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The Parts of the PoliticWiki Platform
In an open forum such as this, there is a greater need for separation of statement from opinion. Rather than have many perspectives in competition for the same content real estate, we will work together to best define the political topic to explore and allow for several perspectives to be associated with that issue.
The following content areas comprise a PoliticWiki platform plank:
- Domain of Issue
The scope of the topic is dispassionately defined in a concise manner. The intent of this statement is not to declare solutions or render verdicts; it is merely to explain the context and boundaries of the issue at hand. The very broad structure available on the front page of this wiki is a navigation aid. Ideally, these broad issue domains would include several smaller, more focused areas of political concern, each working to formulate its own collection of position statements and plank.
- Research
Issues do not exist in a vacuum. It is much stronger to give specific reasons for a political position than to simply state opinion or loosely cite existing knowledge. Research articles are meant to provide evidence — academic papers, interviews, survey results, concepts, historical context, etc. — to support writing elsewhere in PoliticWiki. Use proper citation and link to the research article from the places in this site where the association is relevant. Research articles in this wiki should focus on a single artifact or experience and work to reference other research article on this site whenever possible.
- Questions & Answers
Every issue should generate thousands of specific questions to answer. Third Party members are invited to publish as many questions as they deem relevant, and also to answer — through research — as many published questions as they find interesting. Q&A are meant to become the building blocks of position statements and ultimately our party planks. They are grounded in real-world experience and knowledge; all answers should be properly cited.
- Positions
Each issue within a domain may have more than one position describing a possible political stance to take. Positions are multi-authored articles that can and should elicit input from all members, however these are not meant to achieve consensus or universal approval. They exist to display the range of opinion on the subject and offer potential solutions. Position statements are well-crafted, concise articulations of a political perspective and are well supported through research and answers to pertinent questions.
- Official Plank Statement
The official plank should be a simple and concise statement that arises through consensus between position articles.