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This is an old revision of this page, as edited by Giantflightlessbirds (talk | contribs) at 22:05, 3 September 2014 (→Ask for help: structured list). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

note: in the interest of honest transparency, this page as been hidden from google

This is a presentation by User:Stuartyeates for Wikipedia:GLAM/National_Digital_Forum on 5 things to think about when starting Wikipedia. This is a talk reflecting my point of view; particularly personal asides are in italics.

Create an account

Talking notes

Having an account constitutes a dialogue, much better feedback, email notification of changes, advanced user settings, etc, etc
Users can use the {{Authority control}} template to associate their on-wiki and off-wiki personae; particularly recommended for research-active editors
Accounts are discardable. If you feel you've made the wrong choice, log out, wait a couple of days and create a new account (or edit as an IP). Using multiple accounts in a manipulative way is prohibited.
If your preferred account name uses a non-latin script (or non-English language terms) you may consider creating it on a Wikipedia corresponding to that language (Arabic, Japanese, Māori, etc).
I decided to edit under my real name nine years ago when I moved from the then-wikipedia competitor Everything2, where I had experience editing under a pseudonym. I was looking to build the authority and reliability of wikipedia in ways that Everything2 was clearly never going to achieve.

Edit pages for which you have sources within arm’s reach

  • Wikipedia is a tertiary source, based on secondary sources; all additions must be referenced to independent reliable sources. If you have easy access to sources about the pages you edit, you’re less likely to get lazy and cut corners. Easy access usually means either online or readily-accessible print copies.
  • Both print and digital are equally acceptable for sources, but digital sources are frequently easier for a larger range of people to find
  • If you have easy access to rare print sources, using them to expand articles is a contribution that few others can make; most GLAM workers have access to a research library in one form or another and this can be very useful
  • Independence and reliability of sources are big issues:
    • Autobiographies can be used for almost nothing except for religious affiliation and sexual orientation
    • YouTube, Twitter and blogs can be used for almost nothing except when the uploading accounts are the official accounts of reliable institutions or reputable people
    • A wide variety of newspapers a poor reputation for fact checking cannot be used for information about living people (or preferably at all)
  • Academic monographs, review journals, large-circulation newspapers with a reputation for accuracy, official sources, and other encyclopaedias are the kinds of sources to aim for
  • Audio, sign and video sources are also permitted, if they are independent and reliable.
Talking notes

Beware of anything that looks like gossip
Personally I only use online sources; pulp-of-murdered-trees sources are for burning

Avoid conflicts of interest

  • Don’t edit pages you have a direct conflict of interest with (employer, self, family member, etc)
  • It is insanely hard to write in an encyclopaedic manner about people or organisations to whom you have strong attachments
Talking notes

Pretty much everyone tries this, see my talk page archives for me getting into trouble for creating an article on my grandfather John Stuart Yeates Like most mistakes people make in wikipedia these kinds of things are forgiven people who show the capability of learning from their mistakes

Start with stubs

  • Stubs are short articles with just enough content to outline the subject of the article and only enough references to verify it's existence and notability
  • It's improbable that any well-meaning edit to a stub would not be an improvement; the more developed an article the more finer points of styling, sourcing, formatting, etc. come into play
  • Stubs have fewer eyes on them and those eyes judge less critically, giving new users more leeway to find their feet.
Talking notes

If you're interested in queens, it's hard to imagine that a new editor would get an edit right in the polished articles Elizabeth II or Queen (band); Te_Atairangikaahu and Pōmare IV are substantial articles but still have room for improvement; Tehaapapa I and Teriimaevarua II are stubs ripe for new editors to make an impact
Feel free to use the developed articles as inspiration / templates for the less developed articles
I'm a prolific creator of stubs, for example, I created stubs for every person with an article in Te Ara who didn't have one in wikipedia

Ask for help

Talking notes

Asking for help is not quite a cure-all, but it is certainly your best bet if you think you've done something wrong or got into trouble

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