Wikipedia:New contributors' help page/questions

This help forum has been discontinued. New contributors will instead be made welcome at the Wikipedia:Teahouse, a friendly place to help new editors become accustomed to Wikipedia culture, ask questions, and develop community relationships.

There is an extensive Archive of old questions from 2004 onwards.

Oldest

Mobile maon page layout

I would like to siscuss the layout of the mobile main page. Where would this discussion take place? — Preceding unsigned comment added by NittOK (talk • contribs) 13:39, 20 July 2012 (UTC)

I'm going to suggest WP:VPT since you mention "mobile".— Vchimpanzee · talk · contributions · 19:51, 20 July 2012 (UTC)

Someone keeps on undoing my edits on an article

I recently made changes to this article, Kara (band), because the group's opening paragraph was too long compared to articles like Girls' Generation and Destiny's Child that are good examples. But then someone changed it back. I tried to work through it once more but the user just reverted it back to his/her own version again. I want the article to have the green cross(good article) status that's why. Masterpeace3 (talk) 23:58, 20 July 2012 (UTC)

The other editor to the article is Applesaregoo444 (talk · contribs). Try discussing it with them. Someguy1221 (talk) 00:00, 21 July 2012 (UTC)

I realize that sometimes trying to collaborate on developing Wikipedia articles is for some people a new experience. Thank you for at least trying to work on a particular article that holds your interest, and know that your efforts to edit the article are not completely unrewarded even if at the moment they seem to be. There are general principles like article ownership and edit warring that you need to be aware of. Discussion is generally the solution to these problems, although if you feel like you are being bullied about your participation on a particular article and have tried discussion as an approach that is getting you nowhere, you can do things like request assistance from the project administrators or even visit the Village Pump and make a general plea to the larger Wikipedia community. In general though, follow the principle of being BOLD, revering, then discussing the issues of the article, which is the purpose of the article talk pages.

Certainly don't give up, and the goal to raise the quality of an article to "Good quality" is an admirable task that you should be commended for even trying. Thank you for even trying! --Robert Horning (talk) 16:06, 21 July 2012 (UTC)

July 21

External Links

Why is it that when I am placing external links for bona-fide sources to help further with the subject, they are deleted by reason of purporting to be advertising or promotional sites.— Preceding unsigned comment added by Rightfoot shifter (talk • contribs) — Rightfoot shifter (talk • contribs) has made few or no other edits outside this topic.

Because the external link you added to Triumph Tiger Daytona was a link to your own web page. See #11 at Wikipedia:External links#Links normally to be avoided. Also, please sign your posts! Happy editing, hajatvrc with WikiLove @ 15:37, 21 July 2012 (UTC)

July 24

Saved article

Hi

I have started a new article with the Article Wizard called: Guy Caudamine. It's a biography. It's not finished at all. I saved it but now I can't find it anymore. Could you please guide me on how i can retrive the saved artcile please? Thanks

Acaudamine (talk) 07:04, 24 July 2012 (UTC)

I don't see any page creations by your account. Is it possible you made the article with another account? Alternatively, sometimes the servers have a glitch and don't save, though they are supposed to give you an error message if that happens. Perhaps you can find the page in your browser's history. Someguy1221 (talk) 07:10, 24 July 2012 (UTC)

Company Page

Good morning. I have been asked to create a page about the company I work for. I see that I am NOT suppose to do that. Since I do see articles about other corporations and companies (General Motors), how do I go about creating a similar page or having one created. I have done significant research about a 110 year old company and have accumulated many historical facts that can be documented, going back to 1901. Please advise the best way to proceed. PWCrackersPWCrackers (talk) 13:50, 24 July 2012 (UTC)

See WP:Requested articles.--ukexpat (talk) 13:52, 24 July 2012 (UTC)

Please be aware that the references need to be predominantly from published sources independent of the company. You can use sources connected with the company to a limited extent - to support uncontroversial factual information, primarily - but it must still be published. There is a General Motors article because a lot of independent sources have written about the company, not for any other reason. --ColinFine (talk) 14:47, 24 July 2012 (UTC)

Resubmitting page

Hello!

I have edited a page and would like to resubmit it for approval (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia_talk:Articles_for_creation/Telluride_Blues_%26_Brews_Festival)

. How do I got about doing that? Also, i am having difficulty with the picture coding. I would like to enter a photo into the 'infobox' area. Thank you!

Hel27 (talk) 17:22, 24 July 2012 (UTC)

I see you have already resubmitted it after posting here.

• If you want to upload an image from your computer for use in an article, you must determine the proper license of the image (or whether it is in the public domain). If you know the image is public domain or copyrighted but under a suitable free-license, upload it to the Wikimedia Commons instead of here, so that all projects have access to the image (sign up). If you are unsure of the licensing status, see the file upload wizard for more information. Please also read Wikipedia's image use policy.
• If you want to add an image that has already been uploaded to Wikipedia or Wikimedia Commons, add [[File:File name.jpg|thumb|Caption text.]] to the area of the article where you want the image to appear – replacing File name.jpg with the actual file name of the image, and Caption text with a short description of the image. See our picture tutorial for more information. I hope this helps.Template:Z40 PrimeHunter (talk) 00:21, 25 July 2012 (UTC)

July 25

Guru Hanuman

I noticed there is a mistake in the age written in Guru Hanuman page. Born on March 15, 1901 Died on-May 24, 1999(aged 68 years) But if you calculate the age is 98. Therefore you have to write-aged 98 years instead of 68 years. Sangeeta Sharma — Preceding unsigned comment added by 99.234.169.103 (talk) 04:11, 25 July 2012 (UTC)

Guru Hanuman (edit | talk | history | protect | delete | links | watch | logs | views)

Thank you for reporting this. I have edited the article to match the birth and death dates in the Obituary in The Independent. Some of the other sources say he died at age 99. -- John of Reading (talk) 06:28, 25 July 2012 (UTC)

July 26

How to Get Back to an Article I Wrote Using Article Wizard

My activity as a Wikipedian has been sporadic; therefore, I am still learning the ropes. Presently I am trying to locate the article I just drafted and saved via the Article Wizard. It had been a while since I started a new article, so I went there for guidance. Now I can't find the article. How do I get back to it so I can finish developing it and eventually release it?? I named it "Blackberry Hill" - which is a Konservat-Lagerstätte. I spent some time searching around Wikipedia for instructions on this, but with no luck so far. I wrote most of it offline, so I can always try again, but I have no idea what to do differently. Please notify me on my Talk Page. Thank you. Kenneth C Gass (talk) 07:03, 26 July 2012 (UTC)

Your draft is located here. You can always look at your past contributions by clicking on the "my contributions" link at the top right of any page. Someguy1221 (talk) 07:27, 26 July 2012 (UTC)

Album Review: Mark Tremonti - All I Was

Mark Tremonti 'All I Was' Album Review. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 86.129.0.6 (talk) 15:46, 26 July 2012 (UTC)

What is your question? Are you asking if this is an appropriate source for an article?— Vchimpanzee · talk · contributions · 19:00, 27 July 2012 (UTC)

Getting a written article on the web

I have written an article, and it comes up as "articles for creation:Jude Southerland Kessler" only when I go into my account and find it. I cannot find it in the pending or deleted listings, yet it does not show up on the web when I type in Jude Southerland Kessler Wiki, as other articles always do. What step am I missing to get the article from my "...for creation" inside my account onto the real web for review by anyone searching that name? thank you Kessler9091 (talk) 16:29, 26 July 2012 (UTC)

When the issues I have tagged in the article have been met, it should be moved to article space; but if that happened now, it would probably be deleted.

Two issues that I have tagged it for is that it does not have the references to independent reliable sources that it needs to establish that the subject is notable (in the special sense that Wikipedia uses this word), and that much of the material in the article is unreferenced. Further, it contains some striking peacock terms; for example, the phrase "a foremost authority" should never appear in any Wikipedia article unless directly referenced to an independent reliable source which has called the subject exactly that.

I am guessing from your username that you are Jude Kessler, or somebody closely associated with her: if that is so, you should read why Wikipedia strongly discourages autobiography, and the more general strictures on conflict of interest. --ColinFine (talk) 18:00, 26 July 2012 (UTC)

How to deal with spoilers in an article?

I am new and am trying to make sure I follow the rules.

I know it's ridiculous to complain about spoiler on a series that is over 30 years old, however I feel it is innappropriate to have a spoiler in the "Critical Reception" section of the article. I can understand in the other areas where the show is described in detail. The one in question ruins the last episode of "Blake's 7" (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blake%27s_7). I just watched the first episode and am interested to know a little about the history of the show. But this one sentence from Critical Reception gave away the ending. Quoted below:

"However, the bloody finale, in which Avon murders Blake, exemplified the programme's strengths – fearless narratives, credible but surprising character development and an enormous sense of fun."[48]

How do deal with this? Edit it? Type out ***SPOILERS***? Or just leave it alone?

Thanks for your help in advance. Anders T. Flackensmith (talk) 20:45, 26 July 2012 (UTC)

If it's any help, I've watched only the first two series and didn't know that part of the ending until I read your question here! But the agreed Wikipedia practice is described at Wikipedia:Spoiler - "Spoilers are no different from any other content and should not be deleted solely because they are spoilers." This has been discussed extensively by Wikipedia editors over the years, as you can see from Wikipedia talk:Spoiler and its 17 pages of archives. -- John of Reading (talk) 21:02, 26 July 2012 (UTC)

That sentence is the sort of valuable information we would want.— Vchimpanzee · talk · contributions · 19:02, 27 July 2012 (UTC)

July 27

Regular Movie

— Preceding unsigned comment added by 98.192.191.156 (talk) 06:12, 27 July 2012 (UTC)

Do you have a question about using or editing Wikipedia? -- John of Reading (talk) 06:40, 27 July 2012 (UTC)

Replacing an existing living biography Wikipedia page with a more accurate, detailed authorized profile

I have been authorized to replace an existing Wikipedia page of a prominent executive with a more extensive, accurate profile that I have written and resourced, and that he has approved. How is that best achieved? Thank you.Dmermigas (talk) 06:42, 27 July 2012 (UTC)

I'm sorry, this isn't how Wikipedia works. A Wikipedia article about a person isn't normally written by, or for, that person; instead, volunteer editors create the entries based on what has been published in reliable sources such as books, newspapers and respected news websites. Your inside knowledge may still be useful for improving the encyclopedia, though, because you are well placed to find the media coverage that other editors might miss. The page Wikipedia:Plain and simple conflict of interest guide was written for new editors in your position, so I suggest you have a look through that. -- John of Reading (talk) 07:32, 27 July 2012 (UTC)

And subjects of articles do not have to, or get to, approve what is written about them. Only unsourced negative or inaccurate information can be removed.— Vchimpanzee · talk · contributions · 19:03, 27 July 2012 (UTC)

Lost an article I'd started

I started an article in the article wizard and left it open in my browser for a number of days. I saved it this morning, and Wikipedia asked me to log in again. I did so and now cannot find my article. It was titled "Nebraska Christian School." Thank you. — Preceding unsigned comment added by Sfrancl (talk • contribs) 14:36, 27 July 2012 (UTC)

Unfortunately, your work is probably lost. I am not a technical expert, but Wikipedia does not save content until you press "save". What probably happened is that your browser session timed out and there is nothing we can do from the Wikipedia server side. I have found that some browsers are better at maintaining my draft within their local memory than others - Internet Explorer is aweful and never does, but Firefox will frequently keep the content available even if the session times out and will allow me to re-establishe contact with the Wikipedia servers and save. For the future, save early and often either in your sandbox or in a local word processing document on your hard drive and upload when you are ready to save. -- The Red Pen of Doom 14:47, 27 July 2012 (UTC)

July 28

Autoconfirmed?

Hi. I'm trying to edit the page Evolution. On submitting my change, I get the message: "Note: This page has been semi-protected so that only autoconfirmed users can edit it."

But I AM autoconfirmed! So I guess this message is wrong. Any advice please?

Jason Grossman (talk) 11:35, 28 July 2012 (UTC)