Category header

Guideline	The category header should include a brief definition of the term, and what sort of content would be found in it.
Add'l info	If the category is populated by use of a template, brief instructions should also be included as well as a link to that template.
Examples

Approvals

• I agree that all categories should include brief descriptions should be used for this guideline. -- Peter Rawsthorne 15:18, 24 July 2009 (UTC)

Discussion

This guideline is meant to maintain an inclusionary atmosphere at WE. A headline containing these things allows readers not involved in that specific category to still understand what it is about, and for a reader that is involved in that category, but perhaps not in the group that started it, to use it. --Jesse Groppi 02:22, 15 July 2009 (UTC)

This guideline makes a lot of sense. However, I suggest a slight rewording because I misread it at first thinking that the first sentence on the page was a rewording of the statement in the title. Here's suggested rewording of first sentence that might help avoid this misinterpretation:

"And, if the category is populated by use of a template, the header should include a brief definition as well as a link to that template."

--Alison Snieckus 01:12, 25 July 2009 (UTC)

I think if we use the table I designed at User:Jesse Groppi/dev03, which you can see implemented at User:Jesse Groppi/sandbox01, it would be more clear, yes? It may be best to avoid using "and" at the beginning of the sentence in this sort of thing. Also, including brief instructions in the category header reduces the amount of hardship in learning how, or remembering how to use the template. --Jesse Groppi 19:20, 29 July 2009 (UTC)

The table will definitely help. I do know what you mean about using 'And' at the beginning of a sentence; there are definitely people who are turned off this use--we should probably avoid it. Your explanation about instructions makes complete sense. I didn't realize on my first reading of the additional point that you meant "If..., in addition to the category definition provide instructions on how to use the template as well as...". I thought the instructions were for the category. Just sharing my original interpretations, if that helps. --Alison Snieckus 22:48, 29 July 2009 (UTC)

If no one has any negative comments about the table, I will probably go ahead and add it in next week. As for the wording of the second part of the guideline, I like how you use "in addition to". How is "If the category is populated by use of a template, in addition to the category definition, include brief instructions as well as a link to that template."

--Jesse Groppi 22:54, 29 July 2009 (UTC)

That's good. I think the examples that we'll generate for the table can show what we mean by instructions (that these are for the template). --Alison Snieckus 00:26, 30 July 2009 (UTC)

Is this the place to bring up standardization or rationalization of category words? I don,t want to exclude user defined cateories, but it would be nice to have some that we all use consitently. Is that where this discussion is going with the header description? --Valerie Taylor 15:32, 2 September 2009 (UTC)

There's no reason we can't discuss this here, at least until it really becomes a thing of its own. In the matter of categories that are user defined, and categories that are used by all, in a consistent manner, well, these two things should actually be one and the same. You are correct in guessing that the category header should help make this a reality. In addition, we need to have a fluid category organisation that is logical and easy to search. That is something I had begun working on, but my time quickly got overrun by this project. Where the style guidelines come in is for methods that make it easier for WE members to use and create consistent and reusable categories. Examples are this proposal, which would help ensure that one understands the use of a category, and the Use of Plurals proposal which would create a consistent naming method, both encouraging reuse.

Is that what you were concerned with? I'm not entirely sure what you mean by "standardization or rationalization of category words". Is there something I'm missing? --Jesse Groppi 22:27, 2 September 2009 (UTC)