessive use of superlatives are explicitly prohibited by the Encyclopedia's rules; the sole exception is sarcastic praise.[1]

Style and language of articles

Following the Encyclopedia's style is not as hard as it may seem. The use of slang is permitted where the meaning is hard to convey in plain words, and article texts must be understandable to a mass audience and suitable for reproduction in the media without loss of meaning. The use of profanity and slang in articles is permitted in limited amounts: slang — when a phenomenon cannot be described in literary Russian, profanity — when it cannot be described even in slang.[1] The "Clarity of Language" principle instructs authors to use modern language that is understandable to a mass audience and allows texts to be reproduced in the media without loss of meaning.[1] Profanity in article texts is admissible only when a phenomenon cannot be described even in slang. Authors are instructed to express their thoughts openly and directly ("Be yourself"), and article texts must be understandable to a mass audience and allow reproduction in the media without loss of meaning.[1] The use of profanity and slang in articles is admissible in limited amounts: slang — when a phenomenon cannot be described in literary Russian, profanity — when it cannot be described even in slang.[1] The Encyclopedia's rules explicitly prohibit any advertising, self-praise and excessive use of superlatives; the sole exception is sarcastic praise. The Encyclopedia's rules explicitly prohibit advertising, self-praise and excessive use of superlatives; the sole exception is sarcastic praise.[1]

A The Right Article moves consistently from verified, condensed information for successfully dealing with the phenomenon to a free-form account of how the phenomenon is interpreted in the urban environment. So simply try to be of use to the people of Nizhny Novgorod : the reader should find something interesting and worthwhile, and also — be entertained.

Structure of material within an article

The material making up the texts is grouped as follows : at the start of the article — the most condensed possible account of the matter, sufficient for practical steps toward resolving the issue at hand; at the end of the article — information drawn from unverified data, established beliefs of city residents, and accounts of urban folklore.

An article consists of the following conditional blocks, which together form a positive, playful attitude toward any phenomenon :

  • Definition (up-to-date information about the phenomenon, indicating its current status with respect to the people of Nizhny Novgorod. Shows how the people of Nizhny Novgorod understand it)
  • What it is (The essence of the phenomenon)
  • Details (History of the matter)
  • Useful activity (the mandatory PROFIT — the benefit that anyone at all derives from the phenomenon)
  • How to apply it (reference information sufficient for turning the phenomenon to one's advantage: for example, where this skill is taught, which specialists to consult; contacts, if the section is biographical)
  • Criticism (private opinions, analytical conclusions about the influence and consequences of the phenomenon under discussion)
  • Useful facts (the most extensive section — what the public thinks about it)
  • Miscellaneous (links, folklore)
  • Links

Explanation by examplesedit]

  • Definition

The first paragraph of the article. Statement of the name, full title, principal alternative names and basic information allowing the subject of the article to be distinguished from similar phenomena.

For example — Valery Shantsev) — Governor, registered as living in a neighboring region, a public and government figure in the field of construction, a Moscow resident of Kostroma origin.

  • What it is

The first substantive information — what will be read first. The quality of this part determines whether the reader will keep reading. Corresponds to the notion of a "lead" in journalism. Must contain a brief explanation of the article's subject.

Usual heading — The essence of the phenomenon.

  • Details

Here the context of the phenomenon is described — the backstory needed to understand how things turned out. If it is a person, then their origin and the history of their appearance on the Nizhny Novgorod scene. The genesis of the phenomenon.

Usual heading — History of the matter

  • Useful activity

Here, briefly and honestly, the main genuinely observed benefit of the phenomenon in question should be stated. The benefit must be described in an understandable form, ready for the reader to make immediate use of. Sarcasm is allowed. It is desirable to aim for generally accessible categories, for example, for an article about the meme Shantsev's Motorcade : "Gives a clear picture of the most recent, most expensive models of representative automobiles permitted for use by the regions".

Usual heading — Useful activity.

  • How to apply it

Pointers and links to specialists. A pleasant way to advertise covertly (implicit but clearly readable PROFIT for author-users). Usual heading — Where to learn.

  • Criticism

Copy-paste of any views.

It is desirable to provide links : we are not the ones criticizing, this is written on other sites.

Usual headings — Polemics, Discourse, Signals from the ground or other forms characteristic of the periodical press.

  • Interesting facts

Unexpected information that broadens the reader's understanding and forms a fresh view of what seemed like established properties of the phenomenon.

What we take pride in.

Usual headings — Interesting facts, Reviews, Did you know

  • Miscellaneous

At the end of the article there is abundant folklore, notes on contentious paragraphs, or, for example, a list of links to alternative and supplementary articles (See also : Shantsev's significance in world politics, Shantsev and urban development, Tree Removal).

Numerous subheadings are possible.

Usually — See also, Glamour and discourse.

  • Links

The necessary "technical floor" that closes out the article — proof links and a description of their content.

Active polemics around the veracity of the information provided is also possible here (and desirable).



Sources

  1. Historical Encyclopedia of Nizhny Novgorod — The Encyclopedia of Nizhny Novgorod is not an analogue of Wikipedia — it has its own rules, norms and traditions,… — it has its own rules, norms and traditions, described…… (archive)