User:Pee Tern/Sandbox/Kmap/Documentation

A knowledge map is a page in main Wikipedia article space which gives either an overview of Wikipedia articles within a broad subject area, or an overview of significant subject areas within a broader subject area.

Content of a knowledge map page

A knowledge map page gives a structural overview of all key information in Wikipedia related to an area of knowledge in Wikipedia. This includes:

• Articles
• Categories
• Portals
• Projects

and

• Possible disambiguation.

Because a knowledge area in Wikipedia is by definition important, a knowledge map page assumes that:

• there will be a corresponding category of the same name
• there is a Wiktionary entry by the same name

Knowldege map header

A knowledge map page is headed by a message announcing that it is a knowledge map. This is done using the {{User:Pee Tern/Sandbox/Template/Kmap}} template. This template also invokes {{TOCright}} and links to Wiktionary.

For example:

gives:

Subject areas

Subject areas within a Wikipedia knowledge area are presented on a knowledge map page using the template {{User:Pee Tern/Sandbox/Template/Kmapsubarea}} for key articles in each subject area which is part of the knowledge area. This is done multiple times, once for each subject area, following the knowledge map header. Both whole articles and sections of articles can be referred to.

For example:

gives:

Subject area categories

If there are important categories, which are part of the knoweldge area, they should also be overviewed in the knowledge area's map. This is done using the template {{User:Pee Tern/Sandbox/Template/Kmapcat}} after each each subject area.

For example:

gives:

Sub knowledge area maps

If a Wikipedia knowledge area is broad enough to have major subject areas within it, then the relevant knowledge maps for the major subject areas are presented below the above subject areas. This is done using the template {{User:Pee Tern/Sandbox/Template/Kmapsubmap}}. This is done once for all sub knowledge area maps.

For example:

gives:

Area of interest portals

If there are any Wikipedia portals related to the knowledge area they should be included after any sub knowledge area maps. This is done using the template {{User:Pee Tern/Sandbox/Template/Kmapportal}}. This is done once for all portals.

For example:

gives:

Knowledge area projects

If there are any Wikipedia projects related to the knowledge area they should be included after any portals. This is done using the template {{User:Pee Tern/Sandbox/Template/Kmapproject}}. This is done once for all projects.

For example:

gives:

Knowledge area disambiguation

If there are any other Wikipedia articles or knowledge areas with similar titles then the normal disambiguation pages should be put in place. The reverse disambiguation references, however, are placed at the bottom of a knowledge map. This is done using the template {{User:Pee Tern/Sandbox/Template/Kmapdab}}. This is done once for all possibly related disambiugation pages.

For example:

gives:

Article pages and knowledge maps

An article should be referenced back to the Wikipedia knowledge area it is part of. This allows a reader to see how the article fits into the context of the broader knowleedge area it is part of. This is done using the template {{User:Pee Tern/Sandbox/Template/Kmapped}}. If an article is part of more than one knowledge area, then there needs to be a separate entry for each knowledge area.

For example:

gives:

Knowledge map versus category

There are three major differences between a knowledge map and a category. A knowledge map describes a subject area and does not just list out a range of homogeneous articles at the level of the category about the exact same type of subject. Secondly and importantly, a knowledge map is available in main space and part of a normal reader's search scope. Knowledge maps include relevant categories as part of the overviw they provide of the broad subject area. Thirdly, and also importantly, a category, being lists of articles, collates the articles alphabetically by title, whereas a knowledge map collates information by subject area within the knowledge area.

Knowldege map versus disambiguation

The major difference between a knowledge map page and a disambiguation page is that a knowldedge map describes pages in only one broad subject area and covers the whole range of the subject area, where as a dismabiguation page will overview articles which happen to share the same or similar titles which may have no topical relationship at all. Knowledge maps include references to disambiguation pages if there are other articles similarly named but not topically related to the broad subject area. Knowledge maps and disambiguation pages are similar in that they are both in the main article space.

Knowledge map versus portal

One or more knowledge maps should compliment a portal. A knowledge map allows a portal to concentrate on the area of interest, and its features, and move how knowledge areas within the area of interest are structured into a knowledge map for each knowledge area. A portal should list its relevant knowledge areas by means of a list of knowledge maps.

Comparison of Wikipedia interpage navigation options

A knowledge map is one of several ways in a Wikipedia to present relationships between the Wikipedia's contents.

Page Type	Encyclopedic Content	Nature of Content	Coverage Completeness	Update Regime	Depth of Coverage	Breadth of Coverage	Important Crossreferences
Portal	Yes.	Reader's overview of intersting content and activities related to the area of interest.	Interesting pages and content from the area of interest.	Emerging issues. Daily.	High.	Very broad.	Should have a main article and at least one knowledge map.
Knowledge Map	Meta encyclopedic content.	Topographical overview of a Wikipedia knowledge area for readers and editors.	Key pages accross all areas in the knowledge area.	As required. Additative.	High to medium.	Broad.	Should have a major category and a Wiktionary entry.
Category	None.	Hierarchical lists of similar pages.	All relevant pages.	As required. Additative.	Full.	Narrow at any level.	Should have as a main documentation page, either an article or a knowledge map.
Disambiguation	Meta encyclopedic content.	Separation of overloaded subject titles for readers.	All relevant pages.	As required. Additative.	Low.	Board.	Must reference at least two topically unrelated pages.
Article	Yes.	Content for readers.	All relevant encyclopedic content.	As required.1 Additative.	Low.	Narrow.	All reference pages and relevant categories.
Project	None.	Editor's priorities and issues in selected portion of an area of interest.	Selected groups of pages limited by time and available editors. Somewhat arbitrary.	As required. Emerging issues and project objective milestones.	Selective across levels.	Selective across areas.	Must have a scope page and an objectives page.

1 Mostly stable for the long term but current events articles can be updated daily or more frequently.