This page is intended to give the reader a basic understanding and skill set to become a Toxipedia contributor and  Confluence wiki user. Below is a general overview of the system but for a detailed explanation of the capabilities and services of the site please go to the Confluence User Guide.

Structure of the Site

Toxipedia is as innovative as they come. It is a modified-wiki wedsite powered by the Confluence system which allows Toxipedia editors to restrict different sections of the site. This allows both guarenteed accuracy that other sites cannot claim as well as still allowing some areas to be completely free to encourage participation and discussion. All pages are monitored by Toxipedia Editors for accuracy.

Benefits of a Wiki

• Anyone with access to the internet can edit or view Toxipedia, depending on the page. This makes for an easy to use collaboration environment that is accessible from any computer.

• No special software is needed to view or edit Toxipedia.

• The wiki offers a place to keep one copy of the information. There is no need to pass around a document by email that everyone adds to.

• Wikis offer a way to structure information using links, multiple pages, and attachments to offer a content rich environment.

• Toxipedia offers a way for scientist to share their knowledge with public for the benefit of the common good.

Groups and Safeguards

One of the major concerns people have about Toxipedia is the ability to safeguard information and ensure the accuracy of the content. Taking full advantage of the sites flexibilities, we have developed a thorough framework to assure accuracy, convey to the reader the depth of the review of each page, and still maintain certain open source sections to encourage debate.

Groups
"Groups" are just that. Groups of different highly qualified individuals with access to the pages in which they are expert. The goal of Toxipedia is to have numerous different groups - The Metals Group, The Pesticides Group, The Tox Historian Group, etc. - each charged with editing the pages within that group's category. The individual members within each group will have individual pages so viewers can see each expert's qualifications and curriculum vitae. The Toxipedia Administration will determine the groups and if a confluence user wishes to edit a page that has been "locked down" (ie- only edited-able by the assigned group), they can contact the administration to join the group. It is important to note that not all pages will be "locked down" and a large portion of the site will be less restricted.

Quality Assurance Review System
Knowledge in the scientfic community is based on a system of experimentation, publication and peer review. To ensure the highest possible standards, Toxipedia is based on tiered review system that ranges from no review (TXP-0) to the highest level of peer review (TXP-3). Users and contributers to Toxipedia are encouraged to care fully examine the Quality Assurance and Control system. Each page will be marked with a Quality Assurance and Control level. Those with the highest review level will also have the most restrictive editing abilities. All pages therefore, are monitored by Toxipedia editors.

Contributing

Main Articles: Contribute to Toxipedia!, Sponsors, and User Guide
*Sponsor
Toxipedia is a project of the Institute of Neurotoxicology and Neurological Disorders (INND) a 501(c)3 non-profit organization supported by the concerned community. Please contact Steven Gilbert (sgilbert@toxipedia) for more information.

Register
There are numerous different ways to contribute, but they all require the user to register. After you register, you have become a Confluence User. However, highly researched and reviewed sections of the site will not be allowed to be changed by confluence users unless they are members of the necessary groups, as these pages are protected by the site's editor and the specific group assigned to the page to ensure accuracy of the information.

Navigating in Toxipedia

The easiest way to learn about Toxipedia is to use the navigation on the first page. The web pages are linked with those that correspond to each other. Therefore, looking at one topic naturally leads you to a more in-depth study if you choose because there are additional pages references.

Modes

View Mode
View mode is the default mode that allows everyone to view Toxipedia. All people can view the site.

Edit Mode
Edit mode is the mode that you must be in to be able to edit a page. To use the edit function you must register and then login. Once you have logged in, go to the page you wish to edit and click on edit to the right of view. You can then use rich text to edit the page.

Not all pages are subject for editing. Those pages that have been reviewed by Toxipedia staff and then outside editors will be locked and un-editable. This assures readers that those pages are secure and all information is correct and not being changed without warrant.

Searching

The search text can be entered at top right. Search in Toxipedia is powerful function that also indexes pdf files and other attachments. A list will be generated highlighting all the relevant pages within that relates to your subject.

Creating and Editing Pages

Main Article: User Guide
Every confluence user is free to create pages. Please reference the User Guide for detailed instructions. All pages are monitored by Toxipedia Editors for accuracy.