# How to Contribute

Some suggested guidelines to consider when contributing to the book:

- Writing:
  - Inline clickable links that lead to further reading. If you look at the introduction to [Propositional Logic](0-3-intro-propositional-logic.md) you see that I tried to make it easy for readers to access further information. You may find this tedious, but interesting inline links add a lot of value.
  - One way in which good online writing distinguishes itself is by the quality of interesting resources linked for further reading. 
  - Avoid long code snippets that are uninterrupted by interesting explanations.
  - Link source code and other resources
- Organization and Layout:
  - Compare your table of contents with the [suggested table of contents](0-1-intro-book.md). Not all items will be equally meaningful for all topics, but it can be interesting to look for sth that is not immediately on the surface.
  - I turned on automatic numbering of sections and subsections. Make sure that this is compatible with the headings you choose for your subsections.
  - Do not have  only a single subsection in a section.
  - Links to local references should use the local path as in `[suggested table of contents](0-1-intro-book.md)`.
- References and Citations:
  - General Guideline: [How to Cite References](how-to-cite.md).
  - Cite your references in the text. Do not list sth in the references if it is not cited.
  - There is no hard limit on the number of references. But it is important that the reader has a sense of why a particular reference is listed. 
  - For example, ask yourself: Why did you choose a particular reference and not another one? How do the chosen references relate to the rest of the chapter? What function do they accomplish? Do you list a reference as a recommendation for further reading?  Or does a reference serve the function of backing up with evidence some claim you made in the text? Etc.
  - Can I cite Wikipedia? Short answer: "Yes, but ..." 
    - In traditional academic writing, citations are authoritative. They provide evidence for claims and/or refer to important previous work. Wikipedia is not an authoritative source.
    - In online writing, the use of hyperlinks changes the way references can provide value. For example, Wikipedia can be useful for general background or even just to look up a definition. 
    - Before referring to Wikipedia, make sure that you endorse what is there. If not, consider editing the Wikipedia article (everybody can edit).
    - As a rule of thumb, I would use Wikipedia for inline links providing further background, but not add Wikipedia to my list of authoritative references at the end of the chapter.