Help:Editing pages/draft
This page is currently a draft.
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Editing refers to the changing of a page by a MediaWiki user. Unless certain restrictions are in effect, such as protection, all pages are editable, by everyone. Some wikis now offer an alternative way to edit using the VisualEditor software, which allows users to edit without knowing wiki markup. Please read the VisualEditor user guide for help on editing with VisualEditor. This article provides help mainly on editing using the original wiki editor, which allows users to type wikitext directly onto the page.
In short
It's very easy to edit the contents of a wiki:
- Click the "edit source" tab at the top of the page.
- Make changes to the text.
- Click the "save" button.
Simple as that!
Editing rules, editing conventions, and formatting
The number one rule of wiki editing is to be bold. Go ahead - make changes. Other people can correct any mistakes you make, so have confidence, and give it a try! There are all kinds of editing conventions, rules, and philosophies for the editing of wiki pages, but the "be bold" rule is the most important of these!
An edit can contribute whole new paragraphs or pages of information, or it can be as simple as fixing a typo or a spelling mistake. In general, try to add or edit text so that it is clear and concise. Most importantly, make sure you are always aiming to do something which improves the contents of the wiki.
When you need to use some type of formatting, such as for a new headings or bolding of text, you do this using wiki syntax or the buttons in the edit toolbar above the editing zone. See Help:Formatting for some of the common types of formatting used.
Edit summary
Before you save a change, you can enter a short note in the "Summary:" box describing your changes. Don't worry too much about this, or spend too much time thinking about it: just put in a short description of what you just changed. For example, you might say "fixed typo" or "added more information about sunflowers".
This summary gets stored alongside your edit, and allows people to track changes in the wiki more effectively.
Preview
It's a good idea to use the "Show preview" button to see what your change will look like, before you save it. This is also related to tracking changes because every time you save, this is displayed to others as a separate change. This isn't something to worry about too much, but it's good to get into the habit of eliminating mistakes in your own work, by using a preview before saving, rather than saving, then having to do another edit just to make one or more minor corrections.
Show changes
Another option is the "Show changes" button which allows you to see the differences between the current version and your edited version.
Other types of editing
With wiki edits you can start a new page, move (or rename) a page, or even delete a page:
Remember you should always aim to improve the overall contents of the wiki with your edits.
Discussion
Every article has its own "talk page" where you can ask questions, make suggestions, or discuss corrections. See Help:Talk pages.
