Detailed checklist for operating and running The Core Contest.

• Funding (how much?) from where?
  • Needs to be requested/approved well before start time
• Choose timeframe
  • Typical timeframe: early in the year; before June/July. See §Past competitions for reference.
• Who will the judges be?
• How can the contest improve from its previous iteration?

• Create Wikipedia:The Core Contest/Entries (see template) below
  • Use {{subst:Wikipedia:The Core Contest/Preparations/Entries text}}
  • Make sure the see past archives hatnote is updated with the most recent contest(s)
• TCC page updates:
  • Post about contest on TCC homepage (ex)
  • Update §Rules
  • Archive excessively old threads on TCC talk page
  • Glance at TCC homepage for potential updates/improvements
• Mass message:
  • Update the message content with the new dates, timeline and judges
  • Update/check the delivery list. Make sure it includes participants of the previous year and current/former judges
  • Send out the mass message with the delivery list via Special:MassMessage
• Other announcement venues:
  • Post on TCC talk page
  • Submit a watchlist notice request (ex1 ex2)
  • Post on FAC, FLC, GAN, WT:FGTC and WT:VITAL
  • Post on active the talk pages of Wiki Projects (suggestions: the Military history and Video games projects)
  • Post on the Wikipedia:Community bulletin board
  • Post a message on WP:Discord

• Send out mass message:
  • Update CompetitionStart with the new times, dates and judges
  • Send out CompetitionStart with the delivery list via Special:MassMessage
• Page updates:
  • Update TCC homepage (ex)

Generally not much to do, just one message half way through (that's May 7 during the April 15 – May 30 cycle).

• Mass message:
  • Update CompetitionHalfway with times, date and judges
  • Send out CompetitionHalfway with the delivery list via Special:MassMessage

• Mass message:
  • Update CompetitionEnd with the new times, dates and judges
  • Send out CompetitionEnd with the delivery list via Special:MassMessage
• Deliberate winners (generally off-wiki via email or call).
• Announce winners:
  • Post on Wikipedia:The Core Contest/Winners
    • Make sure the winners are pinged properly! There has to be a signature in the same edit as the pings for them to work
  • Post on TCC talk page
  • Update the winners announcement
  • Send out winners announcement with the delivery list via Special:MassMessage
• Page updates:
  • Update the Wikipedia:The Core Contest
  • Move the Wikipedia:The Core Contest/Entries to Wikipedia:The Core Contest/Entries/ContestTimelineYear (example: Wikipedia:The Core Contest/Entries/AprilMay2024 archive)
    • Important: Do not move the subpages!
    • Leave a redirect (subpages are deleted otherwise (I think?)
  • Update TCC header (ex)
  • Update the §Past competitions (ex)
    • This includes the "The Core Contest proper has run on [number] occasions" line
• Remove entry for Wikipedia:Community bulletin board

• FAQ Page (when made)
  • More than one entry?
  • Improvements before start date?
  • Working together?
• Messages
  • Wikipedia:The Core Contest/MassMessage
  • Wikipedia:The Core Contest/CompetitionStart
  • Wikipedia:The Core Contest/CompetitionHalfway
  • Wikipedia:The Core Contest/CompetitionEnd
• Subpages
• Consider implementing:
  • Add Enter an article ({{Clickable button|Enter an article|color=blue|url={{fullurl:Special:NewSection/Wikipedia:The Core Contest/Entries|preload=Template:TCC_Entry/init&action=edit}}}}
  • {{TCC Entry}}
  • {{TCC Entry/init}}