Basic Info about Wikipedia
What do you need to know to edit Wikipedia?
We all know that "anyone can edit Wikipedia" - but actual editing is not as simple as we might think.
- There are specific rules about creating and editing different articles, especially articles that qualify as biographies of living people.
- It's important to keep a Neutral Point of View (NPOV) and write your contributions very blandly instead of writing to convince your readers.
- Information that doesn't have a citation to a reputable source may be removed.
- Wikipedia has a ton of information about itself, so look for answers if you have any questions! Articles that start Help: are help articles, and articles that start Wikipedia: tell you about Wikipedia itself.
- Wikipedia's Five PillarsThis page gives you a good overview of the principles that guide Wikipedia.
- Wikipedia's Help page about editing, Help:EditingThis page gives you an overview about editing Wikipedia, with links to everything you need to know to start editing!
- Make a Wikipedia accountYou don't need an account to edit Wikipedia, but having an account gives your edits more credibility and can give you access to editing semi-protected articles.
- Wikipedia's notability requirementsIf you're thinking about adding an article, be sure to check if your topic meets the requirements for being notable - usually coverage in reputable media sources.
- Wikipedia EtiquetteWikipedia is successful because its community has developed guidelines to work together. Please review the Wikipedia: Etiquette page before jumping in to editing!