This is testing to see how typing something will look in an actual Wikipedia article. Remember not to violate any copyright issues since that will make Wikipedia delete your page. Sandbox can be useful for practicing. Become familiar with the edit and edit sources buttons as well.

EVERYTHING HERE IS INFORMATION FROM WIKIEDU MODULES.

EDITING

BOLD TEXT WIKI-CODE:

'''bold''' = bold

WIKI-LINK TO OTHER ARTICLE CODE:

-example:

[[bold]] = bold

To link to an article with a different name than the text, put a | (a "pipe", inserted with shift + \ on most keyboards) in between the code and the word you want to appear on the page. (Shift + Backlash)

Like this:

[[boldness|bold]] = bold (with the link to Boldness)

[[name of article i want to link|article]]

Bold is one of the first things that appears in an article; it is used to specify the subject of the article.

It can be helpful to copy and paste the text below into a sandbox, and apply all of the options directly to this text to see what it does.

Paragraph: This helps you set the style of the text. For example, a header, or plain paragraph text. You can also use it to offset block quotes.

A : Highlight your text, then click here to format it with bold, italics, etc. The "More" options allows you to underline, add code snippets, and change language keyboards.

Links: The chain button allows you to link your text. Highlight the word, and push the button. VisualEditor will automatically suggest related Wikipedia articles for that word or phrase. This is a great way to connect your article to more Wikipedia content. You only have to link important words once, usually during the first time they appear. If you want to link to pages outside of Wikipedia (for an "external links" section, for example) click on the "External link" tab.

Cite: The citation tool in VisualEditor helps format your citations. You can simply paste a DOI or URL, and the VisualEditor will try to sort out all of the fields you need. Be sure to review it, however, and apply missing fields manually (if you know them). You can also add books, journals, news, and websites manually. That opens up a quick guide for inputting your citations. Finally, you can click the "re-use" tab if you've already added a source and just want to cite it again.

Bullets: To add bullet points or a numbered list, click here.

Insert: This tab lets you add media, images, or tables.

Ω The final tab allows you to add special characters, such as those found in non-English words, scientific notation, and a handful of language extensions.

When finishing updating an article, adding a summary allows the next editor understand what you just did so that they can be able to modify the page if necessary, just make sure you convey the intent of the action you took when you edited the page.

When a volunteer reviewer checks out your page and says it's OK, they may mark it as being "patrolled."

Every Wikipedia article has its own Talk page. The Talk page is where conversations about the article take place.

It's nice to post things in advance of making your edits, but you don't have to wait for "permission" to make a change. Remember: Be bold!

If someone leaves a reply or tags you with a question, you should respond.

Open up the page just as you would open up an article to edit. Underneath the comment you're responding to, type a colon ( : ). Each : will indent your response deeper into the conversation. So if you respond to a response, use two colons, etc.

It is crucial that you sign your messages with four tildes ( ~~~~ ) to automatically mark it with your username and a timestamp.

First reply

:Second reply

::Third reply

:::Fourth Reply

Usertalk pages are specifically to communicate with a specific editor.

Watchlists:

A personal watchlist is an easy way to keep track of all the pages you're involved in. You can use your watchlist to monitor article changes, conversations, and collaborations.

To "Watchlist" any page, make sure you're logged in. Then just click on the star next to the "view history" tab on any Wikipedia page. When it turns blue, it's on your watchlist. See your watchlist by clicking "Watchlist" at the very top of your page when you're logged in.

When you add an article to your watchlist, it also "watches" that article's Talk page. If someone responds to your article edits on the Talk page, it will show up on your watchlist.

PLAGIARISM

There are three basic types of plagiarism:

  • Unattributed plagiarism, where you copy text and don't credit the author.
  • Plagiarism of cited sources, where you copy text exactly (even when you credit the author).
  • Close paraphrasing, where you just slightly change the text of another author (cited or not).
  1. Plagiarism of cited sources:

Even with proper credit, using full passages of another author's work is a copyright violation.

Except for very brief quotations that are essential to understanding a topic, copying content from copyrighted sources onto Wikipedia is against policy.

Instead, you should paraphrase the ideas and concepts you want to share on Wikipedia: present the information, phrased in a new way.

2. Closed paraphrasing plagiarism:

Make sure the words, and structure, of the information you share are substantially different from the source it came from.

Close paraphrasing is when the basic structure of a sentence or passage stays the same, even with small tweaks to the wording.

Evaluating Article Quality

The best articles have been evaluated as "Good" or "Featured" articles. These are the best that Wikipedia has to offer, and the rating reflects a shared view of many Wikipedians.

"Start" or "Stub" class articles aren't considered as reliable, or simply don't provide a very strong overview of the topic. These are great articles to work on, because there's lots you can do, and you can quickly make a dramatic impact.

The best articles share certain qualities, which can serve as a model for you to strive for in your own work:

  • A clear, easy-to-understand lead section, that is, the overview at the start of the article.
  • A clear structure with several headings and subheadings arranged chronologically or by themes, with images or diagrams when appropriate.
  • Balanced coverage of many aspects of the subject, with more important viewpoints getting more prominence in the article.
  • Neutral coverage, written without bias toward a particular point of view, and representing disagreements according to their representation in reliable sources.
  • Reliable sources are used throughout the article. For example, references to NASA rather than relying on an amateur's blog for information about Mars.

Here's some signs that the article may not be so great:

  • Warning banners. Often these make a statement about the article's reliability, though sometimes it's simply a suggestion for improvement. Make a note and read accordingly.
  • Are there language problems in the lead? For example, a very short lead might indicate that the article was written through staggered contributions, and could use a rewrite to tie it together.
  • Are there value statements, such as "the best" or "the most important"? Those are flags that it's written to persuade, or at least, not properly referenced.
  • Are there references to unnamed sources of information, such as "some people say," or "many believe"? Can you answer the question, "Who said that?"
  • Are there very few references or citations? Are the citations from good, reliable publishers, or are they from questionable websites or publishers with a clear bias?
  • Are some sections longer than others, despite being equally (or less) important? Are relevant sections missing completely?

Editors (yourself included) can challenge unreferenced statements by adding a {{fact}} tag in WikiCode, which adds a [citation needed] tag to the statement. Some editors remove unreferenced material on sight.

Good sources:

  • Come from independent sources, that is, those not directly related to the subject.
  • Come from sources known for fact-checking and neutrality, such as academic presses, peer-reviewed journals, or international newspapers.
  • Come from reliable publishers, and represent a general consensus in the field (including significant minority points of view).

Bad Sources:

  • Blog posts and social media
  • Press releases and promotional material
  • Official websites
  • Self-published materials

Adding a citation in wikicode:

So, you have a solid paragraph drawn from a reliable source. How do you let other editors know where to look to verify your information?

First, if it's a new article, let's look at how to add a References section to the article using WikiCode.

You can access WikiCode through the "Edit source" option on the page.

Then, follow these instructions:

  1. Check that the bottom of the page has a "Notes" or "References" section. If not, type: ==Notes==.
  2. Check that the Notes section either has the text {{reflist}} or <references />. If not, type: {{reflist}}. This determines where your references will appear on the page.
  3. Now click after the text you would like to create a reference for.
  4. Now type in the <ref> tag before your reference and type </ref> after your reference. Wiki software will automatically add your inline reference number.