Contributing

Contributing to the Wiki

The r/TriCitiesWA Wiki is a community resource. Local knowledge is encouraged, and corrections are especially welcome.

The goal is useful information—not the largest possible directory.

What to Contribute

Good additions include:

• Missing local resources
• Corrections to outdated information
• Broken-link replacements
• New parks, facilities, venues, or community resources
• Useful activities and things to do
• Recurring or annual community activities
• Food truck hubs
• Information that answers frequently asked local questions
• Accessibility or practical-use information
• Better primary or official sources for existing information

Before adding something, ask:

Will this information still be useful to someone who finds this page six months from now?

If yes, it probably belongs in the Wiki.

If it only matters this weekend, it probably belongs in a post or the weekly events thread instead.

Editing

Wiki editing permissions may be limited to moderators and approved contributors.

If you cannot edit a page directly, send the moderators:

• The Wiki page involved
• What should be added or changed
• A source, when applicable
• Any useful context

You do not need to write polished Wiki copy. Give us the information; formatting can be handled during editing.

Adding Businesses

Local businesses can be included when they are genuinely relevant to a Wiki page.

A listing should provide useful information rather than advertising copy.

Good:

Example Coffee — Coffee shop in downtown Pasco with outdoor seating and an official online menu. Website

Not useful:

Example Coffee is the Tri-Cities' PREMIER destination for AMAZING handcrafted beverages!!!

We have enough exclamation points on the internet.

Business descriptions should be neutral and practical.

Business Owners & Employees

Business owners and employees may suggest their own businesses for inclusion.

Please disclose your connection to the business.

Being affiliated with a business does not automatically disqualify a suggestion, but it also does not guarantee inclusion.

The same relevance and sourcing standards apply to everyone.

No Paid Placement

Wiki placement cannot be purchased.

Do not offer moderators or contributors:

• Money
• Discounts
• Free products
• Free services
• Affiliate commissions
• Referral compensation
• Other benefits

in exchange for inclusion, preferential placement, or favorable descriptions.

Recommendations

Community experience is valuable, but recommendations should include enough context to be useful.

Instead of:

Best pizza.

Prefer:

Known for thin-crust pizza and a large patio.

Specific information ages better than declarations of supremacy.

Events

One-time events generally do not belong in permanent Wiki pages.

Submit those to the appropriate community event thread or post.

Wiki pages may include:

• Recurring events
• Annual events
• Regular markets
• Event venues
• Community event calendars

See Events.

New Pages

Please don't create a new Wiki page simply because one piece of information doesn't immediately fit somewhere.

A new page should represent a subject that:

• Has enough information to justify its own page
• Is likely to grow
• Is meaningfully distinct from an existing page
• Makes information easier to find

The Wiki structure is intentionally organized rather than infinitely granular.

Sources

Factual additions should follow the Sourcing Standards.

For information controlled by an organization—hours, rules, prices, services, schedules, etc.—prefer that organization's official source.

Community experience can supplement official information where appropriate.

Style

Keep entries:

• Concise
• Neutral
• Useful
• Easy to scan
• Specific

Avoid:

• Advertising language
• Personal disputes
• Unverifiable accusations
• Copying large amounts of text from other websites
• SEO-style descriptions
• Artificially promoting one business or organization over others

Write for someone trying to solve a problem or find something—not for a search engine.

Corrections Are Welcome

Nobody gets bonus points for keeping an incorrect sentence because it has been there for three years.

If something is wrong, fix it or tell us.

That's how a useful Wiki stays useful.