Related to this discussion Do we have "Canonical questions", on DA?.
I took some time out to write this fairly long answer Q/A: How should I implement hook_menu()?
My hope is that the question can achieve two things. It's step by step nature, should be helpful for anyone with a "Why doesn't my hook_menu work?" question, of which there are quite a few. Secondly, it should cover a lot of other basic "How do I do X in hook_menu".
I suggest it be considered for canonization.
As is common on meta-sites, I suggest up votes on this question could be considered "Yes, canonize it", and down votes be considered "No, don't canonize it".
I would love to hear feedback on the style and scope of the question, as I may decide to write more potentially canonical questions if this gets accepted.