Note that the samples displayed below are not proportional. They'll appear wider and shorter when placed on a user's talk page. They conform to column-width, which is why they look elongated below.
Standard template, similar to Template:Welcome with additional options
Welcome...
Hello, {{SUBST:BASEPAGENAME}}, and welcome to Wikipedia! Thank you for [[Special:Contributions/{{SUBST:PAGENAME}}|your contributions]]. I hope you like this place and decide to stay. Here are some pages you might find helpful:
Gives advice to the questions newcomers frequently ask
Although some prefer welcoming newcomers with cookies, I find fruit to be a healthier alternative.
Hello, Welcoming committee/Welcome templates, and welcome to Wikipedia! Thank you for your contributions. I hope you like this place and decide to stay.
Please sign your name on talk pages, by using four tildes (~~~~). This will automatically produce your username and the date, and helps to identify who said what and when. Please do not sign any edit that is not on a talk page.
If you have a question that is not one of the frequently asked questions below, check out the Teahouse, ask me on my talk page, or click the button below. Happy editing and again, welcome! ~~~~
Why can't I edit some particular pages?
Some pages that have been vandalized repeatedly are semi-protected, meaning that editing by new or unregistered users is prohibited through technical measures. If you have an account that is four days old and has made at least 10 edits, then you can bypass semi-protection and edit any semi-protected page. Some pages, such as highly visible templates, are fully-protected, meaning that only administrators can edit them. If this is not the case, you may have been blocked or your IP address caught up in a range block.
Do a search on Google or your preferred search engine for the subject of the Wikipedia article that you want to create a citation for.
Find a website that supports the claim you are trying to find a citation for.
In a new tab/window, go to the citation generator, click on the 'An arbitrary website' bubble, and fill out as many fields as you can about the website you just found.
Click the 'Get reference wiki text' button.
Highlight, and then copy (Ctrl+C or Apple+C), the resulting text (it will be something like <ref> {{cite web | .... }}</ref>, copy the whole thing).
In the Wikipedia article, after the claim you found a citation for, paste (Ctrl+V or Apple+V) the text you copied.
If the article does not have a References or Notes section (or the like), add this to the bottom of the page, but above the External Links section and the categories:
==References==
{{Reflist}}
What is a WikiProject, and how do I join one?
A WikiProject is a group of editors that are interested in improving the coverage of certain topics on Wikipedia. (See this page for a complete list of WikiProjects.) If you would like to help, add your username to the list that is on the bottom of the WikiProject page.
Hello, Welcoming committee/Welcome templates, and welcome to Wikipedia! I hope you like the place and decide to stay. Here are some pages you might find helpful:
If you have any questions or problems, no matter what they are, leave me a message on my talk page. Or, please come to the Help desk, where experienced Wikipedians can answer any queries you have! Or, you can just type {{Help me}} on your user talk page, and someone will show up shortly to answer your questions.
Please sign your name on talk pages and votes by typing four tildes (~~~~); our software automatically converts it to your username and the date.
We're so glad you're here! ~~~~
Hello, Welcoming committee/Welcome templates, and welcome to Wikipedia! This is one of the most popular websites in the world, and it's only through the contributions of editors like you. And Wikipedia is not just a collection of articles, it's an active community. The real fun here is contributing to Wikipedia, but don't feel hurt if some of your first few edits get removed, as there are some central guidelines you may not be familiar with.
There's lots of resources to help you become a great editor, from our basic introduction to our in-depth manual. But if you have any questions or problems, no matter what they are, leave me a message on my talk page or place {{helpme}} on this page to get any help you need. If you haven't done so, tell us a bit about yourself. Oh, and please sign your name on talk pages and votes by typing ~~~~; our software automatically converts it to your username and the date.
Hi Welcoming committee, and welcome to Wikipedia! Thank you for your contributions. I hope you like it here and decide to stay. Our intro page provides helpful information for new users—please check it out! If you have any questions, you can get help from experienced editors at the Teahouse. Happy editing! ~~~~
Thank you for your contributions to this free encyclopedia. If you decide that you need help, check out Getting Help below, ask at the help desk, or place {{Help me}} on your talk page and ask your question there. Please remember to sign your name on talk pages by clicking or by typing four tildes (~~~~); this will automatically produce your username and the date. Also, please do your best to always fill in the edit summary field. Below are some useful links to help you get started. Happy editing! ~~~~
Thank you for your contributions to this free encyclopedia. If you decide that you need help, check out Getting Help below, ask at the help desk, or place {{Help me}} on your talk page and ask your question there. Please remember to sign your name on talk pages by clicking or by typing four tildes (~~~~); this will automatically produce your username and the date. Also, please do your best to always fill in the edit summary field. Below are some useful links to help you get started. Happy editing! ~~~~
Please sign your messages on talk pages with four tildes (~~~~). This will automatically insert your "signature" (your username and a date stamp). The button, on the tool bar above Wikipedia's text editing window, also does this.
If you would like to play around with your new Wiki skills without changing the mainspace, the Sandbox is for you.
Welcoming committee/Welcome templates, good luck, and have fun. ~~~~
Hello, Welcoming committee/Welcome templates, and welcome to Wikipedia! I hope you like the place and decide to stay. Here are some pages that you might find helpful:
Please sign your name on talk pages using four tildes (~~~~); this will automatically produce your username and the date. If you need help, check out Wikipedia:Questions, ask me on my talk page, or place {{Help me}} on your talk page and ask your question there. Again, welcome! ~~~~
Many users like to create user subpages to store various bits of information such as welcome templates or other information. For example, if you are drafting a new page that is not ready to "go live", or proposing major changes in redrafting an existing page, a user subpage may be very useful.
To create a subpage simply visit your User page and then append the name of the subpage in your browser's URL bar. For example, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:CoolDude would become http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:CoolDude/MySubpageName. When you press the ↵ Enter key you will be prompted to create the new subpage.
If you no longer need a subpage, or wish to have it deleted, you can mark the page with {{db-owner}} or {{db|reason}}.
Standard template with a host of links - includes automatic signing
Hello {{SUBST:PAGENAME}}! Welcome to Wikipedia! Thank you for [[Special:Contributions/{{SUBST:PAGENAME}}|your contributions]]. If you decide that you need help, check out Getting Help below, ask me on my talk page, or place {{helpme}} on your talk page and someone will show up shortly to answer your questions. Please remember to sign your name on talk pages by clicking or typing four tildes (~~~~); this will automatically produce your name and the date. Finally, please do your best to always fill in the edit summary field. Below are some useful links to facilitate your involvement. Happy editing! ~~~~
Same as {{subst:Welcomeg}} but includes a section header
== Welcome! ==
Hello {{SUBST:PAGENAME}}! Welcome to Wikipedia! Thank you for [[Special:Contributions/{{SUBST:PAGENAME}}|your contributions]]. If you decide that you need help, check out Getting Help below, ask me on my talk page, or place {{helpme}} on your talk page and someone will show up shortly to answer your questions. Please remember to sign your name on talk pages by clicking or typing four tildes (~~~~); this will automatically produce your name and the date. Finally, please do your best to always fill in the edit summary field. Below are some useful links to facilitate your involvement. Happy editing! ~~~~
Hello, Welcoming committee/Welcome templates/Table, and welcome to Wikipedia! I'm Fanfanboy, one of the thousands of editors here at Wikipedia. Here are a few good links for newcomers:
Thank you for your contributions to Wikipedia, users like you are what makes Wikipedia such a great encyclopedia!
I hope you enjoy editing here and being a Wikipedian! Please sign your name on talk pages using four tildes (~~~~); this will automatically produce your username and the date. If you need help, check out Wikipedia:Where to ask a question, ask me on my talk page, or type {{helpme}} here on your talk page and someone will show up shortly to answer your questions. Again, welcome!
Many useful links provided in a friendly set of tables. Presented in the Vector skin colours. Automatically sets different messages for IP or registered users. Automatically signs for you. Can add extra message. Slight customisation of the heading possible. Shorthand {{subst:Wtw}}. Clear documentation. (Display differs here from when in general use).
To get some practice editing you can use a sandbox. You can for use any time. It's perfect for working on bigger projects. Then for easy access in the future, you can put a link to it on .
Please remember to:
Always sign your posts on talk pages. You can do this either by clicking on the button on the edit toolbar or by typing four tildes~~~~ at the end of your post. This will automatically insert your , a link to talk page, and a timestamp.
Leave descriptive edit summaries for your edits. Doing so helps other editors understand what changes you have made and why you made them.
The best way to learn about something is to experience it. Explore, learn, contribute, and don't forget to have some fun!
A template for mentors in the Growth Feature program to give to their mentees.
Welcome, Welcoming committee/Welcome templates!
Have a plate of cookies!
Welcome to Wikipedia, Welcoming committee/Welcome templates! I'm Fanfanboy, and I've been assigned as your mentor. About half of new Wikipedia accounts receive a mentor chosen randomly from a list of volunteers. It just means I'm here to help with anything you need! We need to have all kinds of people working together to create an online encyclopedia, so I'm glad you're here. Over time, you will figure out what you enjoy doing the most on Wikipedia.
You might have noticed that you have access to a tutorial and suggested edits. It's recommended that you take advantage of this, as it'll make learning how to edit Wikipedia easier.
If you need assistance with anything or have any questions, click on the "Get editing help" button on the bottom right corner of your screen. This will open up a module with links to help pages and a place to ask me questions. You can also ask me questions directly on my talk page, or go here to get help from the wider community.
Hello, Welcoming committee/Welcome templates, and welcome to Wikipedia! Thank you for your contributions. I hope you like the place and decide to stay. Unfortunately, one of your contributions does not conform to Wikipedia's Neutral Point of View policy (NPOV). Wikipedia articles should refer only to facts and interpretations that have been stated in print or on reputable websites or other forms of media.
There's a page about the NPOV policy that has tips on how to effectively write about disparate points of view without compromising the NPOV status of the article as a whole. If you are stuck, and looking for help, please come to the Questions page, where experienced Wikipedians can answer any queries you have! Or, click here to ask for help on your talk page, and a volunteer should respond shortly. Below are a few other good links for newcomers:
Task Center – need some ideas of what kind of things need doing? Go here.
I hope you enjoy editing here and being a Wikipedian! Please sign your name on talk pages using four tildes (~~~~); this will automatically produce your name and the date. If you have any questions, check out Wikipedia:Questions or ask me on my talk page. Again, welcome!
Task Center – need some ideas of what kind of things need doing? Go here.
You may also want to take the Wikipedia Adventure, an interactive tour that will help you learn the basics of editing Wikipedia. You can visit the Teahouse to ask questions or seek help.
Please remember to sign your messages on talk pages by typing four tildes (~~~~); this will automatically insert your username and the date. If you need help, check out Wikipedia:Questions, ask me on my talk page, or ask for help on your talk page, and a volunteer should respond shortly. Again, welcome!
Hello, Welcoming committee/Welcome templates, and welcome to Wikipedia. We appreciate encyclopedic contributions, but some of your recent contributions seem to be advertising or for promotional purposes. Wikipedia does not allow advertising. For more information on this, please see:
Task Center – need some ideas of what kind of things need doing? Go here.
I hope you enjoy editing Wikipedia! Please sign your name on talk pages using four tildes (~~~~); this will automatically produce your name and the date. Feel free to write a note on the bottom of my talk page if you want to get in touch with me. Again, welcome!
Informs new user that their first article has been deleted, and to encourage them to continue to contribute.
== Welcome! ==
Hello, Welcoming committee/Welcome templates, and welcome to Wikipedia! I hope you like the place and decide to stay. Unfortunately, one or more of the pages you created may not conform to some of Wikipedia's content policies and may not be retained. In short, the topic of an article must be notable and have already been the subject of publication by reliable and independent sources.
Please review Your first article for an overview of the article creation process. The Article Wizard is available to help you create an article, where it will be reviewed and considered for publication. For information on how to request a new article that can be created by someone else, see Requested articles. If you are stuck, come to the Teahouse, where experienced Wikipedians can help you through the processes.
New to Wikipedia? Please consider taking a look at our introductory tutorial or reviewing the contributing to Wikipedia page to learn the basics about editing. Below are a few other good pages about article creation.
Task Center – need some ideas of what kind of things need doing? Go here.
I hope you enjoy editing here and being a Wikipedian! Please sign your name on talk pages using four tildes (~~~~); this will automatically produce your name and the date. If you have any questions, ask me on my talk page. You can also type {{help me}} on this page, followed by your question, and someone will show up shortly to answer your questions. Again, welcome! ~~~~
Hello and welcome to Wikipedia. Thank you for your contributions. I hope you like the place and decide to stay. The following links will help you begin editing on Wikipedia:
Do not use talk pages as discussion or forum pages as Wikipedia is not a forum.
The Wikipedia tutorial is a good place to start learning about Wikipedia. If you have any questions, see the help pages, add a question to the village pump or ask me on my talk page. By the way, you can sign your name on Talk and discussion pages using four tildes, like this: ~~~~ (the software will replace them with your signature and the date). Again, welcome!
Hello, Welcoming committee, and welcome to Wikipedia! Thank you for your contributions. I hope you like the place and decide to stay. Unfortunately, one or more of the pages you created is an unreferenced biography of a living person. The Wikipedia community has decided that all biographies of living persons (BLPs) created after 18 March 2010 must have reliable sources, or they can be deleted.
This is not a judgement of the quality or notability of your article. If someone has put a {{prod blp}} template on the article (click this link to see what it looks like), you have seven days to add at least one reliable source to the article. Once you have added at least one reliable source to the article, you can remove the template. (To learn more about what is a reliable source, read Wikipedia:Reliable sources, and to learn how to cite sources, read Wikipedia:Citing sources. Or if you want an easier newcomer's look at citing sources, read Help:External links and references first.)
Going over some of the pages below will help you get a sense of Wikipedia, and knowing about Wikipedia's most important policies will help keep you out of trouble here (click [show] to see the links):
Wikipedia:NPOV – Wikipedia's neutral point-of-view policy for articles
Wikipedia:Notability – talks about how to determine whether or not a subject is notable enough for inclusion in Wikipedia
Wikipedia:3RR – Wikipedia's three-revert rule, which says you shouldn't revert a single page more than 3 times in 24 hours
Wikipedia:Deletion policy and Wikipedia:Criteria for speedy deletion – two pages that talk about reasons for deleting an article. The second page talks about special reasons that allow pages to be deleted quickly and without discussion (attack pages, copyright violations, etc.)
I hope you enjoy editing here and being a Wikipedian! Please sign your name on talk pages using four tildes (~~~~); this will automatically produce your name and the date. If you have any questions, check out Wikipedia:Questions or ask me on my talk page. Again, welcome! ~~~~
