Creating a Wikipedia article involves several steps, including understanding Wikipedia's guidelines, having reliable sources, and writing content that meets their standards for neutrality and notability. Here's a step-by-step guide on how to create a Wikipedia article:
1. Create a Wikipedia Account
- While it's possible to edit articles without an account, creating one allows you to build a reputation, keep track of your edits, and communicate with other users.
- Go to Wikipedia's homepage and click “Create Account” in the upper right corner.
2. Understand Wikipedia’s Guidelines
- Notability: Wikipedia articles must cover notable subjects, meaning the topic should have significant coverage in reliable sources.
- Neutral Point of View (NPOV): Articles must be written neutrally without bias.
- Verifiability: All content must be verifiable with citations from reliable, published sources.
- No Original Research: Wikipedia doesn't accept new research or opinions—everything must be based on existing, published material.
3. Research Your Topic
- Make sure your topic meets Wikipedia's notability criteria. Look for independent, reliable sources such as books, academic journals, reputable newspapers, and magazines that have covered the subject extensively.
4. Draft the Article
- Start in the Draft Space: Instead of directly publishing the article in the main Wikipedia space, it's better to create it as a draft first. This allows you to get feedback from experienced editors before it goes live.
- Use Wikipedia’s Sandbox: You can create a personal draft in the sandbox to test your formatting and content.
- Format According to Wikipedia’s Style Guide: Follow Wikipedia’s formatting guidelines, including proper section headings (e.g., “Early life,” “Career,” “Awards”), internal linking to other Wikipedia articles, and proper citation formatting.
- Write in a Neutral Tone: Avoid promotional language and stick to presenting facts.
5. Cite Reliable Sources
- Use reliable, secondary sources to back up your article. Cite them using Wikipedia's citation system. Sources should be independent of the subject and widely accepted as credible.
- Add citations using Wikipedia’s “Cite” tool, or manually format them using footnotes.
6. Submit for Review
- Once your draft is complete, submit it for review by experienced Wikipedia editors. They will check for compliance with Wikipedia’s policies.
- Be patient, as the review process can take time.
7. Monitor and Maintain Your Article
- After your article is published, it will likely be edited by other Wikipedia users. Monitor it to ensure the information remains accurate and neutral.
- Be prepared for discussions on the talk page, where users can discuss changes to the article.
Tools You Can Use:
- Wikipedia Teahouse: A friendly space to ask questions if you're new to Wikipedia.
- Articles for Creation: A place where new users can submit articles for review by experienced editors.
