This guide covers how to create and improve content in NeuroWiki. Following these standards ensures consistent, high-quality pages.
Getting Started
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meta_content_contrib_1["Choosing What to Write"]
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meta_content_contrib_2["Page Types in NeuroWiki"]
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meta_content_contrib_3["Creating New Pages"]
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meta_content_contrib_4["Required Elements"]
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Choosing What to Write
...This guide covers how to create and improve content in NeuroWiki. Following these standards ensures consistent, high-quality pages.
Getting Started
Mermaid diagram (expand to render)
Choosing What to Write
Before creating new content:
Search existing pages — Don't duplicate existing content
Check the page quality index — Find gaps in coverage
Consider your expertise — Write about what you know well
Start small — Better a complete short page than an incomplete long onePage Types in NeuroWiki
| Type | Description | Examples |
|------|------------|----------|
| Gene/Protein | Molecular entities | [APP](/entities/app), [SNCA](/proteins/alpha-synuclein) |
| Disease | Neurological diseases | [Alzheimer's Disease](/diseases/alzheimers-disease) |
| Mechanism | Molecular pathways | [Amyloid Cascade](/mechanisms/amyloid-cascade) |
| Therapeutic | Treatments, drugs | [Donepezil](/therapeutics/donepezil) |
| Cell Type | Neurons, glia | [Microglia](/cell-types/microglia) |
| Clinical Trial | Human studies | [NCT identifier](/clinical-trials/) |
| Researcher | Scientists | [John Doe](/researchers/john-doe) |
Creating New Pages
Required Elements
Every new page should have:
Clear title — Use standard naming (e.g., "APP Gene" not "APP")
Description — 1-2 sentence summary for SEO and navigation
Overview section — What this entity is
Body sections — Detailed content with subsections
References — Properly formatted citations
See Also — Related pagesFrontmatter Template
title: "Page Title"
description: "Brief description of page content"
published: true
tags: section:section-name, kind:entity-type, topic:disease
editor: markdown
Writing Quality Content
Structure Guidelines
Lead with the most important information — Don't bury the key facts in lengthy introductions.
Use clear headings — Organize content with ## and ### headings that describe what's in each section.
Be specific — Instead of "protein X is important", say "protein X phosphorylates tau at S396"
Include mechanisms — Explain HOW things work at the molecular level, not just WHAT happens.
References and Citations
- Always cite claims with references
- Use PubMed IDs (PMID) where available
- Link DOIs and PMIDs as hyperlinked references
- See [Editing Standards](/Meta/editing-standards) for citation format
Cross-Linking
Link to related pages within NeuroWiki:
- Use full entity names in link text: "[APP](/entities/app)" not "[the gene](/entities/app)"
- Link once per section, not every mention
- Include "See Also" sections linking to 3-10 related pages
Improving Existing Pages
Quality Indicators
Low-quality pages often have:
- <500 words total
- No references
- No cross-links to other pages
- Missing key sections (overview, mechanism, references)
- Broken or missing links
Expansion Priorities
Highest priority: Disease pages (highest impact for readers)
High priority: Mechanism pages (core content)
Medium priority: Gene/protein pages (reference material)
Lower: Historical pages, researcher pagesWhat NOT to Do
- Don't duplicate — Check if content exists before writing
- Don't over-link — Linking every word is harder to read
- Don't pad — Adding content just to increase word count wastes readers' time
- Don't copy — Write original content; paraphrase references
Following Standards
Before publishing:
Reference validation — Run `reference_lint.py --check`
Link validation — Check for broken links
Markdown lint — Verify formattingPublishing Checklist
- [ ] Title is clear and descriptive
- [ ] Description is 1-2 sentences (<255 chars)
- [ ] Content has overview + details + references
- [ ] All citations have links
- [ ] Cross-links to related pages
- [ ] References formatted correctly
- [ ] No orphan bracket tokens
- [ ] Links use correct path prefixes
Quick Reference
| Category | Do | Don't |
|----------|----|-------|
| Title | "LRRK2 Gene" | "LRRK2" or "Leucine-rich repeat kinase 2" |
| Links | [APP](/entities/app) | [the gene](/entities/app) |
| Section | ## Role in Disease | ## Disease Involvement |
| Refs | Hyperlinked PMIDs | Plain PMID text |
See Also
- [Changelog Format Guide](/Meta/changelog-format-guide)
- [Editing Standards](/Meta/editing-standards)
- [Quality Checklist](/Meta/quality-checklist)