CiteSnap

CiteSnap is a proposed Wikimedia project designed to enhance the verifiability and depth of Wikipedia content by creating a centralized platform for capturing, storing, and accessing precise text excerpts from both offline and online sources. The project aims to bridge the gap between traditional offline references, ephemeral web content, and online encyclopedic articles by providing a secure and accessible repository of exact citations.

This is a proposal for a new Wikimedia sister project.

CiteSnap
Status of the proposal
Status	under discussion
Details of the proposal
Project description	CiteSnap is a centralized platform for capturing, storing, and accessing precise text excerpts from both offline and online sources. It aims to enhance the verifiability and depth of Wikipedia content by bridging the gap between traditional offline references, ephemeral web content, and online encyclopedic articles. As part of Wikimedia, CiteSnap would integrate seamlessly with existing projects, improving citation quality and accessibility across the ecosystem.
Is it a multilingual wiki?	One multilingual wiki
Potential number of languages	The project will support multiple languages
Proposed tagline	Capture, preserve, and access precise citations instantly
Proposed URL	https://citesnap.wikimedia.org (proposed)
Technical requirements
New features to require	CiteSnap will require new features beyond standard MediaWiki software, including: Advanced image processing for text recognition from scanned documents Web archiving capabilities for storing online content Version control system for tracking changes to stored excerpts Mobile app integration for easy capture of offline sources API for seamless integration with Wikipedia and other Wikimedia projects Additional MediaWiki extensions may be needed for enhanced search functionality and metadata management.
Development wiki	Not yet established
Interested participants
User:Sinuhe20

Key features of CiteSnap include:

• Rapid Citation Capture:
  • Tools for quickly digitizing relevant sections of offline sources, including a mobile app for easy capture in libraries and archives.
  • Web clipping functionality to instantly save and store specific excerpts from cited websites, ensuring long-term availability even if the original web content changes or disappears.
• Secure Storage:
  • A robust system for securely storing captured text excerpts, ensuring their long-term preservation and integrity.
  • Version control to track any changes or updates to stored excerpts over time.
• Easy Accessibility:
  • User-friendly interface for quick retrieval of stored text excerpts.
  • API for seamless integration with Wikipedia and other Wikimedia projects.
• Comprehensive Metadata Management:
  • A detailed system for recording accurate bibliographic information and tagging for easy categorization and retrieval, applicable to both offline and online sources.
• Seamless Wikipedia Integration:
  • Efficient linking between Wikipedia articles and CiteSnap entries, allowing for quick verification of sources.
• Community-Driven Verification:
  • A peer review system to ensure the accuracy and relevance of captured text excerpts, promoting quality control for both offline and web-based sources.
• Copyright Compliance:
  • Clear guidelines and tools for ensuring adherence to copyright laws and fair use principles for offline sources.
  • Implementation of best practices for web archiving, respecting robots.txt files and other web standards.
• Advanced Search and Discovery:
  • Sophisticated functionality for finding relevant text excerpts and a recommendation system based on article content and existing references, covering both offline and archived web sources.

CiteSnap will be developed as a multilingual platform, supporting sources and users from various linguistic backgrounds. The project will require specialized technical features beyond standard MediaWiki software, including image processing capabilities, web archiving tools, advanced metadata management, and mobile app support.

By providing a quick and accurate system for incorporating both offline and online citations, CiteSnap will not only improve the quality and reliability of Wikipedia articles but also contribute to the preservation and accessibility of important reference materials, including ephemeral web content. This project represents a significant step forward in Wikimedia's mission to provide free, verifiable knowledge to the world.

Proposed by

• Benutzer:Sinuhe20

Alternative names

• CiteCapture: Emphasizes the process of capturing citations.
• CiteArchive: Combines citing with content archiving.
• PreciseCite: Focuses on the accuracy of captured citations.
• SourceSnap: Emphasizes quick capture of sources.
• CitationHub: Suggests a central location for all citations.
• QuoteVault: Emphasizes secure storage and access to quotes.
• CiteStore: Implies collection and storage of citations.
• ExactCite: Focuses on accuracy and precision of citations.
• SourceSafe: Emphasizes security and integrity of stored sources.
• CitePoint: Highlights precise referencing of sources.
• CiteNexus: Implies a central point for citations and sources.

Related projects/proposals

While CiteSnap offers a unique approach to rapidly capturing and managing precise citations from both offline and online sources for Wikimedia projects, there are some existing projects and proposals that share similar goals or functionalities:

Existing Wikimedia Projects

• Wikisource - A free library of source texts that have been published elsewhere. While Wikisource focuses on full texts, CiteSnap aims to capture specific citations and excerpts from both offline and online sources, which do not necessarily fall under copyright law. This distinction allows CiteSnap to potentially include a wider range of sources, including those still under copyright protection, as long as the excerpts fall within fair use guidelines.
• Wikimedia Commons - A repository of freely usable media files to which anyone can contribute. While Commons hosts a wide variety of media, including scanned documents, CiteSnap specifically focuses on managing and integrating citations from both offline and online sources into Wikipedia articles.

Related Proposals and Initiatives

• OfflineCite - A similar proposal focusing primarily on capturing and managing citations from offline sources.
• WikiCite - An initiative to build a bibliographic database based on Wikidata. CiteSnap differs by focusing on both offline and online sources and providing direct access to digitized excerpts and archived web content.
• The Wikipedia Library - An open research hub that provides active Wikipedia editors with access to vital reliable sources, including paywalled materials, through partnerships with dozens of publishers. While The Wikipedia Library focuses on providing access to digital resources, CiteSnap aims to digitize and manage offline sources and archive online sources that are not readily available or may become inaccessible over time.

External Projects with Similar Goals

• Internet Archive's Wayback Machine - A digital archive of the World Wide Web. While it focuses on archiving entire websites, CiteSnap will specifically target and store cited excerpts from web pages.
• Internet Archive Scholar - While not a Wikimedia project, it aims to provide free access to scholarly articles and books, sharing OfflineCite's goal of improving access to sources.
• JSTOR - A digital library of academic journals, books, and primary sources. OfflineCite differs by focusing on community-driven content and integration with Wikipedia.
• Google Books - Google Books provides snippets of text from books, allowing users to view short excerpts around their search terms. While this service is primarily for book content discovery, it shares similarities with CiteSnap in terms of providing access to specific text excerpts.

CiteSnap distinguishes itself from these projects by:

• Focusing on both offline and online sources and their integration with Wikipedia articles
• Providing a platform for community-driven digitization, archiving, and verification of sources
• Offering direct access to relevant excerpts from both offline and online sources
• Emphasizing the preservation of both physical materials and ephemeral web content
• Creating a specialized system for managing citations and their metadata within the Wikimedia ecosystem

As the project develops, it will rely on community participation for source contribution, verification, and ongoing improvement of the platform. CiteSnap has the potential to become an invaluable tool for the Wikimedia community, researchers, and knowledge seekers worldwide, offering a comprehensive solution for source management and verification in the digital age.

Domain names

• CiteSnap on Wikimedia - A subdomain within the Wikimedia Foundation's domain, ideal for integration with other Wikimedia projects.
• CiteSnap.org - A standalone domain that could serve as the primary site for the project, providing information and resources.
• CiteSnap at Wikimedia - A subdirectory under the main Wikimedia site, offering a centralized location for project details and access.
• CiteSnap.wiki - A concise and memorable domain that emphasizes the project's focus on citations.
• CiteSnap.net - A general domain that could host the project, allowing for flexibility in branding.

These web addresses provide various options for hosting the CiteSnap project, each with its own implications for branding and accessibility. The choice of domain can influence how users perceive the project and its purpose.

People interested

• (Sinuhe20 (talk) 14:54, 28 August 2024 (UTC))

Target Audience

CiteSnap aims to serve a diverse range of users, including:

• Wikipedia Editors: Individuals who contribute to Wikipedia and require reliable sources for their articles.
• Researchers and Academics: Users seeking a streamlined way to capture and manage citations for their work.
• Students: Those who need to gather and organize references for academic assignments and projects.
• General Knowledge Seekers: Anyone interested in accessing and preserving high-quality sources of information.

Community Engagement

CiteSnap will prioritize community involvement through:

• Feedback Mechanisms: Regular surveys and feedback forms to gather user input on features and usability.
• Workshops and Training: Sessions to educate users on how to effectively use CiteSnap for their citation needs.
• Collaborative Development: Encouraging contributions from the community in terms of code, design, and content.

Potential Challenges

While CiteSnap has significant potential, it may face challenges such as:

• Copyright Issues: Navigating the complexities of copyright law when capturing and storing excerpts from various sources.
• User Adoption: Encouraging users to adopt a new tool and integrate it into their existing workflows.
• Technical Development: Ensuring the platform is robust, user-friendly, and scalable to accommodate a growing user base.

Conclusion

CiteSnap represents a significant advancement in the management of citations within the Wikimedia ecosystem. By providing a user-friendly, efficient, and secure platform for capturing and storing citations, it aims to enhance the quality of information available on Wikipedia and beyond. Through community engagement and continuous development, CiteSnap aspires to become an essential tool for editors, researchers, and knowledge seekers worldwide.