User:AlMac/Wiki beginners

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The purpose of this page, as part of User:AlMac|^(talk), is primarily to help newcomers to Wiki have some place to help them get started, in various constructive directions. Secondarily, it identifies where User:AlMac|^(talk) can make positive contributions to assist all of us in the Wiki learning curve.

[edit] Wikipedia Navigation

• Use the Help desk for random questions about using Wikipedia, when you not know where to ask. Also check out Where to ask a question.
• New user log is a good place to state your general interests after creating a new account. It will result in somebody posting some tips on your talk page to help you get started. You may also put yourself on a list of Wikipedians with similar interests.
• Helping Hands volunteers might want to coordinate with the Welcoming committee to review what's needed to make it easier to welcome newcomers.
• You know how the ____ for Dummies book series is for everyone who needs help learning ____, do not be insulted by the title that calls its customers a Dummy? Likewise Wikipedia:Clueless newbies serves a similar role, in which you should not feel insulted by being labeled Clueless.
• If you get into some conflict with other editors, you might seek guidance from the Association of Members' Advocates which focuses on seeing that accused Wikipedians get due process.

For those of us who have been around a while, and trying to welcome newcomers to Wikipedia, we might use some of the pages here in our own custom welcome. Use upper left corner of your browser to find links to Tutorials and Guides to learning how to contribute to Wikipedia. Not all links are shown here, only some of those that might be of greatest help to new comers to Wikipedia.

• Main Page links to much of what newbies need
  • Wikipedia:FAQ Links to newbie needs
    • Wikipedia:Welcome, newcomers
      • Navigating Wikipedia and note other articles in the Category:Wikipedia basic information and those in its sub-category Category:Wikipedia tutorial ... there are a LOT of links there and this also inside Category:Wikipedia help with additional over 100 article links to explore
        • Wikipedia:Tutorial assumes you have logged on to your Wikipedia account and not changed your default preferences, so there ought to be links to info for where those assumptions not valid, such as to help someone get an account in the first place (handled at the registration chapter).

Wikipedia Tutorial
Front page Editing Formatting Wikipedia links External links Talk pages Keep in mind Registration Wrap-up

• • • • • Wikipedia:Introduction explains What is Wikipedia and How to Help
        • Wikipedia:Introduction 2 is on How to Edit with links to aptly titled related pages
        • Wikipedia:Introduction 3 encourages the creation of your own account, with link to doing so, and also has links to pages names after the needs of newcomers
      • Wikipedia:Searching with explanation of difference between Go and Search, such as the different capitalization sensitivity, which can be confusing at first.
      • Wikipedia:Sandbox for learning how to get stuff to work, without messing up Wikipedia articles while you are doing so.
      • Replies to common objections about Wikipedia
      • Policies and guidelines saying there are only a few of these is an understatement, but most critical for newcomers to be aware of are probably impartiality and the need to edit in good faith, show civility, and seek consensus.
      • There is also the area of copyright which may need enhanced guidelines for newcomers, since this is an area where many get confused, and not just newcomers. Where may we use fair use images and where not? What else can be used one place on Wikipedia, and not on another?
        • Learn about Image Copyrights on Wikipedia
      • Wikipedia:Writers' rules of engagement and Wikipedia:Etiquette
      • Glossary of Wikipedia terminology
      • What Wikipedia is not
• Community Portal starts off with guidance for what anyone can do to help with this project, with links to what's needed, collaborative efforts, and general news about the site. There is a LOT of stuff here. Visit, explore, return later to absorb more.
  • Village pump addresses policy and technical issues.
    • You might want to check out other articles in its Category:Wikipedia community forums
• Contents is undergoing replacement work
  • See Wikipedia:Help portal ... perhaps Helping Hands can help out here.

[edit] Other important aid to Wiki newcomers

Wikipedia policies
Article standards
Neutral point of view Attribution What Wikipedia is not Biographies of living persons
Working with others
Civility Consensus No personal attacks Resolving disputes

• Wikipedia:Your first article basics what to do and what to avoid, with helpful examples.
  • This is in Category:Wikipedia how-to which has over 100 other articles and a few subcategories.
• Wikipedia:Starter toolset is something worth cutting and pasting into your user pages, then modify your copy to fit your needs.

How to do things | How to edit a page. | Tools | Tables

Where to ask a question | Help:Contents | Help desk | Wiki IRC Channels | Help Forums User Pages with nice collections of stuff to plaagarize how-to links off of

• User:AlMac/Wiki rules
• User:Go for it!/Help
• User:Kmf164/Help
• User:Lawyer2b
• User:Titoxd

[edit] External Links

• Tutorial on Wiki Commands
  • Tutorial on Math being represented in Wiki
    • Math Formulas
• Interwiki map
  • Since the Wiki software is available for people to create their own Wikis, there are many "in the wild" not on the Interwiki map.
    • Wiki for AS/400 professionals
    • Wiki for AS/400 users to suggest improvements to IBM