35:
175:
Outlines are big lists that cover everything about a topic. They are kind of like a table of contents for an entire subject. For example, the "Outline of
Science" lists all the different branches of science like physics, chemistry, biology, etc. Outlines let you browse through an entire topic from
171:
Outlines show up when you search
Knowledge (XXG), which is important because we want people to be able to find them easily. Portals don't show up in searches by default, and when they are included, their subpage entries make the search results very hard to read (because their many subpages clutter
108:
sometimes overlap in scope and function with another type of page, and wonder why we have both. In general, it is because outlines are optimized for browsing and for showing a subject's structure. And because readers vary in their learning styles: some readers find outlines more convenient for
291:
of the topics on a subject. Outlines by definition should include only essential links, and because of this they don't get watered down by several hundred types of cuisine or 10,000 person or place names – links to lists of these suffice in outlines, which makes outlines easier to browse.
179:
Portals are like little doorways or gateways into a topic. They give you a small taste of a subject by showing you a few interesting articles related to it. Portals are kind of like the front page of a magazine, where they highlight a few articles to get you interested in reading more.
283:
Indexes on
Knowledge (XXG) generally present articles in alphabetical order. Outlines present them as a hierarchy, showing the "familial" (parent-offspring-sibling) relationships between them, which is useful for finding and browsing subjects closely related to each other.
230:: Outlines show all the sub-topics on one page, so you can easily scroll through them. With categories, you have to keep clicking links to go deeper, and then backtrack to drill down in the other branches. This is much slower, and you can get lost or distracted.
258:: We can see the edit history of outlines, so we know when topics are added or removed. Categories can't provide this for their subcategory and topics listings. Outlines work fine on watch lists. Category entries are invisible to watching.
124:
On
Knowledge (XXG), outlines are not just regular articles. They act like a table of contents or a map for a particular topic. They help you find your way around and understand how all the different parts of a subject fit together.
205:
On
Knowledge (XXG), we have different ways to organize information. Categories are like folders that group similar articles together. Outlines are detailed lists that show all the topics within a subject.
223:: Categories use a web directory interface that show 2 levels of a subject at a time. Outlines try to show the entire subject on a single page, and so it is easier to get a sense for the whole subject.
109:
exploring and for review than other forms of knowledge access and presentation. For more information about redundancy between
Knowledge (XXG)'s info navigation systems, and its benefits, see
275:
So while categories are great for grouping topics, outlines give us a more detailed and flexible way to organize information within a subject. That's why we need both on
Knowledge (XXG).
197:
69:
157:
So, in short, outlines are super-organized lists that make it easier to learn about and explore different topics. They help you see the big picture and find what you need quickly!
153:: Links in an outline are all listed together in a nice, organized way. In regular articles, the links are scattered inside paragraphs all over the place, which can be confusing.
196:
Note: Like other types of lists on
Knowledge (XXG), outlines should never be deleted in favor of categories or navigation templates. For more information see
141:: The points in an outline are arranged in a neat and organized way, like branches on a tree. This makes it easy to see how different ideas are connected.
128:
Outlines are a special kind of list that helps you understand things better and faster. They are different from regular articles in the following ways:
147:: Outlines can cover a whole topic without missing anything important. Regular articles sometimes leave out parts because they have to be shorter.
394:
The difference between an outline and index on
Knowledge (XXG) is the same as the difference between the table of contents and index of a book.
380:
377:
374:
371:
368:
365:
356:
353:
302:
50:
It contains the advice or opinions of one or more
Knowledge (XXG) contributors. This page is not an encyclopedia article, nor is it one of
51:
362:
359:
350:
347:
344:
341:
338:
335:
332:
329:
326:
323:
320:
317:
314:
311:
308:
305:
265:: Outlines can be edited directly, making it faster to update them. Changing categories requires editing each article individually.
17:
251:: Outlines can have descriptions, pictures, and other information alongside the topics. Categories just have a list of links.
298:
406:
272:: Featured pages represent the very best Knowledge (XXG) has to offer. There is no such thing as a featured category.
135:: Articles have long paragraphs of text. In outlines, you can quickly scan through the points without getting lost.
216:: When you search Knowledge (XXG), outlines show up in the results, but the lists inside categories don't.
55:
183:
Portals are good for sampling a topic, but outlines are better if you want to survey the whole subject.
78:
103:
244:: If a topic on an outline doesn't have an article, you can click the red link to start a new one.
43:
237:: Outlines can list topics that don't have articles yet, helping us know what to work on next.
387:
385:
But if you want to see at a glance the structure of Japan as a subject, you might find the
110:
165:
Outlines and portals are two different ways of organizing information on Knowledge (XXG).
400:
58:. Some essays represent widespread norms; others only represent minority viewpoints.
295:
For example, the article index for Japan has grown to be 23 pages long:
116:
Getting back to the question, Why do we have outlines in addition to...
18:
Knowledge (XXG):Why do we have outlines in addition to categories?
209:
Outlines have some great advantages over just using categories:
287:
Indexes are comprehensive in scope and are intended to include
168:
Portals are harder to make and keep up-to-date than outlines.
186:
In short, we need both because they serve different purposes!
29:
198:
Knowledge (XXG):Categories, lists, and navigation templates
93:
86:
8:
242:From an outline, you can create new articles
102:Occasionally, an editor will notice that
52:Knowledge (XXG)'s policies or guidelines
235:In outlines, you can show future topics
7:
270:Outlines can become featured lists
56:thoroughly vetted by the community
25:
33:
27:Essay on editing Knowledge (XXG)
256:Outlines allow tracking changes
151:Links are better in an outline
1:
228:Outlines are easier to browse
139:Outlines are better organized
249:Outlines can include details
263:Outlines are easier to edit
221:With outlines, you see more
133:Outlines are easier to read
423:
76:
214:Outlines are searchable
407:Knowledge (XXG) essays
70:Rationale for outlines
54:, as it has not been
120:...subject articles?
145:Outlines cover more
299:Alphabetical index
176:start to finish.
64:
63:
16:(Redirected from
414:
388:Outline of Japan
96:
89:
37:
36:
30:
21:
422:
421:
417:
416:
415:
413:
412:
411:
397:
396:
383:
281:
192:
163:
122:
100:
99:
92:
85:
81:
60:
59:
34:
28:
23:
22:
15:
12:
11:
5:
420:
418:
410:
409:
399:
398:
297:
280:
277:
203:
202:
191:
190:...categories?
188:
172:the results).
162:
159:
155:
154:
148:
142:
136:
121:
118:
98:
97:
90:
82:
77:
75:
74:
62:
61:
49:
48:
40:
38:
26:
24:
14:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
419:
408:
405:
404:
402:
395:
392:
391:more useful.
390:
389:
382:
379:
376:
373:
370:
367:
364:
361:
358:
355:
352:
349:
346:
343:
340:
337:
334:
331:
328:
325:
322:
319:
316:
313:
310:
307:
304:
300:
296:
293:
290:
285:
278:
276:
273:
271:
266:
264:
259:
257:
252:
250:
245:
243:
238:
236:
231:
229:
224:
222:
217:
215:
210:
207:
201:
199:
194:
193:
189:
187:
184:
181:
177:
173:
169:
166:
160:
158:
152:
149:
146:
143:
140:
137:
134:
131:
130:
129:
126:
119:
117:
114:
112:
107:
106:
95:
91:
88:
84:
83:
80:
73:
71:
66:
65:
57:
53:
47:
45:
39:
32:
31:
19:
393:
386:
384:
294:
288:
286:
282:
274:
269:
267:
262:
260:
255:
253:
248:
246:
241:
239:
234:
232:
227:
225:
220:
218:
213:
211:
208:
204:
195:
185:
182:
178:
174:
170:
167:
164:
156:
150:
144:
138:
132:
127:
123:
115:
104:
101:
67:
41:
279:...indexes?
161:...portals?
42:This is an
94:WP:OOKWHY
79:Shortcuts
68:See also
401:Category
105:outlines
87:WP:OLWHY
111:WP:CLN
44:essay
268:10.
303:0–9
289:all
261:9.
254:8.
247:7.
240:6.
233:5.
226:3.
219:2.
212:1.
403::
301::
113:.
381:Z
378:Y
375:X
372:W
369:V
366:U
363:T
360:S
357:R
354:Q
351:P
348:O
345:N
342:M
339:L
336:K
333:J
330:I
327:H
324:G
321:F
318:E
315:D
312:C
309:B
306:A
200:.
72:.
46:.
20:)
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.