User:33451/Tips for Editing

I've put together some tips for helping you edit Wikipedia. If you are only browsing the Wikipedia content, try my Tips for Reading Wiki content.

1. Create a user account. I can't stress this enough. If you don't create a user account, you'll likely get several messages per day that don't apply to you, and you cannot customize your preferences or signature. To create an account, use Special:Userlogin
2. Fix mistakes you see. If you see a typo, you can edit that page, or, preferably, that section of the page to correct it. If you are a registered user don't forget to mark your edits as minor.
3. Stay away from the Wikipedia: namespace. Unless you want to be involved in the community and help solve its problems, try not to meddle too much around here.
4. Don't vandalize. You may end up being blocked if you do so. If you want an entire wiki at your disposal for testing, use the Test-Wiki.
5. Screenshots? Use PNG. If you plan to upload any type of screenshot, use the PNG format when it is available. If you can't use PNG for some reason, use JPEG, but beware, some users will attempt to nominate any JPEG screenshots for deletion. User:Timwi seems especially adamant about this.
6. Deal with vandalism. If you see a bad revision to a page, revert it to a non-vandalized version.
7. Dial-up connection? Try Classic. If you are stuck behind a dial-up connection, you can use the old Classic skin. It doesn't use image bullets or background images so it will load faster.
8. Always use edit summaries. Even if you're only correcting spelling, format, or some other minor edits, type in "fmt" or "spelling".
9. Sign every comment you post. Even if you don't have a user account, or if you're not logged in, you can still sign by typing ~~~~. Your signature can even be personalized if you are a registered user.