Help:Editing
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
You may want to keep this Editing Overview page open in a separate browser window for reference while you edit.
Contents
Editing basics
- Start editing
- To start editing a page, click on the "Edit this page" (or just "edit") link at one of its edges. If you just want to experiment, please do so in the sandbox, not here.
- Summarize your changes
- You should write a short edit summary in the small field below the edit-box.
- Preview before saving
- When you have finished, press preview to see how your changes will look before you make them permanent. Repeat the edit/preview process until you are satisfied, then click "Save" and your changes will be immediately applied to the article.
Minor edits
A logged-in user can mark an edit as "minor." Minor edits are generally spelling corrections, formatting, and minor rearrangement of text. Marking a significant change as a minor edit is considered bad etiquette. If you have accidentally marked an edit as minor, make a dummy edit, verify that the "[ ] This is a minor edit" check-box is unchecked, and explain in the edit summary that the previous edit was not minor.
Basic text formatting
| What it looks like | What you type |
|---|---|
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You can emphasize text by putting two apostrophes on each side. Three apostrophes will emphasize it strongly. Five apostrophes is even stronger. |
You can ''emphasize text'' by putting two apostrophes on each side. Three apostrophes will emphasize it '''strongly'''. Five apostrophes is '''''even stronger'''''. |
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A single newline has no effect on the layout. But an empty line starts a new paragraph. |
A single newline has no effect on the layout. But an empty line starts a new paragraph. |
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You can break lines |
You can break lines<br> without starting a new paragraph.<br> Please use this sparingly. |
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You should "sign" your comments on talk pages: |
You should "sign" your comments on talk pages: : Three tildes gives your user name: ~~~ : Four tildes give your user name plus date/time: ~~~~ : Five tildes gives the date/time alone: ~~~~~ |
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You can use HTML tags, too, if you want. Some useful ways to use HTML: Put text in a typewriter font.
The same font is generally used for
Superscripts and subscripts: x2, x2 Invisible comments that only appear while editing the page. Comments should usually go on the talk page, though. |
You can use <b>HTML tags</b>, too, if you want. Some useful ways to use HTML: Put text in a <tt>typewriter font</tt>. The same font is generally used for <code>computer code</code>. <strike>Strike out</strike> or <u>underline</u> text, or write it <span style="font-variant:small-caps"> in small caps</span>. Superscripts and subscripts: x<sup>2</sup>, x<sub>2</sub> Invisible comments that only appear while editing the page. <!-- Note to editors: blah blah blah. --> Comments should usually go on the talk page, though. |
For a list of HTML tags that are allowed, see HTML in wikitext. However, you should avoid HTML in favor of Wiki markup whenever possible.
Organizing your writing
| What it looks like | What you type |
|---|---|
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Section headings Headings organize your writing into sections. The Wiki software can automatically generate a table of contents from them.
Using more equals signs creates a subsection.
Don't skip levels, like from two to four equals signs. Start with two equals signs; don't use single equals signs. |
== Section headings == Headings organize your writing into sections. The Wiki software can automatically generate a table of contents from them. === Subsection === Using more equals signs creates a subsection. ==== A smaller subsection ==== Don't skip levels, like from two to four equals signs. Start with two equals signs; don't use single equals signs. |
marks the end of the list.
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* ''Unordered lists'' are easy to do: ** Start every line with a star. *** More stars indicate a deeper level. *A newline *in a list marks the end of the list. *Of course you can start again. |
A newline marks the end of the list.
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# Numbered lists are also good: ## Very organized ## Easy to follow A newline marks the end of the list. #New numbering starts with 1. |
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* You can even do mixed lists *# and nest them *#* or break lines<br>in lists. |
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Another kind of list is a definition list:
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Another kind of list is a '''definition list''': ; word : definition of the word ; longer phrase : phrase defined |
A newline after that starts a new paragraph.
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:A colon indents a line or paragraph. A newline after that starts a new paragraph. ::This is often used for discussion on talk pages. |
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You can make horizontal dividing lines to separate text. But you should usually use sections instead, so that they go in the table of contents. |
You can make horizontal dividing lines to separate text. ---- But you should usually use sections instead, so that they go in the table of contents. |
Links
You will often want to make clickable links to other pages.
| What it looks like | What you type |
|---|---|
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Here's a link to a page named Official position. You can even say official positions and the link will show up right. You can put formatting around a link. Example: Wikipedia. The first letter will automatically be capitalized, so wikipedia goes to the same place as Wikipedia. Capitalization matters after the first letter. The weather in London is a page that doesn't exist yet. You can create it by clicking on the link. |
Here's a link to a page named [[Official position]]. You can even say [[official position]]s and the link will show up right. You can put formatting around a link. Example: ''[[Wikipedia]]''. The ''first letter'' will automatically be capitalized, so [[wikipedia]] is the same as [[Wikipedia]]. Capitalization matters after the first letter. [[The weather in London]] is a page that doesn't exist yet. You can create it by clicking on the link. |
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You can link to a page section by its title: If multiple sections have the same title, add a number. #Example section 3 goes to the third section named "Example section". |
You can link to a page section by its title: *[[List of cities by country#Morocco]]. *[[List of cities by country#Sealand]]. If multiple sections have the same title, add a number. [[#Example section 3]] goes to the third section named "Example section". |
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You can make a link point to a different place with a piped link. Put the link target first, then the pipe character "|", then the link text. |
You can make a link point to a different place with a [[Help:Piped link|piped link]]. Put the link target first, then the pipe character "|", then the link text. *[[Help:Link|About Links]] *[[List of cities by country#Morocco| Cities in Morocco]] |
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You can make an external link just by typing a URL: http://www.nupedia.com You can give it a title: Nupedia Or leave the title blank: [1] |
You can make an external link just by typing a URL: http://www.nupedia.com You can give it a title: [http://www.nupedia.com Nupedia] Or leave the title blank: [http://www.nupedia.com] |
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You can redirect the user to another page with a special link. For example, you might want to redirect USA to United States. |
#REDIRECT [[United States]] |
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Category links don't show up, but add the page to a category. Add an extra colon to actually link to the category: Category:English documentation |
Category links don't show up, but add the page to a category. [[Category:English documentation]] Add an extra colon to actually link to the category: [[:Category:English documentation]] |
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The Wiki reformats linked dates to match the reader's date preferences. These three dates will show up the same if you choose a format in your Preferences: |
The Wiki reformats linked dates to match the reader's date preferences. These three dates will show up the same if you choose a format in your [[Special:Preferences|]]: * [[July 20]], [[1969]] * [[20 July]] [[1969]] * [[1969]]-[[07-20]] |
Just show what I typed
A few different kinds of formatting will tell the Wiki to display things as you typed them.
| What it looks like | What you type | |
|---|---|---|
| <nowiki> tags |
The nowiki tag ignores [[Wiki]] ''markup''. It reformats text by removing newlines and multiple spaces. It still interprets special characters: → |
<nowiki> The nowiki tag ignores [[Wiki]] ''markup''. It reformats text by removing newlines and multiple spaces. It still interprets special characters: → </nowiki> |
| <pre> tags |
The pre tag ignores [[Wiki]] ''markup''. It also doesn't reformat text. It still interprets special characters: → |
<nowiki> <pre> The pre tag ignores [[Wiki]] ''markup''. It also doesn't reformat text. It still interprets special characters: → </nowiki></pre> |
| Leading spaces |
Leading spaces are another way to preserve formatting. Putting a space at the beginning of each line stops the text from being reformatted. It still interprets Wiki markup and special characters: → |
Leading spaces are another way to preserve formatting. Putting a space at the beginning of each line stops the text from being reformatted. It still interprets [[Wiki]] ''markup'' and special characters: → |
Images, tables, video, and sounds
This is a very quick introduction. For more information, see:
- Help:Images and other uploaded files for how to upload files
- Help:Extended image syntax for how to arrange images on the page
- Help:Table for how to create a table
| What it looks like | What you type | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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A picture, including alternate text: You can put the image in a frame with a caption: File:Wiki.png The logo for this Wiki |
A picture, including alternate text: [[Image:Wiki.png|The logo for this Wiki]] You can put the image in a frame with a caption: [[Image:Wiki.png|frame|The logo for this Wiki]] | ||||
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A link to Wikipedia's page for the image: Image:Wiki.png Or a link directly to the image itself: Media:Wiki.png |
A link to Wikipedia's page for the image: [[:Image:Wiki.png]] Or a link directly to the image itself: [[Media:Wiki.png]] | ||||
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Use media: links to link to sounds or videos: A sound file |
Use '''media:''' links to link to sounds or videos: [[media:Sg_mrob.ogg|A sound file]] | ||||
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<center>
{| border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=5
| This
| is
|-
| a
| '''table'''
|}
</center>
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Mathematical formulas
You can format mathematical formulas with TeX markup. See Help:Formula.
| What it looks like | What you type |
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<math>\sum_{n=0}^\infty \frac{x^n}{n!}</math> |
<math>\sum_{n=0}^\infty \frac{x^n}{n!}</math>
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Templates
Templates are segments of Wiki markup that are meant to be copied automatically ("transcluded") into a page. You add them by putting the template's name in {{double braces}}.
Some templates take parameters, as well, which you separate with the pipe character.
| What it looks like | What you type |
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{{Transclusion demo}}
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This template takes two parameters, and creates underlined text with a hover box: Go to this page to see the H:title template itself. |
This template takes two parameters, and creates
underlined text with a hover box:
{{H:title|This is the hover text|
Hover your mouse over this text}}
Go to [[template:H:title|this page]] to see the H:title template itself.
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