Wikipedia is an interactive, online encyclopaedia that is written entirely by volunteers. Although its accuracy is often in dispute, Wikipedia can be a valuable tool. Why not share your knowledge with the world and write a Wikipedia article?
First you will need a Wikipedia account. You can sign up by visiting the Wikipedia website and clicking on the Log in/create account link in the top right hand corner. This will take you to the
log in page, where you have the option of creating an account if you don't already have one. Once you've got your account and logged in, you can start writing.
Before you start writing, though, you should take a look at the
rules and policies. They can be pretty long and involved but are worth checking out. If you break any of the rules, you article will be deleted and all you work will have been for naught.
Before you start, these are some things to consider:
* Is the subject I want to write about worthwhile? Will other people want to read about it?
* Is it verifiable? Are there books or other publications I can use for references?
* Do I need to start a new article or add to an existing article?
To find out if the article you wish to write already exists, type your subject into the search bar and hit enter. If the article does not exist, you can start writing it. The article writing area is known as the sandbox – here, you can write, edit and preview articles. Check out these articles on
style and
content before you begin.
Otherwise, you can edit an existing article by clicking the Edit link either at the top of the page (to edit the entire article) or at the top of each category (to edit the category).
