How to Post Comments on a Wikipedia Article

Wikipedia epitomizes the 'living' quality of information in the Internet age--and an important part of this interaction takes place when you post comments on a Wikipedia article page. Here's how to go about it.

Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• Computer with Internet connection
• Wikipedia account

1. Search for articles on Wikipedia by visiting the home page (see the Resources section below). Entter search terms in the 'Search' field and click the arrow button to proceed.
2. Visit the page of the article on which you want to post a comment by clicking on its link. In many cases, you will be taken directly to the article of interest.
3. Sign in to your Wikipedia account by clicking on the 'Sign In' link. This allows you to leave comments without having your IP address recorded in the article's editing history.
4. Click on the 'Discussion' tab of the article. This is the forum available to all users of Wikipedia for discussing the content of any particular article.
5. Begin a new discussion by clicking on the '+' tab on the 'Discussion' page. You will taken to a new page with a text box in which you may enter your comments.
6. Add a comment to an existing discussion by clicking on the 'Edit' link of the section corresponding to it. You will be taken to a text box containing the previous comments. Enter your comments following any existing content.
7. Remember that after entering your comments, you need to sign your username followed by four tildes. This allows the system to timestamp your comment.
8. Click on the 'Save Page' button when you are satisfied with the comment you've entered. This will update the discussion page and make your comment viewable by other users of Wikipedia.

Tips & Warnings

• Wikipedia has specific rules of conduct that govern when and how to post comments on its articles. You should become familiar with 'Wikiquette' before you begin participating in discussions about Wikipedia articles. You can learn more by reading up on Wikipedia's Etiquette articles.
• Though anyone may update or post comments to Wikipedia articles, having an account allows you to protect your identity online. Without an account, your IP address will be recorded and posted as part of your comment. To ensure your privacy, consider applying for a Wikipedia account before participating in discussions online.