Wikipedia:WikiProject Lists of basic topics

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Welcome to the Lists of basic topics WikiProject, dedicated to building an outline of human knowledge that doubles as a table of contents system for Wikipedia. Together, these lists are a form of site map for the encyclopedia, helping users to find their way around easier, while showing them the structure of knowledge and how things fit together in the world.
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Wikipedia's goal is to provide knowledge. But knowledge is only useful if you can find it. The main limitation of a search box is that it can only help you find what you already know exists. Our mission is to show what exists and provide easy access to that knowledge.

The system is far from complete. So keep in mind that recruiting more people to join this effort is currently as important as the effort itself. If you know anyone who loves Wikipedia, please tell them about the importance of this project!

By the way, do you use Firefox? If so, Linky is an invaluable extension. You'll also need WP:AWB (an auto-page-loader) which works with Internet Explorer. I've found these two tools essential for working on multiple lists. If you know of even better tools, please let me know.

The Transhumanist    10:49, 8 May 2008 (UTC)

Contents

[edit] Goals

  • Develop the Lists of basic topics, including the creation of new lists to fill in gaps in topic coverage, and to develop and maintain all the lists appearing on there, to provide a fundamental outline of human knowledge which also serves as one of Wikipedia's tables of contents systems.
  • Determine guidelines and design tools for the maintenance and development of such lists. Currently our main tool is Template:BLT.
  • Nominate and nurture the lists through Wikipedia:Featured list candidates

[edit] Scope

  • This project covers all basic topic lists, and all links leading to those lists.
    • Note that this is one of the two successors of Lists of articles by category, the other being Lists of topics (which also has its own WikiProject).

[edit] Procedures and tips

[edit] List creation

The main procedure of this project is of course the creation of lists of basic topics. Two templates are available for creating such lists: Template:BLT and Template:BLT country. Instructions on how to use them are included in them.

If you create a basic topics list in article space, be sure to place a {{under construction}} template at the top of it. Otherwise, you run the risk that someone will come along and nominate the list for deletion after you barely get started. For example, the List of basic Canada topics was nominated for deletion at AfD when it only included a few links. Someone had to jump in and develop it fast in order to save it.

A safer approach is to create new basic topics lists in this WikiProject's space, starting the page title with "Wikipedia:WikiProject Lists of basic topics/Draft/". One must have a compelling reason to delete a draft, since it is by definition under development, and all problems are subject to being discussed on its talk page before it gets moved to article space. There are lists of drafts under development, below.

[edit] List maintenance

[edit] Members

If you'd like join the effort to complete this list set, including collaboration and communication with other members, please add your name below:

  1. The Transhumanist (talk · contribs) - interested in lists and encyclopedia topic navigation systems
  2. JFPerry (talk · contribs)
  3. GUllman (talk · contribs) - Since I compiled one of the first versions of Lists of articles by category, it goes without saying that I have in interest in the page that succeeded it.
  4. Phoenix-wiki (talk · contribs) (I started List of history topics so I can work on the basic version)
  5. Dex1337 (talk · contribs) - Interested in starting List of basic Free Software Topics
  6. Babbage (talk · contribs) - I'd like to see such a list for linguistics. See List of basic linguistics topics. (no newsletters or announcements)
  7. bibliomaniac15 (talk · contribs)
  8. xDanielx (talk · contribs) - Main interests are philosophy and computer science, but I think this is a great idea and would be happy to help out however I can, time permitting
  9. DGG (talk) 08:19, 30 November 2007 (UTC) a good idea, but liable to degenerate into linkspam if not watched
  10. bfalexander (talk · contribs) - Interested in list for mass communication
  11. Quiddity (talk · contribs)
  12. Eklipse (talk · contribs)
  13. Kathyedits (talk · contribs) - I'd like to develop a list of basic human rights topics

[edit] Tasks

  • Maintain links to the basic topics lists: each article of the corresponding topic should have a link to its basic topic list in its see also section. Periodically check each see also section, as the links sometimes get removed. Linky comes in handy for this.
  • Build new basic topic lists. See Template:BLT.
  • Maintain existing basic topic lists
    • Please place them on your watchlist and check your watchlist every time you log on. The lists need to be monitored for vandalism and mistakes.
  • Improve existing basic topic lists
    • Add missing topics
    • Match structure of the subject (outline it)
  • Place a WikiProject banner at the top of the talk pages of all lists of basic topics, leading here
  • Place a coverage banner at the top of the talk pages of all articles matching the subjects in the titles of basic topic lists, leading to the corresponding list.
    • the coverage banner template needs to be designed
  • Nominate and push lists through the WP:FLC process.

[edit] Current featured list candidates

[edit] Missing or incomplete lists

There are still gaps in this list collection. We need basic lists to fill those gaps. Please list them here: Once a list is created, add it to the "Incomplete lists" list below.

Many of the lists are incomplete; those listed below are particularly sparse and need the most work. Each list should provide an overview of its subject, and present all the basic topics from its field. But please don't overdo it: keep in mind that these lists don't aim at being comprehensive—we have the Lists of topics for that. Each of the basic lists is a subset of its corresponding mother from that page.

Once a list has been sufficiently filled-in or fleshed out, please add its link to the Lists of Basic topics and mark is as Y Done below:
  1. Wikipedia:WikiProject Lists of basic topics/Draft/List of basic abnormal psychology topics
  2. Wikipedia:WikiProject Lists of basic topics/Draft/List of basic accounting topics
  3. Wikipedia:WikiProject Lists of basic topics/Draft/List of basic accounting law topics
  4. Wikipedia:WikiProject Lists of basic topics/Draft/List of basic acting topics
  5. Wikipedia:WikiProject Lists of basic topics/Draft/List of basic actuarial science topics
  6. Wikipedia:WikiProject Lists of basic topics/Draft/List of basic advertising topics
  7. Wikipedia:WikiProject Lists of basic topics/Draft/List of basic aesthetics topics
  8. Wikipedia:WikiProject Lists of basic topics/Draft/List of basic anatomy topics
  9. Wikipedia:WikiProject Lists of basic topics/Draft/List of basic ancient history topics
  10. Wikipedia:WikiProject Lists of basic topics/Draft/List of basic animal science topics
  11. Wikipedia:WikiProject Lists of basic topics/Draft/List of basic animation topics
  12. Wikipedia:WikiProject Lists of basic topics/Draft/List of basic anthropology topics
  13. Wikipedia:WikiProject Lists of basic topics/Draft/List of basic applied mathematics topics
  14. Wikipedia:WikiProject Lists of basic topics/Draft/List of basic aquaculture topics
  15. Wikipedia:WikiProject Lists of basic topics/Draft/List of basic architectural engineering topics
  16. Wikipedia:WikiProject Lists of basic topics/Draft/List of basic archival science topics
  17. Wikipedia:WikiProject Lists of basic topics/Draft/List of basic area studies topics
  18. Wikipedia:WikiProject Lists of basic topics/Draft/List of basic art history topics
  19. Wikipedia:WikiProject Lists of basic topics/Draft/List of basic astrobiology topics
  20. Wikipedia:WikiProject Lists of basic topics/Draft/List of basic astrophysics topics
  21. Wikipedia:WikiProject Lists of basic topics/Draft/List of basic atheism topics
  22. Wikipedia:WikiProject Lists of basic topics/Draft/List of basic bioengineering topics
  23. Wikipedia:WikiProject Lists of basic topics/Draft/List of basic biogeography topics
  24. Wikipedia:WikiProject Lists of basic topics/Draft/List of basic bioinformatics topics
  25. Wikipedia:WikiProject Lists of basic topics/Draft/List of basic biomedical engineering topics
  26. Wikipedia:WikiProject Lists of basic topics/Draft/List of basic biophysics topics
  27. Wikipedia:WikiProject Lists of basic topics/Draft/List of basic black hole topics
  28. Wikipedia:WikiProject Lists of basic topics/Draft/List of basic journalism topics
  29. Wikipedia:WikiProject Lists of basic topics/Draft/List of basic business ethics topics
  30. Wikipedia:WikiProject Lists of basic topics/Draft/List of basic cardiology topics
  31. Wikipedia:WikiProject Lists of basic topics/Draft/List of basic cell biology topics
  32. Wikipedia:WikiProject Lists of basic topics/Draft/List of basic chaos theory topics
  33. Wikipedia:WikiProject Lists of basic topics/Draft/List of basic civics topics
  34. Wikipedia:WikiProject Lists of basic topics/Draft/List of basic civil engineering topics
  35. Wikipedia:WikiProject Lists of basic topics/Draft/List of basic common law topics
  36. Wikipedia:WikiProject Lists of basic topics/Draft/List of basic civil law topics
  37. Wikipedia:WikiProject Lists of basic topics/Draft/List of basic climatology topics
  38. Wikipedia:WikiProject Lists of basic topics/Draft/List of basic cognitive psychology topics
  39. Wikipedia:WikiProject Lists of basic topics/Draft/List of basic cognitive science topics
  40. Wikipedia:WikiProject Lists of basic topics/Draft/List of basic conflict theory topics
  41. Wikipedia:WikiProject Lists of basic topics/Draft/List of basic constitutional law topics
  42. Wikipedia:WikiProject Lists of basic topics/Draft/List of basic criminal law topics
  43. Wikipedia:WikiProject Lists of basic topics/Draft/List of basic database topics
  44. Wikipedia:WikiProject Lists of basic topics/Draft/List of basic demography topics
  45. Wikipedia:WikiProject Lists of basic topics/Draft/List of basic dental topics
  46. Wikipedia:WikiProject Lists of basic topics/Draft/List of basic electronics topics
  47. Wikipedia:WikiProject Lists of basic topics/Draft/List of basic entrepreneur topics
  48. Wikipedia:WikiProject Lists of basic topics/Draft/List of basic fire safety topics
  49. Wikipedia:WikiProject Lists of basic topics/Draft/List of basic learning topics
  50. Wikipedia:WikiProject Lists of basic topics/Draft/List of basic research topics
  51. Wikipedia:WikiProject Lists of basic topics/Draft/List of basic teaching topics
  52. Wikipedia:WikiProject Lists of basic topics/Draft/List of basic urban studies topics
  53. Wikipedia:WikiProject Lists of basic topics/Draft/List of basic world wide web topics
  54. Wikipedia:WikiProject Lists of basic topics/Draft/List of basic prehistory topics
  55. Wikipedia:WikiProject Lists of basic topics/Draft/List of basic modern history topics
  56. Wikipedia:WikiProject Lists of basic topics/Draft/List of basic World War I topics
  57. Wikipedia:WikiProject Lists of basic topics/Draft/List of basic World War II topics
  58. Wikipedia:WikiProject Lists of basic topics/Draft/List of basic metaphysics topics
  59. Wikipedia:WikiProject Lists of basic topics/Draft/List of basic information science topics
  60. Wikipedia:WikiProject Lists of basic topics/Draft/List of basic mass communication topics
  61. Wikipedia:WikiProject Lists of basic topics/Draft/List of basic medicine topics
  62. Wikipedia:WikiProject Lists of basic topics/Draft/List of basic mining topics
  63. Wikipedia:WikiProject Lists of basic topics/Draft/List of basic optical technology topics
  64. Wikipedia:WikiProject Lists of basic topics/Draft/List of basic safety topics
  65. Wikipedia:WikiProject Lists of basic topics/Draft/List of basic sound-related technology topics
  66. Wikipedia:WikiProject Lists of basic topics/Draft/List of basic tool topics

[edit] Basic topics lists for countries

These use the template {{BLT country}}. Substitute the template like this: {{subst:BLT country|Country name}}. Those completed enough to be moved to the article namespace have been marked "done", however, they are still incomplete and need further development.

[edit] A

[edit] B

[edit] C

[edit] D

[edit] E

[edit] F

[edit] G

[edit] H

[edit] I

[edit] J

[edit] K

[edit] L

[edit] M

[edit] N

[edit] O

[edit] P

[edit] Q

[edit] R

[edit] S

[edit] T

[edit] U

[edit] V

[edit] W

[edit] Y

[edit] Z

[edit] List formatting

Most of the lists are presented in single-column, and this makes the pages long. These should be converted to a multi-column format, as has been done in List of basic geography topics, or as dash-separated lists, as has been done for some of the lists, or a combination of both, or some other scheme that looks good and is easy to use (see basic concepts section of List of basic painting topics). Here is a list of the pages which need to be converted from single-column format:

Once a list has been nicely formatted, please remove that page from this list:

Geographical topics – Subnational entities

Mathematics –

Self – Biology – Psychology – Relationships

Philosophy – Ethics – Epistemology – Humanism – Logic – Metaphysics – Philosophical isms – Thinking – Transhumanism

Physical science – Astronomy – Biochemistry – Biology  Chemistry  Ecology – Earth sciences – Geology – Meteorology – Oceanography –

Major social sciences – Archaeology – Business – Cognitive science  Community – Critical theory – Economics  Education – Finance – Law – Linguistics  Management – Marketing – Parapsychology – Politics  – Psychology – Public affairs – Relationships – Sociology

Technology – Aerospace science – Artificial intelligence – Agricultural science – Architecture – Cartography – Communication – Energy development – Engineering – Health science  Industry – Library and information science – Manufacturing – Military science – Transport

[edit] Categories

[edit] Templates

  • Template:BLT - to use, type this on a new page and save: {{subst:BLT|topic uncapitalized|topic capitalized}}