How to Contribute

To contribute you need a free OEMI account. Click Sign up in the sidebar to create your account in seconds.

Once signed in you gain access to the Workspace section of the sidebar which includes Submissions, Notifications, and Settings. All contributions begin from the Submissions page.

Navigate to Submissions and click New Identity. A full-screen modal will open with the following fields:

Your progress is automatically saved as a draft in your browser so you won't lose work if you navigate away or close the tab.

The Equation and Derivation fields use a dedicated LaTeX editor. Type raw LaTeX directly into the text area — no delimiters are needed. The editor automatically wraps your input and renders a live preview below the text area using MathJax 4.

Behind the scenes OEMI converts your LaTeX into MathML and a structured JSON payload. These formats power search, accessibility, and cross-platform rendering. You don't need to worry about any of this — it happens automatically when you submit.

The Description field is plain text, but you can embed LaTeX within it using dollar-sign delimiters. MathJax will render any delimited fragments inline with the surrounding prose.

Above the equation and derivation editors you'll find a snippet palette toolbar. It groups common LaTeX symbols and constructs into categories so you can insert them with a single click instead of typing from memory.

Clicking a snippet inserts it at the cursor position in the editor. Hover over any button to see a tooltip of the LaTeX command it will insert.

OEMI organises identities into categories such as Trigonometric, Summation, Limits, Algebraic, and many more. When submitting a new identity you can pick the best-fitting category from the dropdown.

If you're unsure which category to choose, leave the field blank. The reviewing editor will assign one when they approve the submission. You can browse the full list of categories on the Categories page.

Identities rarely exist in isolation. The References field lets you link your submission to other identities already in the encyclopedia, creating a web of related results that readers can navigate.

Start typing the title of a related identity into the search box. A dropdown will appear with matching results. Click an entry to add it as a reference. You can add multiple references and remove any of them before submitting.

Cross-references are shown on the identity's detail page in a dedicated References tab, and the linked identity will also show a back-link in return. This makes it easy for readers to explore connections between different results.

The Sources field lets you attach links to authoritative external references — Wikipedia articles, Wolfram MathWorld entries, arXiv papers, textbook pages, or any other URL that supports or provides further context for the identity.

Each source has two parts:

• URL (required) — the web address of the source. Must start with https:// or http://.
• Label (optional) — a short description shown as the link text, e.g. “Wikipedia” or “DLMF \u00A75.2”. If omitted, the raw URL is displayed.

Click Add source to add a new row. You can add as many sources as needed and remove any of them before submitting.

Every submission goes through peer review before it appears in the public encyclopedia. After you submit, your identity enters a pending state and is added to the editor review queue.

An editor or admin will review and make one of three decisions:

• Approved — The identity is published immediately and appears in the public listings and search results.
• Declined — The identity was not accepted. The reviewer will typically include a note explaining why.
• Changes Requested — Almost there! The reviewer left feedback on what needs to be adjusted. You can submit a new version addressing their comments.

You will receive a notification whenever an editor reviews your submission. Check your Notifications page or watch for the unread badge in the sidebar.

Spotted a typo or know a better representation? You can propose changes to any published identity. Open the identity's detail page and click Request edit. A form pre-filled with the current values will open so you can modify whichever fields need updating.

Edit requests follow the same review workflow as new submissions. When approved, OEMI creates a new version of the identity so the full history of changes is preserved.

Editors are trusted community members who review incoming submissions and help maintain the quality of the encyclopedia. If you're interested in taking on this role, here's what we look for:

Promotions are handled by administrators. There is no formal application — admins periodically review active contributors and may reach out. Meeting the guidelines above is the best way to be considered.

• Use descriptive titles. Prefer “Pythagorean Identity” over “trig thing”. Titles are searchable and help others discover identities.
• Verify your LaTeX renders correctly. The live preview is there for a reason — check it before submitting. Look out for mismatched braces, missing backslashes, and unintended spacing.
• Add context in the description. A sentence or two about where the identity comes from or when it's useful makes it far more valuable to readers.
• Include a derivation when possible. Proofs and derivations turn a bare formula into a learning resource.
• Link a YouTube video if one exists. Visual explanations complement the written content and help different learning styles.
• Check for duplicates first. Use the search to make sure the identity isn't already in the encyclopedia before submitting.
• Pick the right category. A well-categorised identity is easier to find and helps editors review faster.
• Add cross-references. Linking related identities helps readers discover connections and builds a richer encyclopedia.
• Cite reputable sources. Adding links to Wikipedia, MathWorld, or published papers increases trust and gives readers a path to learn more.