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A few questions to start off: 1) Would you prefer to be called FiendYT, Fiend, or something else? 1) I would like to be called Fiend please.
Lesson 1: Wikiquette editWikiquette "Wikiquette" is a portmanteau of "Wikipedia" and "etiquette". It is something that you may already be familiar with, depending how much reading around the different wikipedia pages you've made. Assuming good faith editAlways assume that every member of the community you come across is trying to do the right thing. The exception to this would be somebody who already has four plus vandalism warnings and who is making more malicious edits; they probably aren't acting in good faith. Apart from that, don't jump straight in to assume somebody is malicious. Threading editThreading is an organized way of replying to comments by adding an additional indentation, represented by a colon, :. When you're responding to something I write, you use one colon. When I then respond to you, you use two colons. When you then respond to me, you use three colons. When you want to respond to the original post, then you just go back to using one colon. Think of it this way: whatever you want to respond to, preface it with one more colon than what it had already. Talk pages should something like this - Have a read of WP:THREAD to see how this works.
Avoiding common mistakes editAvoid these mistakes which have been made by many an editor:
Signatures editThere are also Wikiquette rules for signatures. Some people like to customize their signature using CSS and other code. There are a few no-nos, though.
End of lesson 1 edit@FiendYT: Any questions? You can call me Stasia if you like; it is shorter to type :) ~ Anastasia [Missionedit] (talk) 04:44, 10 December 2015 (UTC) Lesson 2: Reliable sources editReliable sources For more information on this topic see Wikipedia:Reliable sources. There will be test after this lesson just to make sure you understand it. If any specific questions do come up, we can do a lesson on it :) On Wikipedia, the word "source" can mean three different, interchangeable things: either a piece of work, the writer of the work, or the creator of the work. Therefore, a reliable source is a published material from a reliable publisher (such as a university), or an author who is known for the subject that they are covering, such as L. David Mech, a wolf expert, speaking about wolves, or a fiction author being interviewed about their own work. Or it could be a combination, like a book about wolves by L. David Mech published by the University of Chicago Press. And while a source may be considered reliable on one topic, it may not be on so with other topics. For instance, the book Wolves: Behavior, Ecology, and Conservation by L. David Mech only talks about real wolves. While would be considered a reliable source when talking about wolf behaviors and conservation, it may not be the best authority for talking about Little Red Riding Hood :) Self-published sources are considered unreliable because false information could be published this way. However, this rule doesn't apply to self-published sources talking about themselves. Let's say that Orson Scott Card wrote a post on his website about his inspiration for the Ender's Game series. Because it's coming straight from the horse's mouth, you could add that information in the section called "Creation and inspiration". Mainstream news sources are generally considered reliable, like The New York Times. However, some of these news sources get information from Wikipedia, so it can get trapped in cyclic sourcing. Wikipedia cites an article that cites Wikipedia! Never cite a Wikipedia article in another mainspace Wikipedia article. Other sites that have an "anyone can edit" policy like Wikipedia are not considered reliable sources. In addition, anything that is common knowledge (eg. the sky is blue) does not need to be sourced, just like in a reference paper. Saying that snow melts when it gets warm outside is not going to need a source. End of lesson 2 edit@FiendYT: Any questions before the test? ~ Anastasia [Missionedit] (talk) 16:54, 10 December 2015 (UTC) Test edit1.) Q- A friend just told you that Mitt Romney has been appointed Chancellor of Harvard University. Should you add this to Romney and/or Harvard's pages? Why or why not?
2.) Q- The New York Times has published a cartoon as part of an article which you think is blatantly racist. Can you use this cartoon on Wikipedia to support the fact that the New York Times is a racist newspaper? (assuming the cartoon is freely licensed with no copyright restrictions)
3.) Q- You find an article claiming that socialists are more likely to get cancer than capitalists, but capitalists are more likely to get diabetes than socialists. Should you include this information on the socialist, capitalist, cancer, or diabetes pages?
4.) Q- Would you consider Apple Inc. to be a reliable source for information on Microsoft? Why or why not?
5.) Q- Would you consider Ben and Jerry's official Twitter page as a reliable source? Why or why not?
6.) Q- An unnamed "forum official" from the Chicago Tribune community forums comments on the Chicago Tribune's stance on world hunger (on the forum). Is this considered a reliable source? Why or why not?
7.) Q- Would you consider the "about us" section on Burger King's website to be a reliable source for information on the history of Burger King? Why or why not?
8.) Q- Everybody knows that the sky is blue except for one editor, who says that it's bronze. Do you need a source to prove to him the sky is blue? Why or why not?
9.) Q- Is Harrison Ford's IMDb profile considered a reliable source for his article on Wikipedia? Why or why not?
End of test edit@FiendYT: Good luck! ~ Anastasia [Missionedit] (talk) 02:58, 11 December 2015 (UTC)
Lesson 3: The Five Pillars of Wikipedia editThe Five Pillars of Wikipedia These are the five "pillars", or fundamental principles, of Wikipedia. I've reworded them a little from the original to further explain/simplify.
End of lesson 3 edit@FiendYT: Any questions? ~ Anastasia [Missionedit] (talk) 17:01, 12 December 2015 (UTC)
Lesson 4: Citations editCitations Most of this information can be found at Wikipedia:Citing sources. Types of citation editThere are many types of citations acceptable to use on Wikipedia. Here are a few of them:
When and why to cite sources editWikipedia cites sources to maintain verifiablity. If a source is verifiable, that means that its facts can be backed up by other reliable sources to make sure that the source (in this case, Wikipedia) does not have faulty information. Sources should not be included for common knowledge (e.g. "If you jump off a cliff you will get hurt" or "The sky is blue"), but should always be provided for controversial topics. The idea is to write articles based off of sources, not to write articles off your own knowledge and then find sources to support them. This is really not what is supposed to happen; however, many people still do it. Inline citations editInline citations help Wikipedia become even more verifiable by linking directly to the information which specifically supports a line of text or a fact. As a general rule, an article should have more inline citations than any other kind, and the more, the better! The most simple and common way to an create and inline citation in a Wikipedia article is by using ref tags. To use this method, you put the full citation in the text of the article where you want the footnote to go and add at the bottom, and the article would show up like this: As of 2006, about 3000 professional mangaka were working in Japan.[1] == References == Citation style editWikipedia has a different style of citation format, so it's best not to use MLA or APA. An easy way to make sure all citations are formatted correctly is by using citation templates. Template:Citation Style 1 contains a list of citation templates for different kinds of sources. For this example, let's use {{cite book}}. Go down to the section on the page titled "Full parameter set in horizontal format" and copy it. Paste it where you want the reference in the article to go, and then add the ref tags to both sides so that it shows up under "References" at the bottom. To create the citation, fill out everything you can in the template (you can delete the sections, called parameters, which you don't use). Voilá! The reference shows up correctly formatted! What information to include editSimply, anything that you can find about the source! This includes, but is not limited to:
Text-source integrity editTo maintain text-source integrity, do not construe information so that that the information appears to come from a source it doesn't. Consider the following (assume the source is the one we've been using):
Now consider the following sentence:
Nowhere in the book does it mention that most professional mangaka live in Tokyo, so you would need to move the reference or the added information so that it does not appear that way. Named refs editSometimes people add the same source citation over and over so that even though there are only a few sources to an article, the reference list is very long, full of repeated citations. Although this is technically acceptable, it is not very efficient. The "ref name" template shortens the reference list to only a few citations, each connected to multiple footnotes. It's much simpler than it sounds :) To use this style, replace the opening/front <ref> tag with Other helpful pages editI have showed you the most common referencing techniques in use on Wikipedia, but there are many other acceptable ways which are not used as often. Here are some pages which may be useful:
End of lesson 4 edit@FiendYT: Any questions? I know this stuff can be confusing sometimes. ~ Anastasia [Missionedit] (talk) 18:58, 13 December 2015 (UTC)
Lesson 5: Vandalism editVandalism I just realized we should probably go over vandalism first before we learn about deletion :) This lesson has been ruthlessly pinched from the vandalism lessons of User:Brambleberry of RiverClan and User:Hersfold, with a few of my own touches. What we're going to do now is get started with some basic vandalism patrols. This is by no means something you will be obligated to do as an editor, many people prefer to do other things. But it is something you should know how to do due to the high risk of vandalism on Wikipedia, and you are likely to run into some. Should you ever wish become an administrator, you will be expected to deal with vandalism at least in some respect. Some background on vandalism editWikipedia is, as you know, a wiki, meaning anyone can edit virtually any page. This is both a blessing and a curse: while it does allow a wide range of information to be added and shared, it also allows people with less than benevolent intentions to come in and mess around with stuff. It requires a fair amount of work being done 24/7 by well-intentioned editors to ensure that this vandalism does not run rampant and destroy Wikipedia. Fortunately, with the enormous amount of volunteers across the world, this doesn't really cause a problem. Various tools aid our cause and help us "revert", or remove, vandalism within minutes or even seconds. What we define vandalism as is "an edit which is deliberately attempting to harm the encyclopedia" to an article or other page. Most commonly, these are pretty blatant - replacing a whole page or section with curse words, simply removing entire sections, and so forth. Occasionally, it's less obvious, like changing key words in a section to completely alter the meaning. Basically, anything that can't be helpful at all to the article should be considered vandalism. However, you should always remember to assume good faith for questionable cases. Special:RecentChanges editThe tool most commonly used to combat vandalism is Special:RecentChanges. Recent Changes is a special page that lists every edit made across Wikipedia within the last few minutes. You can find a link to it in the toolbar to the left of any page on Wikipedia. The page is formatted similarly to a page's history, with a few differences. Here's how a standard entry generally looks:
Terminology editI'm going to explain what all these terms mean. Many of these terms are used across the project
Your assignment editNow that you know how to use Recent Changes, I want you to go and find some vandalism edits. I don't want you to remove the edit yourself just yet - we'll get to this shortly and chances are, another editor or bot will beat you to it. So before you go on, go to Special:RecentChanges and find three vandalism edits. So that I can check your work and we can discuss things, I want you to copy the links to the diffs of these three edits into the brackets you see below. (This is most easily done by copying the URL from your address bar while you're viewing the diff.) IMPORTANT WARNING editDue to the very nature of vandalism on Wikipedia, it is possible you will encounter something that will offend you. I take this time to point out Wikipedia's Content Disclaimer, which basically says that you can find just about anything on here and it's not WP's fault. While you may find something offensive in your searches and subsequent vandal patrols, it is best to simply brush it off and not take it to heart. Later on, when you are actually reverting vandalism, it is possible that your own user pages will be vandalized. Here the same thing applies - ignore and simply remove it. I do not tell these things to scare you, or to imply that it will happen. I am simply pointing out that it is possible, although exceedingly rare. In many cases, these attempts to attack you are in fact somewhat amusing. If it occurs, just remember how intellectually superior you clearly are to the vandal and be glad that you actually have a life. Please add your signature here (FiendYT 04:53, 15 December 2015 (UTC)) to confirm that you have read and understand this warning: How to Revert editWell, If you're using anything but Internet Explorer, I would suggest using Twinkle. You can turn it on by going to My Preferences --> Gadgets --> Twinkle. Then save your preferences and refresh the page. Suddenly you have new things to play with! Each diff gives you 3 options to roll back - more information can be found at WP:TWINKLE. Warning vandals editThere many different templates available to warn vandals after you've reverted their edit. I would recommend using Twinkle. If you are, the first step will be under the "Wel" button, while the rest will be under "Warn":
If someone has a level 3 warning on one charge (such as vandalism), but doesn't have one on another (like using a talk page as a forum), start with a level 1 warning on the new charge. I've found that some vandals have multiple charges. WP:AIV editOccasionally, you'll get an editor who won't stop vandalizing even after the final warning. When this happens, there is no choice left but to block them, which is something only an administrator can do. AIV, or Wikipedia:Administrator intervention against vandalism is just for this specific purpose. You can report them using Twinkle, as Twinkle has the option "ARV", which allows you to fill out a form that get sent to WP:AIV. Once it gets sent, there is no more left for you to do; let the admins handle it. However, if I were you, I would keep track of the editor and what the admins decide on for punishment. Different vandals editThere are multiple kinds of vandals. Scared vandals. There are those kinds of vandals that make one kind of unhelpful edit (like replacing a heading with "muahaha" or some type of gibberish) thinking that everyone on Wikipedia does that. They then get a warning and are scared straight immediately. They either choose not to edit ever again or become upstanding editors. Repeat vandals. The repeat vandals are bored and looking for a little fun. Once again, most of their vandalism is gibberish replacing good text. You can give them as many warnings as you want, but they won't bother. Once you get past the level 4 warning for them, you report them to WP:AIV and the admins deal with them. Belligerent vandals. These vandals are similar to the repeat vandals, except the belligerent vandals will often leave a nasty note on your talk page or vandalize your user page when you give them a warning. Then you can give them two warnings: one for vandalism and one for personal attacks. If something like this happens, you just have to take it in stride. Personally, being a Christian, I find vandals forgivable. But without that factor, I guess you just have to remember that there will be mean people in the world, and that you can't let them get you down. Just revert their offence and hand them a {{uw-npa}} warning of whatever severity you deem necessary. Malicious vandals. These are hardest to notice, because their edits aren't immediately recognizable. They will seem to be improving the article at first glance, when really they're replacing true information with false, often libelous parodies. Others replace valid links with shock sites, or add hidden comments with offensive information. This last version doesn't actually appear in the article, but is there waiting when someone comes to edit it. A similar type of vandal, the "on wheels" vandal, is here for the sole purpose of destroying the encyclopedia. The namesake, User:Willy on Wheels, replaced dozens of pages with the text "{{BASEPAGENAME}} has been vandalized by User:Willy on Wheels!" The BASEPAGENAME variable is a magic word that displays the name of the page. After his blocking, Willy continued to create hundreds of sockpuppets for the same purpose. This sort of vandal is clearly here to vandalize, as such actions are not accidental. With them, you can safely assume bad faith right from the start and slam them with a more severe warning. You don't have to escalate level warnings in all cases - if there is no doubt that the edit was made with bad intentions, you may start with a higher level than normal. In this case, you can give them {{uw-vandalism4im}}. If they continue vandalizing (which they probably will), report them to WP:AIV. End of lesson 5 edit@FiendYT: Tah-dah! You have just successfully read through one of the longest and most tedious lessons of this course. If you have problems with Twinkle or any other questions please tell me. The point of your assignment is to get you familiar with finding vandalism. After you find a couple instances, we can then move on to reverting vandalism. ~ Anastasia [Missionedit] (talk) 03:34, 15 December 2015 (UTC)
Lesson 6: Deletion editDeletion Deletion theory is one of the most discussed and contentious issues on Wikipedia. There are two primary factions, the inclusionists and the deletionists. The full policy on deletion is located here. While Wikipedia does strive to include as much information as possible, there is a practical limit as to what we're going to include as an article. Just because you think your pet cat is the cutest thing on the planet, that does not mean you should create an article about it. There's a whole list of things that Wikipedia is not. Some relate simply to style or formatting, such as Wikipedia is not a paper encyclopedia or Wikipedia is not censored. Most, however, relate to the content of the encyclopedia, and what is considered encyclopedic and what isn't. WP:NOT is an official policy, which means that all articles must adhere to it. If they don't, they're at risk of deletion. This lesson will have a test. WP: CSD editWP:CSD, short for "Criterion for speedy deletion", is, in its most practical form, a tag which you place on articles that need to be deleted "speedily", or as soon as possible. These are the following criterion for speedy deletion in article space (you rarely need to use it in any other space):
You should wait at least ten minutes after an article is created before tagging an article with either A1 or A3, because the author may add more information in that time that would render the CSD templates void. WP:PROD edit
PROD, short for "Proposed deletion", is what you use if the page doesn't fall under a CSD, but you're pretty certain it can be deleted without too much discussion on the issue. Someone can always contest your PROD, in which case you should take it to AfD. To PROD an article, add the template {{subst:prod|reason}} to the top of the article. YOU MUST include the "subst:" code at the beginning of the template. This adds a little blue box at the top of the page to indicate that the page is being considered for deletion. If the box remains in place for five days, the article will be deleted. However, anyone can contest the deletion by removing the template. If you still believe the article should be deleted after this happens, you should open a debate at WP:AFD, which I'll explain how to use in a moment. PRODs also come with a notice for the author, {{subst:PRODWarning|Article title}}. WP:XfD editWP:XFD (XfD stands for Anything for Deletion) allows users to debate the merits (or lack thereof) a particular article and decide by consensus what to do with it. This does not involve voting - sheer numbers have no effect on the outcome of these debates. Only reasoned comments are (or should be) considered when concluding the debate. We will do the next lesson specifically on this subject, "votes" and consensus, an interesting topic in itself. The template to the right shows all the different types of deletion debates. Each XfD page outlines the process for each, which often is somewhat complicated. Deletion review is where users can appeal a deletion debate, and follows similar procedures. The most frequently used XfD is AfD, Articles for Deletion. WP:AfD editWP:AFD, short for "Articles for deletion", is where you go if you think something should be deleted but want to be sure. You can list it at AfD using Twinkle under the XFD button and then say why you think it should be deleted. Then the usual consensus debate process is followed. If you ever want to become an administrator, AfD is a great thing to be involved in. End of lesson 6 edit@FiendYT: Questions before the test? ~ Anastasia [Missionedit] (talk) 18:37, 16 December 2015 (UTC)
Test editQuestions 4-7 are hypothetical scenarios. Answer what CSD/PROD criterion (if any) you would tag these articles under. 1.) Q- Explain a scenario in which you would use PROD.
2.) Q- You tag a recently created article for CSD under A7. The creator then blanks the page. What should you do?
3.) Q- Why should you wait before tagging an article for A1 or A3?
4.) Q- You find an article which says: Mike Smith is so nice and awesome and the best person I've ever met! He always has a beer and a hot dog for you! His fiancée Ashley is really cool too!
5.) Q- You find an article which says: ajdflajsdlfjalghaiefjalsfj
6.) Q- You find an article (with no sources) which says: Joe Garrison is a trumpeter in the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra. He used to be in the Boston Pops. He likes to read and swim when he's not playing the trumpet.
7.) Q- You find an article which says: On the night of 22 April 1941, during the the blitz, over 70 civilians were killed, including a mother and her six children, when a bomb fell on the shelter near the Planetarium. The bomb shelter consisted of a series of underground tunnels which many had long-presumed lost but were rediscovered in 2006. The bomb blast was so big that human remains were found in the tops of trees. In 2006 an appeal was made to raise money for a public sculpture to honour those who lost their lives. (This one's a tricky one, but ask yourself: do you know what the article is talking about?)
8.) Assignment- find an article worthy of deletion (CSD, PROD, or AFD), and tag it/begin the process. Please explain what you did and why you did it below.
End of test edit@FiendYT: I will definitely try and help you with your article. For one, headings in articles should be written in sentence format (eg. "Military Career" should be "Military career"). ~ Anastasia [Missionedit] (talk) 02:51, 18 December 2015 (UTC)
Lesson 7: Consensus and "voting" editConsensus and "voting" Since Wikipedia is a collaborative encyclopedia, when we have a disagreement on something, we go by consensus. According to Dictionary.com, the definition of consensus is "majority of opinion" or "general agreement or concord".[1] You can add your opinion to the debate by "voting". However, this type of voting is not like voting in an election or a poll. It is more like in a debate, where each comment contributes a new idea to keep the discussion going so that a consensus can be reached. (Interesting fact: WP:Articles for Deletion used to be called Votes for Deletion, but the name was later changed as a result of consensus.) "Voting" editAs you may know by now, a "vote" usually begins with Support or Oppose. However, just saying "Support" is very different than saying Support - User has been a loyal host at the Teahouse since its inception, shows a good article track record, and has enough experience in the administrative work they intend to participate in that I have no concerns with them using the tools." You see, it is necessary to explain why you have "voted" support or oppose; otherwise, it will just be a stack of votes with no reasoning behind them. Articles for deletion editThese are the following "votes" you can use at AfD (Articles for Deletion):
Requests for adminship/bureaucratship editThese are the following "votes" that you can use in RfAs and RfBs, as well as other community discussions:
You can add "Strong" or "Weak" to "Support" and "Oppose". Or you can also go for a more humorous approach, eg. "Oh my goodness yes". It's usually in better taste to have a humorous vote for a support than an oppose :) Bad arguments editThere are many bad arguments that you should avoid on Wikipedia when participating in discussions. Please read these pages:
Notes edit
End of lesson 7 edit@FiendYT: There's no test on this one, just an assignment: participate in 3 AfDs and in 1 RfA or RfB. Make your opinions well-researched and thoughtful! You can vote in AfDs at Wikipedia:Articles for deletion. You can vote for RfAs or RfBs at Wikipedia:Requests for adminship. I'll be gone for the next few weeks, so you can finish the assignment and we'll continue with lessons when I get back. Have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! ~ Anastasia [Missionedit] (talk) 21:34, 22 December 2015 (UTC)
Lesson 8: Templates 101 editTemplates 101 This lesson is mostly taken from User:Hersfold/Adopt/Templates and Brambleberry of RiverClan's adoption course. Template basics editDepending on how much time you've spent around Wikipedia, you've probably had some experience with templates already. Templates allow you to post large sections of text or complicated sections of code while only typing a few characters. All templates have "Template:" as a prefix (eg. Template:Cite web or Template:User Sandbox). Templates work similarly to regular links, but instead of using [[double square brackets]], you use {{curly brackets}}. To "call" a template, just type the title of the template between the double curly brackets. Whenever you call a template, all the content on the template page will be displayed. You don't need to include the "Template:" prefix; the MediaWiki software automatically searches within the Template namespace for what you're looking for. Only if the page you're looking for is in a different namespace (has different prefix), such as "User:" or "Wikipedia:", do you need to specify it. See below:
Here is a summary of the most common templates: Infoboxes editInfoboxes, short for "information boxes", are little boxes to the side of articles that give quick details about the article. For example, on Justice (sculpture), the box to the side shows a picture and tells you the artist, year, type, material, dimensions, location, and owner. On José Maria Larocca, the box to the side shows a picture and tells you his full name, nationality, discipline, birth date, birth place, height, weight, and horses. You can find a grand list of every kind of infobox at Category:Infobox templates, where you can narrow it down to a specific type of infobox. For example, the infobox for a specific species would be Template:Taxobox. Template:Infobox animal is for a specific animal. editNavigational boxes, or "navboxes", are templates placed at the bottom of a page that allow you to easily jump between related articles. Some examples are Template:Music of Japan, Template:One Piece, and Template:Harry Potter. These are also the easiest to create. You can follow the instructions at Template:Navbox to create one by filling in the parameters and then putting the result at [[Template:Name of the navbox]]. Then you put Stub templates editStub templates call very short articles to the attention of people who are willing to expand them. They can be as basic as or as detailed as
Tags editIf you see a problem with an article, e.g. it has no citations, bare urls, or contradicts itself, you can "tag" it with one of the article message templates provided. These go at the top of the article, and need a Other templates editThere are a variety of other templates, including
These are only the most common templates; there are many others that you can use. End of lesson 8 edit@FiendYT: These are only the very basics of templates. We can cover more advanced stuff later, if you really want to. Any questions? ~ Anastasia [Missionedit] (talk) 19:37, 8 January 2016 (UTC)
Lesson 9: Manual of Style editManual of Style The Manual of Style is the style guide for all Wikipedia articles. Sometimes adopters neglect giving a lesson on it, but I think the MOS a very important and necessary part of Wikipedia, and deserves its own lesson :) Here are the main points of it: Article titles, headings, and sections edit
Spelling and grammar in different forms of English editThere are many different kinds of English from various cultural and ethnic backgrounds. To make sure the English style used throughout an article is consistent, sometimes an invisible template such as {{Use American English}}, {{Use British English}}, or {{Use Irish English}}, is placed at the top. Otherwise, it's best to try and follow the style the rest of the article is written in to keep it consistent. Capital letters edit
End of lesson 9 edit@FiendYT: Any questions? I have included only the very basics; there is much more at Wikipedia:Manual of Style. There'll be a test for this lesson—pretty easy as tests go :) ~ Anastasia [Missionedit] (talk) 01:01, 10 January 2016 (UTC)
Test edit1.) Q- Capitalize the following article titles accordingly:
2.) Q- Put the following in the correct order according to the Manual of Style. The title of the article is "Peter Laufer"—do not refer to the actual article:
3.) Q- Name everything that's wrong with this if it were an article title:
4.) Q- What type of English should you (most likely) use in an article if this is a sample sentence from it?
5.) Q- Capitalize the following accordingly as if they were in the middle of a sentence. If correct, write "correct":
End of test edit@FiendYT: Good luck! ~ Anastasia [Missionedit] (talk) 00:43, 16 January 2016 (UTC)
Lesson 10: Reviewing articles editReviewing articles One skill editors should know is how to review articles. It may not be something you do all the time, but it's still good to know. Wikipedia assesses its articles on a scale according to how much information they provide and how well the information is presented. Article assessment/ranking editThis assessment scale is largely unofficial, with the majority of assessments made by WikiProjects who claim jurisdiction over the articles. There are, however, two official ratings which are given to those articles which are nominated by editors and reviewed to see if they meet a series of criteria. The full ranking is as follows:
Other types of pages are graded outside this criteria, including:
New pages editReviewing newly created pages is a rather different matter. Special:NewPages, or, more recently, Special:NewPagesFeed, is a list of new articles that have been created recently. All of these articles need to be checked for their overall content and their suitability to Wikipedia. Some of them are nominated/tagged for deletion, and many of them are tagged as needing fixing up in one way or another (you can also fix the problem as opposed to tagging it). These articles are not ranked, so to speak, but instead pass review by being properly tagged or fixed. End of lesson 10 edit@FiendYT: Assignment: Now that you've seen the different kinds of articles and how to review them, take a look at 2 or 3 articles using Special:Randompage and tell me what you think they should be graded as. Don't look at the talk pages or what they are already ranked as, just read the article and give it your own assessment. Give a short reasoning of why you have graded it such. If you believe an article is worse than any of these rankings, mark it as a "sub-stub". After you do a couple of these, I want you to review at least 3 or 4 pages at Special:NewPagesFeed. Good luck, and ask if you have any questions! ~ Anastasia [Missionedit] (talk) 17:08, 2 February 2016 (UTC)
@FiendYT: That's OK :) Every time you review a new article, check to see if it meets the criteria for speedy deletion before moving on to the next one. Knowing if an article should be be a speedy delete will get easier if you choose to review more often. Also, try not to place too many tags (especially redundant tags) on a new article; it makes it look cluttered and can make others frustrated. If there are lots of visible problems with an article, a good rule of thumb is to only tag the 2 or 3 major ones. Of course, it's always best if you can fix all or some of the problems yourself.
P.S. I'm not mad. :) I just want you to learn the best ways to edit Wikipedia. Extra Assignment: Just so I know that you can review new pages, please review at least 5 more at Special:NewPagesFeed, and list them below. Thanks for persevering! ~ Anastasia [Missionedit] (talk) 03:33, 7 February 2016 (UTC)
Personal break editPersonal break You're more than halfway through the course (congrats!), so now it's time for a personal break. These questions won't be graded, I just want to get to know a little more about you as a person and as a Wikipedian. 1.) Q- Why did you begin editing Wikipedia? Why did you decide to become adopted?
2.) Q- Give me a little background on your username. Is it a derivation of your real name, from a show, sports team, game, book, etc.? Is it simply a random conglomeration of letters?
3.) Q- What are your major interests? What type of things do you like to do on Wikipedia?
4.) Q- Do you have any future goals as far as something you'd like to do on Wikipedia?
End of lesson edit@FiendYT: Do have any preference for topic of the next lesson? If not, we'll move on to semi-automatic tools. ~ Anastasia [Missionedit] (talk) 20:04, 25 February 2016 (UTC)
Lesson 11: Semi-automatic tools editSemi-automatic tools A semi-automatic tool is basically a computer program designed to make certain repetitive tasks easier and less complicated. I know you have at least some experience with tools, so this lesson won't be difficult for you. There's no test: only an assignment: enable the Twinkle and HotCat gadgets (if you haven't already). To do this, go to the "Preferences" at the top of the page, and then the "Gadgets" tab. Just check the boxes to enable them on your account. Twinkle is sixth from the bottom under "Browsing", and HotCat is fourth from the top under "Editing". These two tools are some of the most common on Wikipedia, and are very easy to utilize. Even though you now have these tools, you don't have to use them unless you want to. I only want you to try them out in case you ever feel like using them. Twinkle editTwinkle is a handy little tool that's been around for awhile. It allows you to easily tag articles, mark them for deletion, and revert vandalism easier, as well as some other useful things. After you enable Twinkle, you should see a tab with the letters "TW" to the left of the search box at the top of any page. Click on that tab and you'll be presented with a variety of options:
I encourage you to experiment a little bit with these as long as your edits are responsible (see "Responsibility", below) HotCat editHotCat is a tool that makes adding categories easy. Once you have it enabled, look at the categories at the end of a page. They should now look something like this: Categories (++): French equestrians (-) (±) | (+) The double-plus next to categories allows you to add several categories at once. The (-) after French equestrians allows you to remove that category, while the (±) allows you to modify it. The (+) at the end allows you to add one new category. This tool comes in very handy if you work with categories a lot. Responsibility WARNING editI encourage you to explore with Twinkle and HotCat, but don't forget to be responsible with them. As you already know, you should not tag articles just because it's fun or to annoy people, but to better the encyclopedia. User talk:Sandbox for user warnings allows you to test out warning, welcoming, and talkback. You are fully and completely responsible for all of your actions using or regarding semi-automatic tools. Please add your signature here to confirm that you have read and understand this warning: FiendYT ★ 01:42, 1 March 2016 (UTC) End of lesson 11 edit  @FiendYT: Twinkle and HotCat are only a few of the many semi-automatic tools on Wikipedia. Any questions? Having trouble enabling/using these tools? My laptop just died last night :'( so I might have a problem accessing Wikipedia in the coming weeks until I can get a new one. How is having rollback going? Is it useful to you? ~ Anastasia [Missionedit] (talk) 01:01, 27 February 2016 (UTC)
Lesson 12: Dispute resolution editDispute resolution No matter how well you edit Wikipedia, no matter how simple and obvious your changes may seem, you are very likely to end up in a dispute. This is especially likely to happen if you take to editing in the more contentious areas of Wikipedia. The higher the number of page views and the more evocative the subject - the more likely the area is going to be considered contentious.  I'm going to go through the different methods of dispute resolution there are on Wikipedia. They are all covered at the dispute resolution page and the tips there are really worth following through. This lesson will have a test. Simple Resolution editI'm not expecting you to back down. You obviously believe in your side of the argument, and there is nothing wrong with that. What you should do, though, is attempt to resolve the dispute. First, assume good faith: remember the person you are in a dispute with is (most likely) also trying to improve the encyclopedia. They are not trying to deliberately damage the encyclopedia. Try to see things from their point of view and see if you can both come to a compromise. Keep calm. There's no urgency to the change you are trying to put in or take out, and it will wait until the discussion is complete. If you try to make your point by editwarring (repeatedly reverting someone else's same work) to keep your preferred version there is a chances that you will get nowhere and face a block. So, instead, follow the Bold, Revert, Discuss rule - one editor makes a bold edit which they feel improves the encyclopedia. A second editor reverts the edit because they disagree. Then, these two (or more) editors discuss the matter on the talk page until they come to an agreement or proceed along Wikipedia's dispute resolution process. When it comes to discussion, I want you to try and stay in the top 3 sections of the pyramid to the right. Well, this pyramid explains the different forms of disagreement. Something you should never do is use personal attacks to try to get your way. Attacks on the character of an editor will only make thing worse. If an editor is "attacking" you, don't respond in kind - stay focused on the editors argument and respond to that. If it continues, report them to admin. If you think about what you are saying and how the editor you are talking with is likely to respond, you realize that you have a choice. Your comment will generally go one of two ways:
Accusing the other editor of attacks, bad faith, ownership, vandalism, or any number of negative things are going to fall into (2). If there are issues with one of these problems, use the following dispute resolution process and try to keep a cool head. If needs be, walk away and have a cup of tea. Play a game of racketball. Whatever you do to calm down and just not be on Wikipedia. Wikipedia dispute resolution process editIf the simple techniques don't work (and you'd be amazed how often they do if you try them), Wikipedia does have some methods of dispute resolution. Assistance editIf you want someone to talk to but not necessarily step in, there is an WP:Editor Assistance notice board. The editors there are experienced and can offer suggestions about how to resolve the situation. Third opinion editYou can get someone uninvolved to step in and give an opinion on a content dispute. Third opinion has instructions on how to request a third editor to come in and discuss the situation. Another option to get a third opinion is to go to the project noticeboard associated with the article to ask for an opinion (the talk page lists which projects are associated with the article). Finally, you could leave a message at a relevant noticeboard - WP:SEEKHELP Mediation editIf the issue won't go away, even after a couple of people have weighed in, you can try the more formal route of Requests for mediation. The editors here specialize in sorting out debates. Request for Comment editYou can use Request for Comment to draw community discussion to the page. You are likely to get a larger section of the community here than with a Third Opinion request. Request for comment is rarely necessary and should not be taken lightly. Only after almost every other route of dispute resolution has been taken should this happen - and it requires at least two editors having the same problem with one editor to be certified. Arbitration editI really hope you'll never have to go this far with a dispute. It's the last resort; the community has elected its most trusted willing volunteers to preside over the most complicated and serious cases. Have a read of WP:Arbitration Committee if you like, but try not to end up there. Reporting misconduct editIf an editor is acting badly, there are a few boards where you can get some help. Remember: you could be wrong! editYou could be acting against consensus! But as long as you are open to the possibility and have been sticking the top 3 sections of the pyramid, there's nothing wrong with disagreeing. Just make sure you are aware that at some point you might have to realize you are flogging a dead horse. End of lesson 12 edit@FiendYT: So sorry it took me a long time to post this! I've been busy IRL lately. Dispute resolution is a tricky area. Any questions before the test? ~ Anastasia [Missionedit] (talk) 15:57, 11 March 2016 (UTC)
Test edit1.) Q- Explain, in your own words, each level of dispute resolution:
2.) Q- Editor A adds something that he believes is helping Wikipedia. Editor B disagrees and reverts it, so Editor A re-adds the content only for Editor B to revert again. What should the two editors do instead of this edit warring (repeatedly adding and removing content)?
3.) Q- You mark a particular article for deletion. The creator of the article then leaves a message on your talk page, calling you an incompetent, intellectual snob who has no right to edit Wikipedia. How should you react?
4.) Q- You find information saying that the island fox is making a comeback and decide put it in the article with a proper citation. Then another editor reverts it as patent nonsense. What should your next step be?
5.) Q- When you are in the middle of a dispute with someone, they insult you on the basis of gender and religion. What should you do?
6.) Q- OPINION: Is there any way to make the dispute resolution process easier?
End of test edit@FiendYT: Good luck! ~ Anastasia [Missionedit] (talk) 17:55, 14 March 2016 (UTC)
Lesson 13: Copyright editCopyright Copyright can be one most important subjects to learn on Wikipedia, because not adhering to it can lead to serious conesquences, including getting banned. We'll be focusing on images in this lesson, but a lot of the same concepts apply to other media files and even text. I'll mention a bit more about that at the end of the lesson. Glossary editThere are a lot of terms associated with copyright. If you are having trouble understanding any, here's a quick reference.
Image copyright on Wikipedia edit Copyright is a serious problem on a free encyclopedia. To remain free, any work that is submitted must be released under the WP:CC-BY-SA License and the WP:GFDL. You can read those licenses if you want, but the gist of them is that you agree everything you write on the encyclopedia can be shared, adapted or even sold and all you get in return is attribution. There are basically two types of images on Wikipedia. Free images are those which can be freely used anywhere on Wikipedia. A free image may be either public domain, or released under a free license, such as CC-BY-SA. Free images can be used in any article where their presence would add value. As long as there is a consensus among the editors working on an article that the image is appropriate for the article, it's safe to say that it can remain in an article. Free images can even be modified and used elsewhere. Non-free images, however, are subject to restrictions. Album covers and TV screenshots are two types of images that are typically non-free. They may belong to a person or organization who has not agreed to release them freely to the public, and there may be restrictions on how they are used. You have to meet ALL of Wikipedia's strict conditions in order to use them. (Non free content criteria) In practice, if it comes out of your head/is entirely your own work, you have the right to make that release. If you got it from somewhere else, you don't. However, that doesn't mean it can't be used. You can use a non-free image under certain circumstances:
It's a lot, isn't it! Well, let's have a look at the non free stuff. I'm going to suggest two different images. One, a tabloid picture of celebrity actress Nicole Kidman, and the other, the cover of the album Jollification by the Lightning Seeds. The tabloid picture of Nicole Kidman will instantly fail #1, because there can be a free equivalent - anyone can take a picture of Nicole. The album cover on the other hand is unique - there's no free equivalent. It's discussed in the article too, so showing it will be useful in context (#8). The copy we show should be shrunk, so that it can't be used to create pirate copies (#2). However, I couldn't put it on my user page (or even this page) (#9) Here are a few more examples.
Commons editWhen people refer to "Commons" on Wikipedia, they're generally referring to Wikimedia Commons, a repository of free material. Images on Commons can be linked directly to Wikipedia, like that picture just to the right and above. Now, since commons is a free repository, fair use is not permitted. It makes sense to upload free images to commons, so that they can be used by encyclopedias in every language. Copyright and text editLet's see how copyright applies to text. All the principles are the same - you can only include text which has been released under CC-BY-SA. In fact, if you notice, every time you click edit, it says right there
So you are in effect contributing every time you edit. Now, let's think about that non-free content criteria - "No free equivalent" means that you will never be able to license text under it (except for quoting) - as you can re-write it in your own words to create an equivalent. You always, always, always have to write things in your own words or make it VERY clear that you are not. End of lesson 13 edit@FiendYT: I'm happy to see you were granted the Pending Changes permission :) So sorry I haven't been as active lately, but real life has really cut into the time I have to edit. I'll try to better about responding to you :P Questions? There will be a test for this one. ~ Anastasia [Missionedit] (talk) 01:08, 26 March 2016 (UTC)
Test editHere's the test. I'm so proud of you for your DY accomplishment!! Be sure to explain your answers. ~ Anastasia [Missionedit] (talk) 16:49, 7 April 2016 (UTC)
2.) Q- List three instances in which you can upload a picture to the Commons.
3.) Q- You find music displaying this licence [9] (non-commercial). Can you upload it to Commons?
4.) Q- A user uploads a poster which is a composite of all the Beatles album covers. Is this suitable for inclusion on Wikipedia? The user in question created it himself.
5.) Q- Are there any issues with doing a copy-paste move from another website to Wikipedia?
6.) Q- Can you upload a press image of the Pope?
7.) Q- What about a press image of a man on death row?
8.) Q- What would you do if you found an image that was not released under a suitable tag for inclusion on Wikipedia (e.g., all rights were reserved and the work was not in the public domain)?
9.) Q- Go have a snoop around some Wikipedia articles and see if you can find an image which is currently being used under "fair use". Come back and link to it (using [[:File:IMAGENAME]]. You must put a colon : before the File name, as we cannot display the image here!)
End of test edit@FiendYT: Good luck! ~ Anastasia [Missionedit] (talk) 16:49, 7 April 2016 (UTC)
Lesson 14: Permissions editPermissions In order to keep Wikipedia running efficiently, some users are allowed additional abilities, or permissions, beyond those of basic users. These permissions are used for maintenance of the site, but because of the potentially dangerous nature of these permissions, they are only given to certain trusted users. The page here shows a table listing the rights of all types of users. Here is a brief summary of the main levels of permission and what they entail: Unregistered / New Accounts editUnregistered users have the lowest access levels. Because this is a wiki, they can still edit the site, but they are only able to edit pages which have not been protected or semi-protected. They cannot move pages (rename them) and they cannot create new pages that are not in their own userspace or in the Talk: namespace. These same restricted permissions apply to new accounts, those that have not been "autoconfirmed". For security reasons, an account must be at least four days old to make use of the privileges granted to registered users. Registered accounts editRegistered users have normal access levels to the site. They can edit any page that is not fully protected, they can move and create pages, and upload files. Again, users must hold an account for four days in order to use these features. Rollbackers edit Account Creators edit Those who actively volunteer at Wikipedia account creation have their accounts "flagged" with the account creator permission. This enables them to create more than 6 accounts every 24 hour period which is currently restricted for those who don't possess the sysop (see below) or account creator privileges. This 6 account a day quota was implemented to prevent the problematic use of multiple account creations. Additionally, account creators can override the anti-spoof check enabling them to create accounts that are similar to existing usernames another task that the average user is unable to perform. This tool can be granted by administrators to non-administrators at WP:PERM. IP block exemption editOccasionally users who are in good standing will be affected by a block that was applied to another user. This is called an autoblock, and is automatically placed by the software to the IP address a blocked user last edited from, and any additional IP addresses they use while blocked. These are intended to prevent the blocked user from evading their blocks, but can affect others on a shared IP. If this happens to a user on a regular basis, or they are caught in a hard rangeblock, or for some exceptional reason need to edit from a blocked proxy, they can be granted an IP block exemptionIP block exempt right if they meet certain conditions outlined at WP:IPBE. This permission is usually requested through an unblock request, and is removed as soon as it no longer becomes necessary. Users with the right may be "checkusered" (see below) occasionally to ensure it is not being abused. Administrators / Sysops edit Administrators have much greater access compared to the average user. When approved to use the sysop tools, they have the ability to delete and restore (undelete) pages. In order to combat vandalism, they have access to a wider range of access tools - Automatic access to the rollbacker, account creator, and IP Block Exempt permissions described above; The ability to grant those permissions to other users; A special page called "unwatchedpages", which shows a list of pages not on anyone's watchlist; the ability to protect and unprotect pages, locking a certain revision in place until someone with the authority to do so edits it (sysops can edit any protected page); the ability to view deleted contributions; and the ability to block a user for a defined or indefinite amount of time. They are also able to make changes to the MediaWiki interface, changing what users see when they edit a page or view special pages. Users obtain a sysop flag by entering and passing the Requests for Adminship process, where registered users decide by consensus if a user can be trusted with the tools. Generally, a minimum of 70% support is required to pass, however the exact amount varies for each request. Alternate names for administrators: sysops (system operator), mop wielders, glorified janitors  Bureaucrats have control over the "nuts and bolts" of permissions, hence the crossed wrenches in their logo. They retain the ability to alter a user's permissions, but only when promoting users to admin or bureaucrat status. They are not able to demote users or grant further access levels. They can also alter a bot's access levels and rename accounts. Bureaucrats are selected through a process similar to that of admins, Requests for bureaucratship, although the process is much more rare and requires a significantly higher consensus. Stewards editStewards have full access to a user's permissions. They have the ability to grant and revoke any higher access level, including sysop, bureaucrat, checkuser, oversight, steward, and bot access, on any project in any language. Stewards are elected by the Wikimedia Board of Trustees (with one exception, Chair Emeritus and Steward Jimbo Wales, who was simply appointed) annually or as needed. Stewards will generally carry further access levels on their main project, but the access level of "steward" only grants them the ability to mess around with permissions. Checkuser edit The checkuser tool allows a user to check if an account is a sockpuppet of another, by being able to access which IP address an account has accessed the project from and when. The tool is only to be used when there is a specific need for it - a controversial and disruptive case of sockpuppet abuse. Requests for checkuser is where people may request use of the tool, however the ability to use it is generally granted by invitation only, or in rare cases by the Arbitration Committee. This is a special permission only granted to specific users and is not included with other access levels. Oversight edit The oversight tool allows a user to hide a certain revision from public view - essentially deleting that one specific revision from the page history. This is done for very rare cases, generally pertaining to legal reasons such as private personal information, libelous content, or copyrighted information. This tool is only granted to users with a particular need for the tool, generally current or former members of the Arbitration Committee, as use of the tool requires a very good legal reasoning, as it is essentially an "oversight" of the requirements of the GFDL. This is a special permission only granted to specific users and is not included with other access levels. These permissions are all critical to the operation of the Wiki, however it should be kept in mind that not having (or having) one of these access levels really is no big deal. The important thing about a wiki is that you are able to edit it as needed, not that you can limit the ability of others to do so. If a higher access level is granted to you, however, you should always remember that it was granted in the spirit of trust, and that you are expected to use the tools only as needed and always fairly. End of lesson 14 edit@FiendYT: That's that! I thought we might as well do a lesson on permissions with you getting so many recently :) Any questions before we move on to our last couple lessons? ~ Anastasia [Missionedit] (talk) 18:57, 22 April 2016 (UTC)
Lesson 15: Page protection editPage protection Most of this information is taken from WP:PP. Protection policy editEven though Wikipedia is built around the principle that anyone can edit it, in some particular circumstances, because of the extreme likelihood of damaged occuring if editing is left open, some pages may need to be subject to technical restrictions on who is permitted to modify them. The placing of such restrictions on pages is called protection. Protected pages are normally marked with a small padlock symbol in the top corner; different color padlocks represent different protection types. Types/levels of protection editHere are the majority of page protection types. Protection can be indefinite or expire after a specified time period. Most common edit
Other types edit
Requesting protection editProtection can only be applied to or removed from pages by Wikipedia's administrators. However, any user may request the protection of a page via Wikipedia:Requests for page protection. To do this, you must explain all your reasons for wanting the page protected; persistent vandalism is the most common reason. Make sure you specify the type and length of protection in your request. All the guidelines can be found on the page. End of lesson 15 edit@FiendYT: And here is my intro lesson on page protection, just so we've covered it. Questions? :)Anastasia [Missionedit] (talk) 00:05, 16 July 2015 (UTC)
Lesson 16: Copy editing editCopy editing Copy editing is a skill which you will likely have to use at one time or another on Wikipedia whether you are writing a new article or fixing an old one. I enjoy it, and as you also seem to like editing article content (which, by the way can be spelled as one word or two), I hope you will enjoy this lesson and your assignment. This lesson is mostly taken from the GOCE (Guild of Copy Editors) page. Guild of Copy Editors editSince you are already part of the Guild of Copy Editors, I don't really have to explain this one to you. Wikiproject Guild of Copy Editors a collaborative effort that focuses on copy editing articles, as well as other minor cleanup jobs. To "copy edit" is to go through and check spelling, grammar, wikilinks, formatting, etc. Basically making an unreadable page readable :) How to copy edit editThe best way to copy edit is to fix all of the spelling, grammar, and basic formatting first. Then you look up the type of the article (eg. biography) in the Manual of Style to see if every heading is in the proper order. For example, if I was copy editing a novel, I would go to Wikipedia:Manual of Style/Novels to see what order the headings were supposed to be in. Organizing your copy editing strategy edit
I've found this is the best way to efficiently copy edit, but if you have any other suggestions or methods that you are comfortable with, feel free to use those as well/instead. Different kinds of English editSometimes you'll see A quick reference for these different kinds of English is available at American and British English spelling differences. End of lesson 16 edit@FiendYT: The Guild of Copy Editors has a list of article copy edit requests. Assignment: Pick an article from the list that you are going to work on, tell me which one you picked, and I'll monitor your copy editing and tell you how you did at the end (hint: Articles going for a GA or FA review are going to expect a higher level of copy editing). Make sure to read all the rules on the request page before beginning. Have fun! ~ Anastasia [Missionedit] (talk) 18:38, 24 April 2016 (UTC)
Lesson 17: Templates 102 editTemplates 102 In this lesson, we're going to learn about how parameters and some of the main ParserFunctions work. Both of these (especially the former) are used when making infoboxes. Parameters edit
In that last example, I get a {{{1}}} where a number should appear. This is due to the fact that I did not specify a parameter in that template. A named parameter looks like this: |(parameter name goes here) = (value goes here) and an unnamed parameter looks like this: |(value goes here) Parameters allow you to change certain aspects of a template. One template you can use to welcome new users, Template:W-basic, has several parameters which can customize its appearance. Most of those parameters are named, meaning that you have to specify what the name of the parameter is when you use it by putting something after the equal sign. If you set the parameter "anon" to "true" in this template: "Calling" a template editThere are two ways to call a template. Transclusion is simply calling a template as I showed you above: {{exampletemplate}}. This displays the template where you put the call for it, but leaves the curly bracketed call in place so that it's easy to remove. This also causes the template to update every time the page is loaded, if it has been edited or has a time-sensitive variable. Substitution, or "subst'ing" a template, causes the opposite effect. To substitute a template, add the code "subst:" at the beginning of the call: {{subst:exampletemplate}}. When you save the page, the MediaWiki software will replace that call with the template's code. This causes all the content of the template to virtually be copy-pasted to your page. This makes it more difficult to remove, because instead of the simple template call, you've probably got lines of code that are now clogging up your article/page. Depending on how the template it written, it may require subst'ing to work properly, or it may require transclusion. The page at WP:SUBST gives details on what templates should, must, or must not be substituted.
ParserFuntions edit"ParserFunctions" are templates built into the MediaWiki software that Wikipedia is based on. Because of that, you can't edit these templates by going to their template page (there isn't one), and they also are called in a unique way. #if: editThe most basic function available is {{#if:}}. #if: probably looks fairly strange to you - since when do we start templates with a # sign? And what's with the colon? Actually, the colon and # are what tells us and MediaWiki that we're calling a ParserFunction instead of a normal template. Here's how #if: works: {{#if: <text that either is or is not blank> | <what you want to appear if it isn't blank> | <what you want to appear if it is> }}
Huh? #if: works a little differently than most "if... then..." structures work. #if: is set up like this: "If this space has something in it, I print this. If it's blank, I print that." How does this help us? Well, remember how we could set our parameters to have a blank default value? Imagine what would happen if I wrote this code: {{#if: {{{1|}}} | Hello! | Goodbye! }}
Now, when I call the template that uses this code, I will do one of two things. I will either enter a parameter or I won't. If I don't, this code will display "Goodbye!" because there is nothing displayed between #if: and the first option; we set our parameter 1 to be blank by default, so there is nothing but blank space for #if: to look at. However, if I do enter a parameter, regardless of what it is, that code will display "Hello!". This is because when #if: looks at what you gave it, there's something between it and the first option. It doesn't care what that something is, it just cares that something exists. But now, here's why we had that short review on parameters: {{#if: {{{1}}} | Hello! | Goodbye! }}
The difference between these two sets of code is minor, but causes the whole thing to bork up. This time, there is no pipe in our parameter, so there is no default value. As a result, when we don't set the parameter in the template, #if: still sees {{{1}}} right after its colon. So, regardless of what we do, we're always going to get "Hello!" as a result of this function. #ifeq: edit#ifeq: is a bit more useful. #ifeq: stands for "If equal" - instead of just checking to see if something exists, #ifeq: checks to see if that something is equal to something you specifically told it to look for. Here's how it works: {{#ifeq: <text you input> | <text you want to compare against> | <what you want to appear if it they match> | <what you want to appear if they don't> }}
{{#ifeq: {{{1}}} | foo | Hello! | Goodbye! }}
In the sample above, I want to see if the user typed "foo" as a parameter to my template. If they did, #ifeq: will see that and print out "Hello!". If they enter anything else, though, or in this case, nothing at all, #ifeq: will compare whatever they enter to "foo", see that they don't match, and print "Goodbye!" instead. ( bar =/= foo; {{{1}}} =/= foo ) This code is a bit more "secure" - if you want the template to do something if the user enters "yes" as a parameter, #if: is not what you want to use. If you use #if:, it'll do whatever you told it to do even if the user enters "no". By using #ifeq:, the function will only do this thing if they enter "yes", exactly like that. It won't work even if they enter "YES", because uppercase letters and lowercase letters aren't the same. But what if you don't want to risk confusing the user? What if you do want "YES" to work? It's pretty pointless to make an #ifeq: for every single different capitalization of "yes". There's two options available to you. One is to use another ParserFunction, which we'll get to shortly, which acts like a super #ifeq:, checking for multiple different parameter values at once. Another, much easier way, is to tell the parameter to use all uppercase or lowercase letters. How? Magic. Observe:
You can use these codes (which are examples of some Magic words) on just about anything - including your parameters. Obviously, it won't have much of an effect on {{{1}}}, but when your user types in "YES" when your #ifeq: is expecting to find "yes", adding the code {{lc: {{{1}}} }} will solve all of your problems. #switch: editThis is the "super #ifeq:" I mentioned earlier. #switch: allows you to check a single line of text for a practically unlimited number of possible results. It works like this: {{#switch: <text you input>
| <possible value 1> = <what is displayed for possible value 1>
| <possible value 2> = <what is displayed for possible value 2>
| <possible value 3>
| <possible value 4> = <what is displayed for possible values 3 AND 4>
| #default = <what appears if the value you input doesn't match any possible value>
}}
What this template does is this: It takes the value you enter (which is probably a parameter, which is probably forced to be either lower or upper case for the same reason it would be in #ifeq:) and moves down the list, comparing it to each possible value in turn. As soon as it matches something, it stops, and looks for the next equals sign. It then prints whatever you have between that equals sign and the next pipe. Let's look at an example, based on the above format: {{#switch: {{lc: {{{1}}} }}
| foo = bar
| ice = cream
| french
| burnt = toast
}}
If I enter "foo", #switch: replies with "bar". Likewise, "ice" gets "cream" as a response, and "burnt" gets "toast". But "french" also gets "toast". This is because "french" doesn't have anything set specifically for it - there's no equals sign after "french". Because of this, #switch: is going to keep looking for the next equals sign, which is after "burnt". This makes sense for me, because I want that to happen. "burnt toast" and "french toast" both make sense. However, I do have to be careful about what order I put things in; this code may look similar, but will cause "french" to come out with a different result: {{#switch: {{lc: {{{1}}} }}
| foo = bar
| french
| ice = cream
| burnt = toast
}}
Now, entering "french" will return "cream", because "ice = cream" is the next value in line for #switch: to find. For both of these, anything not listed in the ParserFunction will not return anything - nothing will be printed, because there is no default value. For #switch: to print something out regardless of what I type in, I would need to specify "#default = <something>" at the very end of the template. There's really no technical reason why #default has to be at the end, but it just makes it easier for other users. End of lesson 17 edit@FiendYT: I know this might be a lot to absorb and understand, but best of luck getting it to stick :) Any questions? ~ Anastasia [Missionedit] (talk) 18:01, 27 April 2016 (UTC)
Lesson 18: Policies, guidelines, and essays editPolicies, guidelines, and essays This lesson has been mostly ripped from Brambleberry of RiverClan's adoption course. It will have a test. Policies editA policy is a page describing a topic whose views have wide acceptance among editors and describe standards that editors should normally follow. Examples of policies are WP:NOT, describing things that Wikipedia is not and therefore should not lead to pages of, and WP:Verifiability, saying what counts as a reliable source. These are commonly described as being "rules". However, there are usually exceptions to these rules. Guidelines editA guideline is a page describing a best practice as supported by consensus. Editors should attempt to follow guidelines to the best of their abilities, although exceptions probably apply and everything should be treated with common sense. Examples of guidelines are WP:Assume good faith, which tells you to always assume that editors are working for the good of Wikipedia, and WP:Citing sources, which outlines the best way to cite sources on Wikipedia. Essays editAn essay is a page describing the opinion of an editor or group of editors. Essays are not rules or even guidelines to follow, and they do not represent the entire community's view. They are, however, worthy of consideration when you are editing. Examples of essays are WP:Existence ≠ Notability, which says that just because something exists doesn't mean that it deserves a Wikipedia page, and WP:Just drop it, which says that if things get heated, you shouldn't continue arguing. Misconceptions edit
Ignore all rules editThe fifth pillar of Wikipedia is "Ignore all rules". It basically says that you should ignore a rule that keeps you from improving the encyclopedia. Some people try to apply it in bad situations, and it rarely works to their favor. There's an essay about it called Wikipedia:What "Ignore all rules" means. It basically says that if rules keep you from wanting to enjoy participating in the wiki, ignore them and go about your business. Everyone has their own interpretation of this pillar, and that's how it should be. End of lesson 18 edit@FiendYT: Questions? ~ Anastasia [Missionedit] (talk) 17:07, 28 April 2016 (UTC)
Test edit1.) Q- Explain, in your own words, the difference between a policy, guideline, and essay.
2.) Q- Can policies change? If you wanted to change a policy, what would you change?
3.) Q- Which policy do you think is the most relevant in your current work on Wikipedia?
4.) Q- Wikipedia:Nobody cares is a popular essay. Do you agree with it? Why or why not?
5.) Q- What does "Ignore all rules" mean to you specifically?
End of test editIt's a really easy quiz this time :) ~ Anastasia [Missionedit] (talk) 21:41, 29 April 2016 (UTC)
Lesson 19: WikiProjects editWikiProjects WikiProjects are best described as groups of individuals collaborating to improve every article that falls under a particular topic. There are many of these across Wikipedia, relating to many topics. Joining editI noticed you are already a member of quite a few Wikiprojects already, so you know that you can join a one simply by adding yourself to the member list. It's good to add a userbox that says you have joined that WikiProject as well. After you join, the WikiProject has a list of things you can do to help out in that area, as well as sometimes organized projects to participate in. Just so you know, even if you are a member of a specific Wikiproject, you don't have to do work relating to that project all the time, but only occasionally. If you decide that you don't wnat to work in that area anymore, you should promptly remove yourself from the list of members. Also, if you ever decide to retire from Wikipedia, you should remove yourself from all Wikiproject member lists out of politeness to others. What WikiProjects should I join? editHere some I thought you might be interested in:
End of lesson 19 edit@FiendYT: So, look around, and join some more Wikiprojects! Nice navbar, by the way ;) You will have final test before graduating. Start worrying *cough* I mean, studying, of course. ~ Anastasia [Missionedit] (talk) 18:53, 4 May 2016 (UTC)
Final Exam editFinal Exam @FiendYT: Here you are! I'm so sorry it took me so long to post this :P I've had lack of Wikimotivation the past couple weeks, along with the complications of moving and starting a new job. Still. That was a really long time to keep you waiting. :) This exam will help show me that you are ready to take on Wikipedia by all yourself. While some adopters like to be more secretive about the final, I prefer to give it to you just like all the other tests you had so far. In the real world of Wikipedia, you have the opportunity to look things up, so I think it's best that you have the opportunity to do that here as well. The best of luck! NO LOOKING AT OTHER ADOPTION PAGES. I can tell if you cheat. *cue evil teacher laugh* Exam edit1.) Q- Why must one assume good faith whenever possible?
2.) Q- Say your girlfriend runs a Blogger blog dedicated to makeup tutorials. That's pretty much all that comes up in Google and Bing searches for her except for a short video of her on YouTube doing the cinnamon challenge. Name everything that would be wrong with writing an article about her on Wikipedia.
3.) Q- The newest movie of the Bourne series is in theaters, and you find a review of it in The New York Times. You add it as a source to the Wikipedia article, and someone reverts your edit saying "NEW YORK TIMES IS RUN BY COMMUNISTS WHO SELL CRAP PROPAGANDA TO THE MASSES!!!" What should you do?
4.) Q- Name 3 things you should never put in signatures.
5.) Q- Would Stephen Sondheim's books Finishing the Hat and Look, I Made a Hat be the best authority on hatmaking?
6.) Q- MasashiKishimoto@ is a new Twitter account claiming to be the author of Manga series Naruto. He declares in a recent tweet that a new Naruto movie will be released in early 2017. You can't find anything about this anywhere else. Should you include it in either the Masashi Kishimoto or Naruto articles?
7.) Q- An article states that the average human being has five fingers on each hand. Does this information need to be supported by a source? Why or why not?
8.) Q- You revert something, thinking it's vandalism, but later receive an irate reply on your talk page: "That's not vandalism! This information you reverted is covered in many research articles! How dare you accuse me of (insert type of vandalism here, as well as more complaints)!" You check, and sure enough, he's right. What do you do?
9.) Q- What warning template should you use for these (assuming they are all on level 1 warnings)?
10.) Q- You place a CSD tag on a recently created article, and article's author then gives you a handful of vulgar insults on your talk page. What should your next step be?
11.) Q- A certain editor appears to be following you and reverting everything you post as "patent nonsense". How should you confront her?
12.) Q- What CSD would this article fall under: "If you live in the Greater Chicagoland area, come on down to BOB'S CANDLEWICK OUTLET! Our prices are so outrageous, we're almost giving this stuff away! Tell all your friends about Bob's candlewicks!"
13.) Q- Someone copied everything from Douglas MacArthur and pasted it to the page Awesome American general dude. What CSD would this page fall under?
14.) Q- You're working with an new editor to cleanup a page they created. During the course of your discussions, you realize that the content of the article is just an exact copy of a textbook the other editor is reading off of. What should you do?
15.) Q- Will breaking a policy always result in an indefinite block?
16.) Q- What do you think you got out of my adoption course? Is there anything that you think I should change?
End of final exam edit@Missionedit: Completed the test and left my suggestions! Sorry if it took a long time. (: FiendYT ★ 03:43, 1 September 2016 (UTC)
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