MyWiki:WikiProject Geology/Cambrian explosion

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The Cambrian explosion task force is a group of editors aiming to improve Wikipedia's coverage of the Cambrian explosion.

The Cambrian explosion article was reviewed by the scientific journal Nature on December 14, 2005, and found to be heavily error-laden. It has since undergone substantial reworking, but successive editors have struggled to find a compromise between scientific accuracy and easy accessibility.

This task force aims to resolve this trade-off, bring the article first to a "Good Article" standard, and ultimately to a "Featured Article" status worthy of inclusion on Wikipedia's main page.

Hopefully, the task force will create many "good articles" on smaller aspects of the explosion as "colateral damage".

Approach

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The article must present the subject in a way that is easy for a complete newcomer to understand, while retaining informative content to engage the more advanced reader. This will be accomplished by creating a streamlined main article, with links to in-depth "main articles" addressing the key aspects of the explosion. It is hoped that by providing this "two-tier" approach to the article, a balance between readability and scientific accuracy can be achieved.

Work will take place in two stage: first, the articles to which the main page will link must be created, expanded, and brought up to a standard where they can act to support the main article. Once these pages are in good shape, content can be removed from the main article, which can be restructured as time goes on.

Task list

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We are currently in stage one of the construction. Using the information available in the main article, and further material as necessary, we hope to create and expand articles pertaining to all key aspects of the Cambrian explosion.

Please check the table below for an article which interests you or which you could improve. You are also welcome to add to and update the table as needs be.

Priorities and targets

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Article Currently (as of 12 Sep 2008) Target Priority Needs expansion Needs copyediting Expert attention required Comments

{{Wikipedia:WikiProject Geology/Table row|Acritarch|Start|B|High|Yes|No|No}} {{Wikipedia:WikiProject Geology/Table row|Anomalocarid|Start|B|Low}} {{Wikipedia:WikiProject Geology/Table row|Arkarua|Start|B|Mid}} {{Wikipedia:WikiProject Geology/Table row|Biostratigraphy|Start|B|Mid}} {{Wikipedia:WikiProject Geology/Table row|Burgess Shale|Start|GA|top|Yes|Yes|No}} {{Wikipedia:WikiProject Geology/Table row|Cambrian|B|GA|High|Yes|Yes}} {{Wikipedia:WikiProject Geology/Table row|Cambrian explosion|B|FA|Top}} {{Wikipedia:WikiProject Geology/Table row|Clade|Start|GA|High|no|yes|no|Merge with Cladistics?}} {{Wikipedia:WikiProject Geology/Table row|Convergent evolution|C|B|High}} {{Wikipedia:WikiProject Geology/Table row|Diagenesis|C|B|High}} {{Wikipedia:WikiProject Geology/Table row|Doushantuo Formation|Start|B|Mid}} {{Wikipedia:WikiProject Geology/Table row|Evolutionary arms race|Start|B|Mid}} {{Wikipedia:WikiProject Geology/Table row|Evolutionary radiation|C|B|Mid}} {{Wikipedia:WikiProject Geology/Table row|Fossil embryos|Stub|B|Low}} {{Wikipedia:WikiProject Geology/Table row|Great appendage|Start|B|Mid}}S {{Wikipedia:WikiProject Geology/Table row|Halkieria|Start|GA|High|Yes|No|Yes|Possible stem group, appears in small shellies}} {{Wikipedia:WikiProject Geology/Table row|Halwaxiida|Start|GA|Mid}} {{Wikipedia:WikiProject Geology/Table row|Lagerstätte|Start|B|Mid}} {{Wikipedia:WikiProject Geology/Table row|Lobopodia|C|B|Mid}} {{Wikipedia:WikiProject Geology/Table row|Maotianshan shales|C|B|Low}} {{Wikipedia:WikiProject Geology/Table row|Marrella|C|GA|Low|Yes|No|No|Most common organism in burgess shale}} {{Wikipedia:WikiProject Geology/Table row|Microbial mat|B|GA|High|No|No|Yes|Over-reliant on 2 sources, one of which is questionable}} {{Wikipedia:WikiProject Geology/Table row|Molecular clock|Start|GA|Mid}} {{Wikipedia:WikiProject Geology/Table row|Molecular phylogenetics|Start|B|High}} {{Wikipedia:WikiProject Geology/Table row|Neoproterozoic|Start|B|Low}} {{Wikipedia:WikiProject Geology/Table row|Odontogriphus|Start|B|Low}} {{Wikipedia:WikiProject Geology/Table row|Orthrozanclus|Start|B|Low}} {{Wikipedia:WikiProject Geology/Table row|Orsten|Start|B|High}} {{Wikipedia:WikiProject Geology/Table row|Parvancorina|Start|B|Mid}} {{Wikipedia:WikiProject Geology/Table row|Phylum|C|B|High|Yes|No|No|Should discuss the nature of phyla}} {{Wikipedia:WikiProject Geology/Table row|Pikaia|Start|B|Low}} {{Wikipedia:WikiProject Geology/Table row|Plankton|C|B|Mid|Yes|No|No}} {{Wikipedia:WikiProject Geology/Table row|Radiometric dating|Start|GA|Mid|Yes|No|No|Should provide clear details of its limitations and weakensses re. the C. Ex}} {{Wikipedia:WikiProject Geology/Table row|Radula|C|B|Low|Yes|No|No|Include commments on its evolution: see Butterfield 2008 in J. of P.}} {{Wikipedia:WikiProject Geology/Table row|Sirius Passet|stub|B|Low}} {{Wikipedia:WikiProject Geology/Table row|Skania|stub|Start|Mid|Yes|No|No|Needs picture and more information}} {{Wikipedia:WikiProject Geology/Table row|Stem group|stub|B|Mid|Yes|No|No|Needs polishing into better discussion}} {{Wikipedia:WikiProject Geology/Table row|Trace fossil|B|B|Low|No|Yes|No|"Evolution" section needs some polish, information could be integrated from elsewhere}} {{Wikipedia:WikiProject Geology/Table row|Vernanimalcula|start|GA|High|Yes|No|Yes|Both viewpoints should be discussed at greater length}} {{Wikipedia:WikiProject Geology/Table row|Wiwaxia|C|GA|High|Yes|No|Yes|A fossil at the root of the "how high was diversity" debate.}}

Completed articles

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  • Move articles to this list when they reach the required standard, and contain the necessary explosion-related information.
Article Status
Cambrian substrate revolution (edit talk links history) B
Cloudinid (edit talk links history) File:Symbol support vote.svg GA
Ediacara biota (edit talk links history) File:Featured article star.svg FA
Kimberella (edit talk links history) File:Symbol support vote.svg GA
Opabinia (edit talk links history) File:Symbol support vote.svg GA
Small shelly fauna (edit talk links history) File:Symbol support vote.svg GA
Spriggina (edit talk links history) B

Main article

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While our attention is currently focussed on the peripheral articles listed above, we are also aiming to take the main article to Good article status – i.e. to meet the criteria below.


1. It is well written:

(a) the prose is clear and the spelling and grammar are correct;
Work in progress...
(b) it complies with the manual of style guidelines for:
lead sections
layout
jargon
words to avoid
fiction
N/A
and list incorporation

2. It is factually accurate and verifiable:

(a) it provides references to all sources of information, and at minimum contains a section dedicated to the attribution of those sources in accordance with the guide to layout;
Work in progress...
(b) at minimum, it provides in-line citations from reliable sources for direct quotations, statistics, published opinion, counter-intuitive or controversial statements that are challenged or likely to be challenged, and contentious material relating to living persons;
Work in progress...
(c) it contains no original research.
Fine.

3. It is broad in its coverage:

(a) it addresses the main aspects of the topic;
I think so – any suggestions of areas needing coverage are welcome!
(b) it stays focused on the topic without going into unnecessary detail (see summary style).
Yes.

4. It is neutral: it represents viewpoints fairly and without bias.

Hopefully yes

5. It is stable: it does not change significantly from day-to-day because of an ongoing edit war or content dispute.

No disputes

6. It is illustrated, if possible, by images:[1]

(a) images are tagged with their copyright status, and valid fair use rationales are provided for non-free content; and
(b) images are relevant to the topic, and have suitable captions.[2]
Work in progress

Participation

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Everybody is encouraged to help out with the tasks listed above, as they wish! You may also wish to add this page to your watchlist to keep an eye on developments.

Anyone wishing to formally indicate their membership of the project is encouraged to add their signature to the list below:

Resources

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  1. ^ Other media, such as video and sound clips, are also covered by this criterion.
  2. ^ The presence of images is not, in itself, a requirement for Good articles. However, if images (including other media) with acceptable copyright status are appropriate and readily available, then some such images should be provided.

Templates

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Project banner

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Place {{WikiProject Geology|class=|importance=|Cambrian=|Cambrian-importance=}} onto any new article's talk page for it to be recognised and assessed under the scope of this task force. An article's assessment is generated from the class and importance parameters and helps organise relevant articles for improvement. When assessed, the class and importance parameters are filled in, like this:

{{WikiProject Geology|class=Start|importance=Mid|Cambrian=yes|Cambrian-importance=High}}

and the banner looks like this:

WikiProject iconGeology: Cambrian Mid‑importance
WikiProject iconLua error in mw.title.lua at line 392: bad argument #2 to 'title.new' (unrecognized namespace name 'Portal').This article is within the scope of WikiProject Geology, an attempt at creating a standardized, informative, comprehensive and easy-to-use geology resource. If you would like to participate, you can choose to edit this article, or visit the project page for more information.
MidThis article has been rated as Mid-importance on the importance scale.
Taskforce icon
This article is supported by the Cambrian explosion task force (assessed as High-importance).


Shortcuts: {{WikiProject Geology}}, {{WPGEOLOGY}}, {{WPGeology}}, {{WP Geology}}

The article is classified in the appropriate subcategories of Category:Cambrian explosion articles. For more information visit the WikiProject Geology assessment page: Wikipedia:WikiProject Geology/Assessment

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{{CEXNAV}} adds the navbox on the right to an articles.