Creating a Wikipedia Page: A Step-by-Step Guide
Wikipedia is the world’s largest and most popular online encyclopedia, with millions of articles in dozens of languages. Anyone can create a Wikipedia page, but it’s not as simple as just typing up some information and hitting publish. Wikipedia has strict guidelines for content and formatting, and getting approved can take some effort.
In this article, we will provide a step-by-step guide for creating a Wikipedia page, common mistakes to avoid, the importance of maintaining neutrality, personal experience and best practices, showcasing successful examples, and tips from Wikipedia experts. Let’s begin!
A Step-by-Step Guide
Before you start creating a Wikipedia page, it’s important to understand the notability guidelines. Wikipedia requires that a topic has received significant coverage in reliable sources that are independent of the subject in order to be considered notable enough for an Encyclopedia entry.
Now that you understand the importance of notability, here are the steps to creating a Wikipedia page:
1. Create an Account
You will need to create a Wikipedia account to create a new page. This is free and easy to do. Simply visit the Wikipedia homepage, click the “Create account” link at the top right corner of the page, and fill in the required information.
2. Gather Sources
Before creating your Wikipedia page, make sure you have reliable sources to cite. These sources should be detailed and reputable, so that they can give your page credibility. Look for high-quality sources like academic publications, newspapers, and books, as well as sources online. When you have enough sources, start to build a summary or outline of your topic.
3. Format the Page
To format your Wikipedia page, you will need to use the “Wikitext” editor. This is a type of markup language used by Wikipedia. It can seem daunting at first, but there are tools to help you format the text properly. You should also learn the most important Wikipedia templates, such as infoboxes, tables, and references. These templates will help you structure the page and add relevant elements like pictures and citations.
4. Submit for Review
Once you have written your Wikipedia page, it’s time to submit it for review. Remember: Wikipedia pages are monitored by a community of volunteers who have their own standards. Before submission, check that your page meets the guidelines. When you are happy with your page, hit the “submit” button on your page. After you’ve submitted it, it will be reviewed by volunteers to make sure it meets the Wikipedia standards.
Tips for Success
Here are some tips to help increase your chances of success when creating a Wikipedia page:
- Do your research: Before writing and submitting your page, research the topic thoroughly. This will help you understand the notability requirements and ensure you have enough reliable sources to cite.
- Keep it neutral: As a Wikipedia editor, your job is to provide information, not to take sides. Maintain a neutral point of view (more on this later) and avoid biased or promotional language.
- Be patient: Creating a Wikipedia page is not a quick process. It can take days or even weeks to have your page reviewed and accepted. Be patient and persistent!
- Get feedback: Ask for feedback from fellow editors. They can give you advice on how to improve your page or make it more compliant with Wikipedia’s guidelines. In general, the more eyes you can get on your page before submission, the better.
- Keep learning: Wikipedia has a steep learning curve, but there are many resources available to help you along the way. Researching formatting tips and best practices can increase your chances of success, and learning from your mistakes can help you become a better editor over time.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Here are some common mistakes that you should avoid when creating a Wikipedia page:
- Not conforming to the Wikipedia guidelines
- Relying on unreliable sources
- Promoting or advertising a subject
- Copying content from another source
- Adding excessive or unimportant details
If you make one of these mistakes, your page may be flagged for deletion or review, which can slow down the process of approval and potentially lead to a denial of your entry.
To avoid these mistakes, make sure you know the Wikipedia guidelines, take the time to research and verify your sources, and be neutral in your tone and language.
Importance of a Neutral Point of View
Wikipedia strives to maintain a neutral point of view in all of its articles. This means that the content should be presented objectively, without any bias or opinion. A neutral point of view is important because it helps ensure that Wikipedia remains a source of reliable information.
To maintain neutrality, avoid using promotional language, personal opinions, or information that is not supported by reliable sources. Use credible, third-party sources to back up your claims, and avoid using overly emotional or inflammatory language.
It’s also important to ensure that the tone of the page is appropriate. Avoid overly formal or informal language, and try to maintain a tone that is in line with other Wikipedia articles.
Tips for Maintaining Neutrality
- Stick to the facts: Use credible sources to provide information, and avoid opinions or biases.
- Be objective: Avoid taking sides or giving personal opinions. Instead, present all sides of an issue and let the reader come to their own conclusions.
- Use neutral language: Avoid using words that have a strong emotional connotation or that might be seen as inflammatory or biased.
Personal Experience and Best Practices
As someone who has created and edited Wikipedia pages, I can tell you that it can be a challenging but rewarding experience. Here are some tips and best practices that I have found helpful:
- Research your topic thoroughly beforehand: This will help ensure that you have enough information to create a quality article, and that it meets all of Wikipedia’s guidelines.
- Start with a good outline: Before you start writing, create an outline of your article. This can help you organize your thoughts and ensure that you include all the necessary details.
- Be patient and persistent: As mentioned earlier, creating a Wikipedia page can be a time-consuming process. Don’t get discouraged if your page is not approved right away – keep working on it and refining it until it meets the community’s standards.
- Ask for feedback: When you’re finished with your draft, ask other editors for feedback. This can help you catch any errors or identify areas that need improvement.
- Use tools: There are many tools available to help you create and format your Wikipedia page. Take advantage of these resources to make your work easier and more efficient.
Showcasing Successful Examples
Here are some examples of high-quality Wikipedia pages that you can use for inspiration:
These pages are successful because they are well-researched, well-written, and follow Wikipedia’s guidelines for neutrality and reliability. Take inspiration from these examples when creating your own page.
Tips from Wikipedia Experts
We reached out to some Wikipedia experts to get their takes on creating a Wikipedia page. Here are some of their tips:
- “Before you start creating a new page, consider whether there is already an existing page on the topic. If there is, consider whether the new page would add value, or if the information should be included on the existing page instead.” – Jack Phoenix, long-time Wikipedia editor.
- “Fact-checking and not making original research are important. Find high-quality, neutral sources that support your content, and make sure to cite them properly.” – Lane Rasberry, Wiki Education Foundation Program Manager.
- “Make sure to use Wikipedia’s formatting rules consistently throughout your page. Having a page that looks professional is key to gaining approval.” – Alex Stinson, Senior Program Strategist at Wikimedia Foundation.
Conclusion
Creating a Wikipedia page can be a challenging process, but it’s also a great way to share information and contribute to the world’s largest online encyclopedia. By following the steps outlined in this guide, avoiding common mistakes, maintaining neutrality, and using best practices, you can increase your chances of success. Remember to be patient, persistent, and to seek feedback from other editors along the way.
Now that you have the tools and knowledge, it’s time to get started on creating your own Wikipedia page.
