Wikipedia:Meetup/NYC/Depths of Wikipedia
< Wikipedia:Meetup | NYC
 | |
| When and Where | |
|---|---|
| When: | January 7, 2021 |
| Time | 7:00 PM Eastern Time |
| Where: | Online! Please register for a link |
| . | |
Dive into Wikipedia with your favorite Instagram account, @depthsofwikipedia, and Wikimedia New York City! Please join us at 7PM EST on January 7th for a remote Wikipedia editing workshop, where you'll learn about Wikipedia's policies and practices and the basics of editing. Attendees are then encouraged to make their first edits throughout the weekend; we'll have expert Wikipedians on hand to answer questions and provide guidance.
No experience of anything is required, and new editors are encouraged!
All attendees are subject to Wikimedia NYC's Code of Conduct.
How to join us
[edit]- Create a Wikipedia account and join our team! When creating an account, we recommend choosing a username that is personal to you, but doesn't personally identify you, as edits are publicly tied to your username. If you already have an account, please sign-up via the Dashboard. This helps us track everyone who edits with us and see how many pages we add to and create!
- Join the Wikipedia Workshop! We'll meet via Zoom at 7PM EST on Thursday, January 7th, but you must register to receive the link. Please be sure to be on time as we'll stop admitting attendees ten minutes after we start.
- Ask questions and meet fellow editors on Discord! We'll have a team of volunteer Wikipedians on hand to help as you make your first edits. Not sure where to start? We can help with that too.
Core policies
[edit]Content policies
- WP:NPOV All encyclopedic content on Wikipedia must be written from a neutral point of view, which means representing fairly, proportionately, and, as far as possible, without editorial bias, all the significant view that have been published by reliable sources on a topic.
- WP:RS Wikipedia articles should be based on published, reliable sources, making sure that all majority and significant minority views that have appeared in those sources are covered. If no reliable sources can be found on a topic, Wikipedia should not have an article on it. (See: Wikipedia's notability policies)
- WP:V On Wikipedia, verifiability means other people using the encyclopedia can check that the information comes from a reliable source. Wikipedia does not publish original research. Even if you're sure something is true, it must be verifiable before you can add it. If reliable sources disagree, then present what the various sources say, giving each side its due weight.
Community policies
- WP:AGF Assuming good faith is a fundamental principle on Wikipedia. It is the assumption that editors' edits and comments are made in good faith. Most people try to help the project, not hurt it. If this were untrue, a project like Wikipedia would be doomed from the beginning. . . When disagreement occurs, try as best you can to explain and resolve the problem, not cause more conflict, and so give others the opportunity to reply in kind. Consider whether a dispute stems from different perspectives, and look for ways to reach consensus.
- WP:BB Go for it. The Wikipedia community encourages users to be bold when updating the encyclopedia. Wikis like ours develop faster when everybody helps to fix problems, correct grammar, add facts, make sure wording is accurate, etc. . . Fix it yourself instead of just talking about it. . . Don't be upset if your bold edits get reverted. . . Though the boldness of contributors like you is one of Wikipedia's greatest assets, it is important that you take care of the common good and not edit disruptively or recklessly.
Selecting an article
[edit]For many new and aspiring Wikipedians, the most difficult aspect to editing is knowing where to start! Here are some things to know:
- You don't have to be an expert on a topic in order to edit the topic. Use local library resources or your favorite search engine to find reliable sources you can use to support your contributions.
- Some articles - especially those prone to vandalism - can only be edited by experienced Wikipedians. If you want to edit a popular topic, follow the links for a related article that isn't as well-developed.
- Stubs are existing, short articles that need your help! They're a great place to make your first edits as you learn the ropes of editing.
- Some well-developed articles don't address important subtopics covered by reliable sources. For example, does your local city include a section on climate change? If not, you can add it!
- Wikimedia NYC is here to help. If you're struggling to find a starting point, find us in Discord and we can connect you to an article in your interest area.
A random assortment of suggested topic areas
- Food stubs or the more specific List of sandwiches
- Law stubs
- Livestock stubs (including bovine!)
- People stubs by occupation
- Women's history stubs
- Read the article about your favorite animal and edit or create a section on the animals representation in media or its cultural significance.
- Edit the article for the town/city you grew up in or the town/city where you live now.
- Most countries include an article about LGBT rights or culture (e.g. LGBT in Mexico). However, they largely focus on laws or lack references. Add citations or information about LGBTQIA culture in that region.