Updated 1/7/2025 by @Lilacdusk
Note: PawnDive no longer works for the CoS Wiki. Please see our team list in order to find a moderator to speak to.
Hey, Wiki Sonarians! 🌺
I've noticed that there are some questions and curiosity regarding the CoS wiki team, so we wanted to take this opportunity to provide more insight into what the wiki team is, what we do, and more. Please feel free to leave a reply and share any related questions you may have! We're here to provide answers and foster a better understanding of our role and responsibilities within the community.
Introduction
What is a Moderator?
Moderators on wikis play a crucial role in maintaining the quality and integrity of the content. Due to the diverse and extensive nature of the content on these sites, and the need for specialized attention in various areas, moderators are often divided into two distinct roles: Thread Moderators and Content Moderators.
💬 Thread Moderators:
Thread Moderators primarily focus on the discussion and communication aspects of the wiki. Their responsibilities include:
Monitoring Discussions: They ensure that discussions and conversations on the wiki remain respectful, on-topic, and in adherence to community guidelines.
Enforcing Chat Rules: Thread Moderators enforce rules and policies specific to the wiki's forum or discussion boards, including on Message Walls, comments, blogs, and other social activity areas across the wiki.
Handling User Interactions: They mediate conflicts and address user concerns related to communication on the site.
Promoting a Positive Environment: Thread Moderators work to encourage a friendly and constructive atmosphere for users to discuss.
Content Moderators:
Content Moderators primarily focus on the content and articles present on the wiki. Their responsibilities include:
Content Quality Control: They ensure that articles and content are accurate, well-structured, and follow the wiki's content guidelines to ensure readability and convenience of use for readers.
Editing and Revisions: Content Moderators can edit, revert, and confirm changes made by users to maintain content quality.
Dealing with Vandalism: They promptly address and revert any vandalism or harmful edits made to articles.
Categorization and Organization: They work on categorizing articles, improving searchability, and maintaining the site's structure.
File Management: Content Moderators oversee the uploading, categorization, and management of media files.
The separation of these roles allows for a more efficient approach to wiki maintenance. Thread Moderators specialize in maintaining the social and interactive aspects of the wiki, while Content Moderators concentrate on ensuring the accuracy and organization of the informational content.
➡️ What actions can Thread Moderators take?
Remove or edit posts, messages, or comments that violate guidelines in any social activity areas of the wiki.
Note, warn, or issue blocks for rule violations.
Lock/close discussions by request or for violations.
➡️ What actions can Content Moderators take?
Remove or modify files (images, videos, sound files).
Rollback vandal (or accidental) edits.
Note, warn, or issue blocks for rule violations.
Add, remove, or adjust content for accuracy.
What is an Administrator/Bureaucrat?
Administrators+ configure security tools, global visuals, and manage promotions/demotions within the team. They are also able to block users, request special feature extensions, add special JavaScript tools, and more.
CoS Wiki Staff follow and enforce guidelines for the wiki, linked below. Editor guidelines are listed separately, and certain items, such as Creature Pages, have specific edit guidelines attached.
Team & Community Collaboration
The CoS Wiki Team's primary communication hub is located on the Sonaria Wiki discord server (featured on the Main Page of the wiki), which hosts plans for projects and provides opportunities for staff and users to collaborate, such as with the ongoing recode implementation project on the wiki. These collaboration discussions can also happen on Talk namespaces of pages and the Content Issues page (in the top navigation Guides -> Main Reports -> Content Issues).
Becoming a Thread or Content Moderator
Staff members are selected through an application process and open when community growth needs require additional help to oversee activity throughout the day.
What should I do if I disagree with a moderator's decision?
If there's a disagreement with a decision, you can usually appeal or discuss the issue with them through a private message or report on the Discord, or by messaging them via the received note or creating a message on a moderator's Message Wall. Many platforms have a dispute resolution process.
🌺 Thanks for reading! This is a small piece to explain the role, responsibilities, and realm of items under supervision, with more resources for reference to come to further expand on these topics.
❓For any lingering questions, feel free to drop them below!
However, please do not discuss moderation itself, as this is not allowed on the wiki, due to concerns of unwelcome drama or escalation. Instead, as mentioned earlier in this post and in guidelines, contact a moderator via Discord DM or Message Wall directly.
Thank you!
PawnDive and the CoS Wiki Team
