How to write an article for Wikipedia

The Web 2.0 era has created an Internet that has become a user-driven, user-contributed clearinghouse of information. While this can lead to misinformation, sites like Wikipedia strive for accuracy by making sure contributors follow a clear process when submitting articles. Anyone can write or edit an article for Wikipedia, but there are some steps to follow before you begin.

Instructions

Get Ready to Write

1. Create an account. Though you can read and edit many articles without a username and password, in order to write new articles for Wikipedia you will need provide login information. Account-holders have more privileges than the average user, including the ability to edit semi-protected articles, create new pages, add images and rename existing pages.

2. Begin by editing articles or fixing errors. Many Wikipedia articles lack references or have blatant errors in them. As long as you are reading pages to get a feel for format, type of writing and other criteria, you may as well fix things you know are incorrect.

3. Use Wikipedia's search function to make sure there isn't an existing article similar to the one you want to write (see Resources below). Be creative and broad in your search terms. Not everybody thinks in the same terms, so an article about "pet poodles" is just as likely to be under the word "poodle" or as a more specific breed, like "Cockapoo." When the results come up, even if none of the titles matches your idea exactly, be sure to skim through the pages to make sure you won't be duplicating efforts.

4. Have your references handy. Citations play a crucial role in keeping Wikipedia's integrity strong. If you're unable to come up with references or citations, it may be time to think about whether your article is a valuable contribution to the community or not. Wikipedia is not the place to post ads, stories, personal essays or the results of your unvalidated research experiment, however exciting it may be. Check out the website's "List of Bad Article Ideas" for more information (see Resources below).

Write a New Article

1. Type the article's title into the "Search Box." If the article (or some approximation thereof) hasn't already been written, the title may show as a red link. Click on this link or hit the "Create the page" link. Alternatively, you can log in to your account and create your article in the subpage of your user page. This will allow you to work on it as long as you'd like before moving it to the main space.

2. Enter your resource information to have available to use as footnotes and mark your page with the {{inuse}} or {{underconstruction}} construction tags as you are working.

3. Begin writing. Start with an introduction and keep on writing. Use subheading as appropriate and write a well-researched, informative article. Keep the Wikipedia formatting and cheat sheet pages open in separate tabs to answer any questions as you go along (see Resources below).

4. Save your work periodically and hit "Show Preview" when you're finished. Proofread it carefully, and make sure to correct any spelling and grammar errors before you publish your article.

Tips & Warnings

• Think of Wikipedia as a web-published encyclopedia as you write. This will help you keep your work unbiased and factual.

• <br>Don't be discouraged if your articles are criticized, corrected or edited. Wikipedia is, after all, a user-driven community designed for such purposes. It's rarely personal and you, too, can do it to other articles if you deem it necessary.

• Violating copyright is a serious offense. Make sure your material (both visual and written) is original and credit is given where due.