Wikipedia editing can seem complex at first, but it's designed to be accessible to everyone. Here's a guide to editing a full page on Wikipedia, whether you're starting a new article or making a significant revision.
The Two Main Editing Environments
Wikipedia offers two primary ways to edit a page:
VisualEditor: This is a "What You See Is What You Get" (WYSIWYG) editor, similar to a word processor. You can see the formatted text, add links, and insert images directly. It's often the easiest way for new editors to get started. To use it, look for the "Edit" tab at the top of a page.
Source Editor (or Wiki Markup): This is the classic way to edit Wikipedia. You work with plain text and use "wikitext" or "wiki markup" to format the page. This includes using double brackets for links [[page name]], asterisks for bullet points *, and equals signs for headings ==Heading==. You can access this by clicking the "Edit source" tab.
You can often switch between these two editors, but the Source Editor is more powerful and required for certain tasks, like editing talk pages.
Step-by-Step Guide to Editing a Full Page
Log in or create an account: While you can edit without an account, creating one is highly recommended. It keeps track of your contributions, unlocks more editing tools, and helps you build a good reputation as an editor.
Find the article you want to edit or create a new one:
To edit an existing article: Navigate to the page you want to change.
To create a new article: Before you do this, make sure the topic meets Wikipedia's notability guidelines. This means the subject must have been covered in-depth in reliable, independent sources (like major newspapers, books from reputable publishers, or academic journals). If the topic isn't notable, the article will likely be deleted. The "Article Wizard" is a great tool to guide you through the process.
Click the "Edit" or "Edit source" tab: This will open the entire page in the editor.
Make your changes:
For new articles: Start writing your content. Be sure to include an introductory sentence that defines the subject.
For existing articles: Correct mistakes, add new information, or rephrase sentences for clarity.
Key points for all edits:
Be neutral: Wikipedia articles must be written from a neutral point of view. Avoid using promotional or biased language.
Cite your sources: This is the most important rule on Wikipedia. Every piece of information that is not common knowledge must be backed up by a reliable source. You can add a citation using a citation template, or simply by adding the source information within <ref> tags.
Use your own words: Never copy and paste text from a source. Summarize the information and write it in your own words to avoid plagiarism.
Use the "Show preview" button: Before you save, click this button to see how your changes will look on the live page. This is a crucial step to catch any formatting errors or mistakes.
Write a summary: In the "Edit summary" box below the editing window, briefly describe your changes. This helps other editors understand what you did and why.
Click "Publish changes": Once you're satisfied with your edits and have written a summary, click the "Publish changes" button to save your work and make it visible to everyone.
Important Things to Remember
Be bold, but don't be reckless: The "Be bold" policy encourages you to make improvements, but it's also important to be careful. If you're planning a major change, it's a good idea to discuss it on the article's "Talk" page first to get feedback from other editors.
Don't edit for a conflict of interest: You should not edit a page about yourself, your company, your family, or any other topic you have a personal or professional connection to. This is a serious violation of Wikipedia policy.
You can't break Wikipedia: Don't be afraid to make a mistake. All edits are recorded in the page history, and a previous version can be easily restored if something goes wrong.
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