User:Mr. Straub/linkvref

Wikilink versus Reference

What is the difference between a wikilink and a reference?

A wikilink is a link that connects to another wikipedia page.

A reference is the source where you found the information you used to write your page. In your reference you will usually have an external link that connects to the website where you found your referenced information.

Example

Read the following paragraph:

The species became known to Western science in 1873, when John Edward Gray, the turtle expert at the British Museum, described the specimen sent to him from Shanghai by Robert Swinhoe. He named the species Oscaria swinhoei, and described it as "the most beautiful species of Trionychidae that has yet occurred."

Did you find any links? You should have found several wikilinks, including to the pages for John Edward Gray, British Museum, Shanghai, and Robert Swinhoe. If you click on these links, they will bring you to the wikipedia articles about these subjects.

The species became known to Western science in 1873, when [[John Edward Gray]], the turtle expert at the [[British Museum]], described the specimen sent to him from [[Shanghai]] by [[Robert Swinhoe]]. He named the species ''Oscaria swinhoei'', and described it as "the most beautiful species of Trionychidae that has yet occurred."<ref>[[John Edward Gray|Gray, J. E.]] (1873), "[http://www.archive.org/stream/s4annalsmagazine12londuoft#page/156/mode/2up Notes on Chinese Mud-Tortoises (''Trionychidae''), with the Description of a new Species sent to the British Museum by Mr. Swinhoe, and Observations on the Male Organ of this Family]", ''[[Annals and Magazine of Natural History]]'', series 4, vol. XII, 1873. Pp. 156-161, and plate V.</ref>

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