Wikipedia:The Core Contest/Run Sheet

Detailed checklist for operating and running The Core Contest.

General considerations

Funding (how much?) from where?
- Since 2025: £300 from Wikimedia UK
Timeframe?
- Recent time frame has consistently been April 15 – May 31. See §Past competitions for reference.
Who will the judges be?
- Most recent judges have been Femke (talk · contribs), Aza24 (talk · contribs) and Casliber (talk · contribs)
How can the contest improve from its previous iteration?
- See below, §2027 Improvements

Register on Meta
Consider SignPost article before hand? (or after—or both?)
Individually reach out to editors of prominent large-scale subject articles
Look at DCWC for ideas?
Consider more total judges? Only if it seems like the amount of entries will be too much for three
Considering specific additional awards? — i.e. "best sourcing improvements", "best prose" etc.
Add to this: Wikipedia:The Core Contest/FAQ

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
- Make a dramatic post on 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
- Update/check the delivery list. Recommend clearing it entirely at first, then adding current judges and participants
- 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/check the delivery list. There is often a couple late joiners after the start date
- 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
Update TCC homepage (ex)