How to Become a Wikipedia Contributor?

by sofia williams Digital marketing expert

Do you want to be a Wikipedia editor or author? Well, since this platform is open source, you can easily share your expert knowledge with others, which is confirmed by Wikipedia. While anybody can make edits, you need to be an active contributor if you want to create a new Wikipedia page. In this blog, we will discuss the process of becoming a Wikipedia contributor.

1. Become a registered user

Even though people can edit Wikipedia pages without making an account, it better to sign up to be on the safe side. Wikipedia does not allow public IPs to edit. Hence, the best way to edit Wikipedia articles is first to set up your own account.

Go to the Wikipedia website.
Click on the Create account link at the top right corner of the page.
Now, enter the username.
Create a password and enter it again to confirm.
Add the email address. This is purely optional.
Enter the CAPTCHA on the screen.
Click on Create an account.

When you have successfully created an account, you can begin with making edits. However, it is better to wait for a minimum of four days and add ten edits to get the auto-confirmed badge.

After creating an account, you need to edit the preferences. This can be done from the upper right corner of the page. Manage the page appearance, watch list, notifications, etc.

Make sure you have added the signature. This is incredibly important when you send messages on other people’s talk pages. If the email access gets annoying, then you can turn it off. In case you would like to see the feedback on the edits made by you as per your convenience, just add the edited articles to your Watch List.

2. Use Sandbox for working on your editing skills

Wikipedia offers users a sandbox where they can practice their Wiki editing skills. If you are new, then you should use this space, especially when you are waiting for your account to get auto-confirmed. Even though there are several tutorials, the ideal way to master editing is to just copy and paste the code from any other published article.

3. Start making edits

Well, in theory, users can edit almost all articles. However, some articles are protected, and there are restrictions like you can only make a single edit in a day. If you are yet to master editing, then start with articles that are not popular. To get recognition, you should work on articles that need attention. If you are an expert at something, then edit articles concerning the field.

Once you have finished editing, just insert an edit summary and publish the page. Before creating a new Wikipedia webpage, make sure that you have made a substantial number of edits from tour profile.

4. Avoid conflicts with other editors.

Well, once you have published an article, other editors may want to make corrections. Even though a couple of the corrections might work well as feedback, they may lead to disputes. The best way to tackle this is to be friendly and nice.

5. Practice Wikipedia best practices

Here are some things you must bear in mind:

Make use of edit summaries.
Ensure that the edit summaries are brief and informative.
Do not indulge in controversies and edit wars.
Do not give responses in haste.
Be engaging while being collaborative and constructive.
Take part in maintenance tasks.
Turn on the e-mail address for easier communication.
Make changes in increments.

To become a popular and well-established Wiki editor and author, make sure that you use factual information and are consistent. Step out of all your biases and prejudice while editing or publishing articles, or else your Wikipedia entry will get flagged.

Source:https://bit.ly/2HY0V2n