Project grants/UFOs and Government: A Historical Inquiry

Basic information

Project details

Full project name

Looking to purchase the book UFOs and Government: A Historical Inquiry by Robert Powell

Project start date (include month, day, and year)

Ongoing

Project completion date (include month, day, and year)

Unknown

Please describe the project in 1–2 sentences

I am currently re-writing and adding content to Wikipedia's coverage of UFO's, with this particular book adding an incredible depth of focus on the field.

Amount requested

£22

Project lead details

Are you an individual or an organisation?

Individual

Are you currently a member of Wikimedia UK?

Yes

Project description

Please describe what the project will entail, in as much detail as you feel appropriate.

This project is part of an effort to completely rewrite Wikipedia's coverage on the subject of UFOs to ensure articles are more in line with what is expected from encyclopedia articles. This includes adding new articles on government responses and military history with regards to the phenomena, and re-shaping current articles to have a broader overview of the subject that gives equal coverage to all fields and cultural/social institutions surrounding this subject.

Goals and measures of success

Project goal

Please briefly describe what will be accomplished if the project is successful.

Project goal

The project goal with regards to this specific book comes from this covering government responses to UFOs from at least 5 different countries and ranging from WWII until 2012. It's one of the most in-depth works published on the subject by academics. It is not available at the public library or the British Library and as such I can find no way to freely access this material. I plan to use all records, charts, maps and organisational information to add to the subject matter on Wikipedia.

Measures of success

Please provide a list of measurable criteria that will be used to determine how successful the project is. You will need to report on the success of the project according to these measures after the project is completed.

Measures of success

The creation of at least two new articles (US Government Response to UFOs and UK Government Response to UFOs), information to help with a rewrite of both Ufology and UFOs and, if possible, additional new articles on other countries.

Budget and resources

Project budget breakdown

£22 for the paperback version of the book. You can get free delivery.

Non-financial assistance requested

None

Impact and benefits

How will this project support Wikimedia UK's Outcomes, charitable objects and vision, values and mission?

This will help to add thorough coverage to an underserved niche on Wikipedia, whilst also being in line with the strict Fringe Notability criteria as it will add content based on academic works rather than less reliable or scrupulous fortean-based sources. The rarity of information this credible and well researched on the subject matter adds to its value.

Discussion

Hello Panyd. This looks a smashing idea and one I hope we can support. Stevie Benton (WMUK) (talk) 12:18, 4 March 2015 (GMT)

Hi Panyd. As you are a trusted contributor, I see no reason not to support this request. I've had a look around and I can't see anyway to get it cheaper than £22, so the amount requested is reasonable. The only point to note is that per standard practice the book will be considered the property of Wikimedia UK and will become part of the Library after you've finished with it. I hope this is not a problem. Best of luck with your project! CT Cooper · talk 17:23, 5 March 2015 (GMT)

The more people can get a hold of this and the information contained therein the happier I will be. Maybe someone will pick it up in the library and get interested! Panyd (talk) 12:46, 6 March 2015 (GMT)

Hi Panyd, thanks a lot for your application. Can you provide an estimated realistic timeline to when the project would be completed? Are you aiming for any highlighted content standard on these proposed new/improved articles (GA/FA)? Of course, one can keep going back to an article and make tweaks so they can never be considered finished, but it would be helpful if there's some quantifiable way of us saying the grant itself is completed. -- Katie Chan (WMUK) (talk) 11:43, 11 March 2015 (GMT)

Update?

Hi Panyd, is this grant application still live, or could it be closed? --MichaelMaggs (talk) 14:38, 28 May 2015 (BST)

Panyd, If your project is still active I have an interesting book that you'd be welcome to borrow: "Flying Saucers Have Landed" by Leslie and Adamski (1953). It's a fascinating trawl through the history of sightings from 1619 onwards, with quite a bit of discussion about official responses. The whole thing is written from the point of view of a true believer so may not have academic respectability but it could be cited as evidence of 1950's claims. Anyway, it's a real gem!--MichaelMaggs (talk) 19:24, 29 May 2015 (BST)

Hi Michael, my apologies for leaving this for so long. To answer Katie's questions - a reasonable timeline would be around six months - and more specific goals would include;

• Creation of US Government Response to UFO article, and appropriate sub articles (you can see a bare bones beginning here.
• Creation of UK Government Response to UFO article, and appropriate sub articles
• Creation of French Government Response to UFO article, and appropriate sub articles
• Digitization of appropriate media contained within, which includes relevant military maps.

Thank you for the suggestion! That book appears to be available from the British Library so I will add it to the pile to dig through there! Panyd (talk) 14:24, 3 June 2015 (BST)

Sounds good. An interesting proposal that I would be happy to support. MichaelMaggs (talk) 17:52, 3 June 2015 (BST)

Happy to support. Looks like the kind of project that might make a good hook for a blog on editing if that's of any interest? Sjgknight (talk) 21:53, 3 June 2015 (BST)

That could be a fun thing to do - especially as this project is really different from anything I've ever done with article writing. Panyd (talk) 16:41, 5 June 2015 (BST)

Great! So if there are funds & the office can confirm a grant, I guess liaise with @Stevie Benton (WMUK): as you get going. There are a few previous posts which could be emulated I think. Sjgknight (talk) 16:57, 5 June 2015 (BST)

This looks a great idea which I am happy to support. Theresa knott (talk) 14:07, 9 June 2015 (BST)

Approval

Based on the recommendation from the Grants Committee, the budget holder has approved this grant.