Help:Starting a new page

From TheBestLinks.com

This is a copy of m:Help:Starting a new page using Wikipedia-specific templates. Don't edit this page, except to replace the contents with the current version of that master page (please do; first change {{hi}} into {{hh}} in the master page if that has not been done yet). To make changes applicable on all projects, edit the master page; to change Wikipedia-specific content, edit the templates; to make demo's work, copy templates and images to this project. - Edit this template (http://www.thebestlinks.com/Template__3A__NaodW29__MM__item3d9b6f7e54360ae9-bp-action-v-edit-ep-.html)

Other languages: Danish, German, Esperanto, Spanish, Indonesian, Italian, Dutch, Chinese, [[Tp:Wikipedia:olsem wanem kamapim niu pes| page is just like editing a blank page, except that the message that is in MediaWiki:Newarticletext appears, which can be different per project.

For general editing matters, in particular the markup language of the wikitext, see Help:Editing.

General principles

Search to see whether someone has written a similar page before you start one yourself.
Review conventions of the project you are working in regarding e.g.:
- the naming; see also Help:Page name.
- whether a separate page is justified; perhaps it is better to add the text to a related page (especially if the text is not very long); that page can always be split later, after it has grown.

Starting a page from an existing link, after creating one, or after a search

To start a new page, you can start from a link to the title of the new page. On the English Wikipedia, due to w:MediaWiki:Nogomatch, another way is to perform a search (as you should have done before) with the Go button and coming up with nothing, pressing "create the article".

Internal links to non-existing pages are typically created in preparation of creating the page, and/or to encourage other people to do so. Typically they look different from links to existing pages, depending on settings: a different color or with a question mark (sometimes they are called "red links" after one of the default settings).

Such a link is to the edit mode of the non-existing page, which allows creating it, just like editing a blank page.

Before following the edit link, decide whether you want to give the new page the suggested name. If not, first edit the link on the referring page.

Of course you can also create the link yourself, in a related page or index page. However, it may be better to wait with creating links until after creating the new page, especially if the link would replace one to an existing page. In that case you can create the link but just press Preview, not Save (a previewed link also works) or create the link first only on your user page.

Note that links on related pages are not only convenient for navigation, but also make people aware of the new page (those who happen to read a related page, but also those who watch such a page).

Starting a page through the URL

The URL corresponding to a non-existing page gives a webpage like that of an existing page, showing the text that is in MediaWiki:Noarticletext. Note: This is really confusing!

It has the usual edit link, which allows you to create the page.

Thus a "broken link" from within or outside the project is, in a way, not really broken, as long as the first part of it is correct.

An easy way to produce the URL is editing the last part of the URL of another page in the same project.

An interwiki link to a non-existing page (not recommended) gives the same result.

To get access to a MediaWiki project with all the links at the edges, but without superfluous loading of any page, you can bookmark a non-existing page.

Wikipedia-specific content and links to other help pages

Part of the Style and How-to Series

Here is how to start a Wikipedia page. A "page" can be an article, talk page, project page, template, or help page.

You might also want to learn about:

The Wiki Markup : How to edit a page.
Editing tasks in general at the Editing FAQ
Tips on contributing to Wikipedia for general inspiration, guidance, and good advice.
Requested articles.

General principles

Search to see whether someone has written an article before you start one yourself.
It is highly recommended to start a page from an existing link. (These so-called "ghost links" or "red links" are links that have been made in the text, but for which no article currently exists.) See below for more information.
Remember to establish context. Write a short introduction at the beginning of a new article. Don't just write, "This was his third novel...." While you may have followed the link from the famous novelist X, other readers may arrive at this page from elsewhere.
Review wikipedia's naming conventions before naming a new page. Proper naming will encourage links from other related pages and will help to avoid any need for renaming the page in the future.
Start with a complete sentence, not a dictionary definition. Highlight the title phrase or title word very near the beginning of the article.
If you'd like to follow-up on your article after you've created it, we suggest you create an account before creating it.

Ways to start a new page

Start a page from an existing link
Start a page by editing the URL directly
Start a page from the sandbox

Starting a page from an existing link

To start a new page, you can start from a link to the title of the new page. As you're reading through Wikipedia articles, you'll see clickable links to pages that haven't been written yet (like this: Sample article title note this is not an actual functioning link). Links to unwritten pages appear in red (if you are logged in you can change this to a small question mark using the preferences). Click on the link, and you'll arrive at a page that says:

You've followed a link to a page that doesn't exist yet.

To create the page, start typing in the box below:

Just start typing your article in the edit-box. When you're finished, click the "show preview" button to check what the page will look like first and to check that you haven't made any errors. Then click the "Save" button at the bottom of the page.

Creating links to other pages

While you are editing some existing article, if a word or phrase you are typing strikes you as if it ought to have an article of its own linked from here, just put it in double square brackets, [[like this]]. We call that "wikifying" the text. When you save the present article, that word will either magically link to an article if one exists, or it will become one of those red links mentioned above which allow you to create the article. This is a great way to build new articles.

Starting a page by editing the URL

One of the easiest ways to start a new page is to enter something like the following into your browser as a page address:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sample_article_title

Replacing "Sample_article_title" with whatever you want the article to be called. For example, to create an article about frumpysnarf, type:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frumpysnarf

This will bring up a message that informs you that there is currently no text in the article yet. So, click on the "Edit this page" link at the top of that page, and presto! you are now editing your brand new article. Your careful attention to accuracy and neutrality will be greatly appreciated, of course.

However, creating an article with this method often makes what we call here an orphan -- no other articles link to this new page. Orphans are bad -- they should be linked to.

Start a page from the sandbox

Another way is to use the sandbox.

Edit the sandbox, then create a new link.
Then create/edit your new page by clicking on the link and writing new text.

Note: The sandbox is periodically erased, so remember to bookmark the page(s) you have created, in order to edit them again in the future. If you are a registered user, it will also appear under "My contributions" in the Quickbar. Also, note the remark above regarding orphans.

Further info

When creating pages it is also good practice to run the text through a spell checker before submitting. You may find it more convenient to take a copy of the original page, work on it, then paste the edited copy back in. Also, creating brand-new topics is a great way to help Wikipedia increase its breadth (and depth).

Note: Wikipedia is an open content encyclopedia. You are contributing to a free, publicly-usable database of information. You automatically license everything you contribute under the GNU Free Documentation License; you can do that only if you own the copyright to the material (which you do if you created it), or if the material is in the public domain. See Wikipedia:Copyrights for details. Never submit copyrighted material without permission from the copyright owner.

Discussion

Last posted 0 of 0 messages

[no messages posted yet]

>> post message >>

Watch

You can add this article to your own "watchlist" and receive e-mail notification about all changes in this page.

Retrieved from "http://www.thebestlinks.com/Help__3A__Starting_a_new_page.html"

Categories: Help

Help:Starting a new page

From TheBestLinks.com

General principles

Starting a page from an existing link, after creating one, or after a search

Starting a page through the URL

Wikipedia-specific content and links to other help pages

General principles

Ways to start a new page

Starting a page from an existing link

Creating links to other pages

Starting a page by editing the URL

Start a page from the sandbox

Further info

See also:

Related links

Discussion

Watch