Nupedia's editorial process was originally conducted via mailing lists (i.e., e-mail based discussion groups), and our many different mailing lists continue to play an essential role in the project.  If you are active in the project, you should be subscribed to a few of these mailing lists, at least.

To join, leave, or view the archives of our mailing lists, please see our important mailing list area.

• Subject area mailing lists.  Lists like Biology-L, Philogic-L, and Psych-L are a way for the subject editors and others to communicate about plans, policy, and other matters regarding their subject areas.  Subject area mailing lists can be used to suggest article ideas, discuss what needs to be included in articles of a certain general type, point out outdated parts of existing articles, etc.  Also, being on a mailing list that addresses one's areas of interest can be important for building a sense of community among project participants.  Discussion of the merits of various controversial views, etc., however, is probably better conducted in our heretofore underused "debate groups" (see below).

• Nupedia general discussion list (Nupedia-L).  This is a general discussion list open to everyone on all issues related to the direction, policies, features, etc., of Nupedia.  Most important policy issues are brought up on this list as well as on Advisory-L.

• Advisers' list (Advisory-L) and the editors' list (Editors-L).  A general discussion list restricted to Nupedia editors, peer reviewers, and other selected individuals; essentially, an advisory board.  By invitation only.  Another related list, Editors-L, is limited in membership to Nupedia editors but is used primarily to make announcements; policy is not discussed or settled on Editors-L.  All editors should be on Editors-L, and if you're an editor and you're not on that list, then please go here to subscribe or else simply e-mail the editor-in-chief.

• Debate groups.  General debate about the encyclopedia's topics can be undertaken in our debate groups (those titled "-Talk-L").  For instance, a history debate group would be open to all manner of questions and theoretical and political discussion related to history.  These groups are not be tasked with examining the merits of submitted (or existing) articles.  Accordingly, the moderators of review groups that become bogged down in debating the merits of this or that controversial position may suggest that the debate be removed to the corresponding debate group.

• Nupedia newsletter.  This is strictly an announcement mailing list, apprising Nupedia members of new features, policy changes, and Nupedia news in general.  Mail is sent via this list less than once per month.  When signing up as a Nupedia member, you are automatically be added to this announcement list, unless you opt out.  (You can opt back in, of course.  We never give or sell or otherwise your address to anyone.)

• Copyediting groups (Copyedit-L; CopyeditAme-L; CopyeditBre-L).  Copyedit-L is used to discuss copyediting issues; all potential copyeditors interested in discussing copyediting policy should be subscribed.  CopyeditAme-L is used to alert copyeditors of articles in American English (AmE) of new articles to copyedit; CopyeditBre-L is used for articles in British English (BrE).  Curmudgeons and insufferable pedants are encouraged to join.

• Translation groups (Interpret-L; Deutsch-L; Espanol-L; Francais-L; Italiano-L; Portugues-L).  Interpret-L is used to discuss general issues in making Nupedia multilingual; all Nupedia translators should be subscribed.  At present, the mailing lists for individual languages are used to discuss and coordinate translations of particular Nupedia web pages.  Unlike most other Nupedia mailing lists, the translation groups are all unmoderated.

• Tools list (tools-l).  This list is devoted to unmoderated discussion among programmers of the software used in the development of Nupedia.  Nupedia software is open source.

• Unmoderated discussion of all things Nupedia (Opendiscuss-L).  As the title says.  As of this writing, not a widely-used list.