Wikipedia:New contributors' help page/Archive/2011/November

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November 1

unable to chat - where do I type? (webchat.freenode.net)

In the webchat it says: "Just ask your question, and one of our friendly helpers will answer as soon as possible :-)"

But where can I type my question? There is no dedicated field... I've tried just typing, but nothing happens. Help! Feeling terribly stupid since I'm unable to do the most basic thing.

In case it matters/might be the source of my trouble?: I'm using Mac OS 15.8 + safari

thanks! Lilly333 (talk) 10:11, 26 October 2011 (UTC)

Have you tried the Computing section of Wikipedia's Reference Desk? They specialize in answering knowledge questions there; this help desk is only for questions about using Wikipedia. For your convenience, here is the link to post a question there: click here. I hope this helps. --ColinFine (talk) 22:20, 26 October 2011 (UTC)

Thanks Colin! Lilly333 (talk) 13:50, 1 November 2011 (UTC)

adding links into the wiki pages

I am having problems adding hyperlinks into the wiki page I want to create and it is saying if I do not do so it will be soon deleted so could someone please help Souleaterz50 (talk) 11:38, 1 November 2011 (UTC)

What is the name of your article? A guide to links is Wikipedia is at WP:LINK. - David Biddulph (talk) 11:46, 1 November 2011 (UTC)

November 2

Message to other user

can i message or sort of chat with other user privately? — Preceding unsigned comment added by Sauravdante (talkcontribs) 15:05, 2 November 2011 (UTC)

If you enable e-mail in your preferences, an appropriate menu item will appear under "Toolbox" on your talk page menus. Similarly with the other user. If you both have e-mail eabled, you can communicate by e-mail. - David Biddulph (talk) 15:11, 2 November 2011 (UTC)
Not privately on the Wikipedia site. All of your contributions (except deleted ones) on Wikipedia are visible to all other users. TNXMan 15:12, 2 November 2011 (UTC)

Trouble with references

Hi, I've not been able to find the answer to my question in the FAQ section. I have edited and added new information to Joan Massague's page and have cited several different scientific abstracts from PubMed.org. However, each citation (2a,b,c...) takes you to the same abstract. I can't seem to correct it. Any suggestions? -Esther (<blanked>) — Preceding unsigned comment added by Enapolitano (talkcontribs) 17:28, 2 November 2011 (UTC)

You've used the same reference name each time <ref name="PubMed Abstract">. If you have different references, they need separate names (or they don't need a name unless you are using any of them more than once). - David Biddulph (talk) 17:37, 2 November 2011 (UTC)

Great, I will give that a try. Thanks for the quick response. -Esther — Preceding unsigned comment added by Enapolitano (talkcontribs) 18:02, 2 November 2011 (UTC)

You may also be better expanding the details of the refs, giving titles & dates, for example. You might find Wikipedia:Citation templates useful. - David Biddulph (talk) 18:25, 2 November 2011 (UTC)

Addition to Walden University

On the history of Walden University:

A book about the founding of Walden University has been published and is available. Title is Aspire toward the Highest: Bernie and Rita Turner and the Founding of Walden UniversityBold text. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 208.95.83.224 (talk) 21:34, 2 November 2011 (UTC)

reliable source. www.youtube.co./David Burton-Richardson

i have added a reliable source to David Burton-Richardson. does this now mean that it will not be deleted? — Preceding unsigned comment added by Junieaaabbb (talkcontribs) 22:15, 2 November 2011 (UTC)

No, it doesn't because what you added to David Burton-Richardson were neither citations, nor to reliable sources (and therefore User:Reddogsix removed your additions). First, you did not cite specific sources, but just general sites; second, YouTube is very rarely acceptable as a reliable source. Whoswhoinart may be a reliable source for biographical information (though I'm dubious, since it appears to accept information from the subjects, and there is no evidence of editorial policy)but not for notability. Third, the sources required to establish notability, must be places where people have written non-trivially about the subject.

Can't find my "saved" article in Wikipedia.

I am a new contributor to Wikipedia. Today I posted an article and then "saved" it. But now I cannot find it. Help ----. — Preceding unsigned comment added by Arbutusridge (talkcontribs) 23:01, 2 November 2011 (UTC)

I'm afraid that the list of your contributions Special:Contributions/Arbutusridge contains only this question, no article. My guess is that either you Previewed it instead of saving it, or else that you didn't satify the Special:CAPTCHA. Sorry.
If you're writing your first article, have you read WP:YFA? It will probably save you a lot of pain if you do so. --ColinFine (talk) 23:48, 2 November 2011 (UTC)

November 3

Add a Picture

How do I add a picture to an article on the top right hand section? — Preceding unsigned comment added by Florie Anne Mondoloni (talkcontribs) 16:09, 3 November 2011‎ (UTC)

  • If you want to upload an image from your computer for use in an article, you must determine the proper license of the image (or whether it is in the public domain). If you know the image is public domain or copyrighted but under a suitable free-license, upload it to the Wikimedia Commons instead of here, so that all projects have access to the image (sign up). If you are unsure of the licensing status, see the file upload wizard for more information. Please also read Wikipedia's image use policy.
  • If you want to add an image that has already been uploaded to Wikipedia or Wikimedia Commons, add [[File:File name.jpg|thumb|Caption text.]] to the area of the article where you want the image to appear – replacing File name.jpg with the actual file name of the image, and Caption text with a short description of the image. See our picture tutorial for more information. I hope this helps. TNXMan 16:10, 3 November 2011 (UTC)
The picture tutorial doesn't cover the use of images in infoboxes at the top right of an article. For most kinds of infobox, the correct syntax is |image = File name.jpg -- John of Reading (talk) 16:39, 3 November 2011 (UTC)

Usernames

is it possible to have a single account with multiple log-ins? And with different access levels?

If you could get back to me when you have a chance, I'd appreciate it!

Thanks, Tricia 16:19, 3 November 2011 (UTC)16:19, 3 November 2011 (UTC)16:19, 3 November 2011 (UTC)~~ — Preceding unsigned comment added by 50.76.249.241 (talk)

Generally, no. Wikipedia's account policy usually limits one account to one person. There are exceptions though, such as accounts that can be used on unsecure, public terminals. I hope this helps answer your question. TNXMan 16:24, 3 November 2011 (UTC)

Should I create an article on a specific topic?

I discovered there is no wiki article about lying in wait, an important aspect of some criminal cases. Would someone be willing to point me to some specific policies I should be abiding by in creating this article? From reading AfD for the past couple of months, it seems so many articles are deleted because the author doesn't follow policy correctly, I don't want that to happen with my very first article.

ANY help or guidance would be much appreciated. I have wanted to write my first article for a while, but could not think of a subject that has not already been covered, or wouldn't be notable enough for inclusion.

Please reply on my talk page if possible.

Thanks! --Ella Plantagenet (talk) 21:39, 3 November 2011 (UTC)

Start by reading WP:1st. And the convention is that questions here are answered here (rather than on your talk page), so that other users can get the benefit of the answers, and so that other editors can correct or amplify the answers if necessary. - David Biddulph (talk) 02:00, 4 November 2011 (UTC)
For me the two really important policies to read are Wikipedia:Notability and Wikipedia:Verifiability, in short make sure that the subject you choose is notable (has a credible claim to significance) and that all the information can be backed up by reliable third-party references (hopefully in the form of inline citations). I also suggest that you create the article either in your userspace (see WP:Userspace draft) or through WP:AFC and then move it live when you feel it is ready. If you are still interested in creating an article on 'Lying in wait' you might want to read Wikipedia:Wikipedia is not a dictionary to make sure this would not fall under this policy. France3470 (talk) 02:14, 4 November 2011 (UTC)

November 4

Where Has My Submission Gone, Please?

On October 29 or 30 I uploaded a new article to Wikipedia; since this was my first submission, I asked that it be edited before posting. The article was entitled "Balancing Chemical-Reaction Equations." I can't find either the article or any comment on it at this point. Please send reply to my talk page. Thank you. Cross discipline 1. Cross discipline 2 (talk) 00:08, 4 November 2011 (UTC)

I too am unable to find such a page. I had a look through Articles for Creation for those dates but wasn't able to find anything with that title. It might sound silly but are you sure that you pressed the save button? It might be that you created the page while not logged in and it was deleted (although if it was submitted to Articles for Creation as you suggest this seems unlikely). I notice there is also a User:Cross discipline 1 is this you? France3470 (talk) 01:52, 4 November 2011 (UTC)
We're not talking about Wikipedia talk:Articles for creation/Thorne Distribution for Leptokurtic Data, are we? --Orange Mike | Talk 04:49, 4 November 2011 (UTC)

Submitting a Profile Photo for a listing

I pulled up the writeup for Candy Clark. I just wanted to submit a nice photo of her, for her page, but I don't know HOW to submit it properly. 99.65.46.248 (talk) 21:46, 23 October 2011 (UTC) Tim

See WP:Images and WP:IUP. - David Biddulph (talk) 00:41, 24 October 2011 (UTC)
Hi Tim, if the image is already online somewhere, be carefuly and maybe request a upload at WP:FFU. A reviewer will do it and also maybe decline it if it is copyrighted! mabdul 10:33, 4 November 2011 (UTC)

editing articles.

i know that we cannot just copy and paste article from anywhere. if i have an article which i wanted to be publish on wikipedia then what i have to do? i am add or edit some topics on operating system and its concepts, that edited material will not solely be mine, it will be from wiley edition and that book is copyrited. please HELP me. Talvinder.grewaal (talk) 07:00, 4 November 2011 (UTC)talvinder grewaal

You'll need to clarify what kind of article you are talking about. If you have written an article which is suitable for an encyclopaedia (i.e. it contains only material which is verifiable from reliable sources, it is written from a neutral point of view, and it does not contain original research or synthesis), then you may post it on Wikipedia. But it must be in your own words, not including copyright material, except perhaps for short extracts which may be quoted under fair use rules. You should also read WP:YFA. --ColinFine (talk) 10:20, 4 November 2011 (UTC)

co2 fixiation

I ask about how som plants like kenaf can physilogicaly fixing co2 — Preceding unsigned comment added by 203.82.92.107 (talk) 09:38, 4 November 2011 (UTC)

You might find what you are looking for in the article CO2 fixation. If you cannot find the answer there, you can try asking your question at Wikipedia's Reference Desk. They specialize in knowledge questions and will try to answer just about any question in the universe (except about how to use Wikipedia, which is what this help desk is for). I hope this helps. --ColinFine (talk) 10:23, 4 November 2011 (UTC)

Multiple Lines in Table Cells

I've been editing some pages and would like to see how to format a row in a table so that some cells can have multiple lines.

What the current format provides (Non table)

Unit Location Dates

In the second two cells, if a unit has moved, the table as used now shows;

Unit Location1 Dates1

Unit Location2 Dates2 (this is a separate row)

What I'd like to see is

Unit Location 1 Dates1

Location 2 Dates2 (in same row, without multiple identical entries in first cell)

All I seem to be able to get is

Unit Location 1 Location 2 Dates1 Dates 2

  • : and Return just don't seem to create a new line within a cell

Lineagegeek (talk) 21:30, 4 November 2011 (UTC)

Use rowspan. See Help:Table. Note that with colspan and rowspan sorting does not work properly anymore. You can write <br/ > to make a new line. PrimeHunter (talk) 00:30, 5 November 2011 (UTC)

November 5

Hello,

I am a "non-autoconfirmed user".

I am almost finished with my first Wikipedia article, and I am trying to upload a company logo to use in the "Infobox". Everything I've read leads me to believe that I need someone else (an autoconfirmed user) to do this for me. If so, what is the process?

Thanks in advance,

JPFive55 (talk) 16:09, 2 November 2011 (UTC)

Yes, your account must be autoconfirmed (4 days old and at least 10 edits) before you can upload images. Non-free images (which this probably is) cannot be used in a draft in userspace (such as your User:JPFive55/FirstEnt) so it will have to wait until the draft is moved to the main article space. One comment about the draft -- you will need much better references to demonstrate that the subject meets the notability guidelines set out at WP:CORP - take a look at WP:RS for assistance. – ukexpat (talk) 16:20, 2 November 2011 (UTC)
Thanks very much for the quick response
I've made 10+ edits and my account is well over 4 days old. What is the process from here? Will I be emailed when my account becomes autoconfirmed?
JPFive55 (talk) 18:18, 8 November 2011 (UTC)
You are now autoconfirmed; the software doesn't send an email. But since the logo is likely to be a non-free image you should wait until the draft has been reviewed before uploading it. Please re-read Ukexpat's message, above. -- John of Reading (talk) 18:27, 8 November 2011 (UTC)

info box help

Hi, I'm having trouble getting the info box to show up on the page I created for Outside Bozeman Magazine. The template I found for magazine info boxes is confusing having never made a wiki article before.

Thanks for you help, Fitzpatty88 (talk) 20:07, 2 November 2011 (UTC)

I can't see an edit to Outside Bozeman which added an infobox, so I don't know what problems you are having. Have you looked at Template:infobox magazine, which gives a fair amount of information about using the template?
But before you put any other work into the article, you need to find and include the multiple independent reliable sources that are required to establish notability for the magazine, otherwise the article is likely to be deleted and your work wasted. --ColinFine (talk) 23:31, 2 November 2011 (UTC)

I figured out the template and am currently working on more sources. I'm confused though because two of my sources, which came from web postings of past TV news stations' coverage, were deleted from the external references section. Also, is there a way I can edit the title of the page? I had originally created the title of the page as Outside Bozeman (magazine) and it no longer says that. Also, I'd like to add a cover image to the template but I don't know how to make the file translate to the template. Fitzpatty88 (talk) 22:30, 7 November 2011 (UTC)

Lists / categories - erotic / glamour / nude / pornographic photographers?

I'm puzzled that these related but distinct categories of photographer don't seem to be properly indexed...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_photographers ...has a key to the area(s) the photographer works in, but nothing along the lines I've mentioned. Actually there's no key for Photjournalist that I can see either.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Erotic_photographers ...has an underpoulated list.

That's all I could find!

Speaking of which, what is this, please? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:List-Class_History_of_photography_articles

There must be articles on photographers that could be indexed along the lines I've suggested, for example http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ron_Harris_%28photographer%29

Any help here please? Thanks. Double Happiness (talk) 11:27, 5 November 2011 (UTC)

Some relevant photographers may be missing from the list at Category:Erotic photographers because they are listed in one of the sub-categories such as Category:German erotic photographers. If a relevant Wikipedia article is entirely missing from these lists, you can add it by editing the article as described at Help:Category#Putting pages in categories
The other category you mention, Category:List-Class History of photography articles, is part of the article rating scheme managed by the History of photography WikiProject. The other categories within this rating scheme are listed here. -- John of Reading (talk) 08:03, 9 November 2011 (UTC)

November 6

Photos I took of public art

Hi I'm writing to ask a question. I would like to know if I can upload photos I took today to a Wikipedia page on public art in Milwaukee. Can I use my personal photos of artwork? Does that violate copyright of the public art itself? Thank you for your time. Citizn65Citizn65 (talk) 02:33, 6 November 2011 (UTC)

Hello Citizn65; most likely not. See Freedom of Panorama in the United States for the specifics. I hope this helps, and happy editing! — CharlieEchoTango — 06:45, 7 November 2011 (UTC)

November 7

RAILWAY STATIONS KERALA

MANGALORE CENTRAL MANJESHWAR KASARGOD NILESHWAR CHARAVATTUR PAYYANUR PAYANGADI KANNAPURAM KANNUR THALASSERRY MAHE VADAKARA QUILANDI KOZHIKKODE FEROKE KADALUNDI VALLIKUNNU PARAPANANGADI TANUR TIRUR TIRUNAVAYA KUTTIPURAM PERASHSHANNUR PALLIPPURAM KODUMUNDA PATTAMBI KARAKAD SHORANUR Jn VADAKKANCHERRY THRISSUR IRINGALAKKUDA CHALAKKUDI ANGAMALI ALWAYE ERNAKULAM TOWN ERNAKULAM Jn CHERTHALA ALAPPUZHA PIRAVAM ROAD EATTUMANUR KOTTAYAM CHENGANACHERRY THIRUVALLA CHENGANNUR MAVELIKKARA KAYANKULAM Jn KARUNAGAPPALLY KOLLAM Jn PARAVUR VARKALA KOCHUVELI CHIRAYILKEEZH THIRUVANANTHAPURAM NILAMBUR ROAD OTTAPPALAM LAKKITI MANKARAI PARALI PALAKKAD Jn PALAKKAD TOWN — Preceding unsigned comment added by MEGHNASIND (talkcontribs) 06:32, 7 November 2011 (UTC)

Have you a question about editing Wikipedia? That is what this page is for. --ColinFine (talk) 12:44, 7 November 2011 (UTC)

Using archived material as a source

Hello there, I'm just wondering about the verifiability of some materials for my first article: User:CopyBeard/Creative_Circle.

1. Archived materials: A number of items are held at the History of Advertising Trust and include correspondance, internal publications and press releases. Can I reference this material? And if so, in what format?

2. Self Published Books: The article I am writing concerns the Advertising Creative Circle. As an awards body, the Circle releases an annual each year showcasing the award winners and has done since 1985. Are these acceptable sources of material under this rule: Wikipedia:Verifiability#Self-published_or_questionable_sources_as_sources_on_themselves?

Just getting a little bit lost in the wording of some of the rules. Full disclosure; I'm writing this on behalf of the Creative Circle and I will be submitting the article for feedback when it's complete.

Many thanks, CopyBeard (talk) 21:19, 7 November 2011 (UTC)

In terms of referencing various kinds of materials including primary sources, I would strongly recommend reading Wikipedia:Citing sources as an initial place to look. Primary sources have their problems and sometimes bring out editors who complain about them... some long time Wikipedia editors even have the mistaken notion that they can't even be used at all. It does deserve some caution, so it is useful to review the Wikipedia:Verifiability policy as well as Wikipedia:No original research.
As for Self-published books, the Verifiability policy covers Wikipedia concepts about that topic as well, as you've noted. Determining if something is self-published or not can sometimes be tricky, but as a general rule if there is some kind of editor or screening process where content can be rejected by the original author, the content is considered a normal published article rather than self-published. There isn't a strict way to measure this, and certainly there are sources of information which are much more reliable than others with the goal on Wikipedia to get the most reliable source of information possible on a particular fact. For some topics, all you have is either self-published content or something that has been published in a non-scholarly fashion. All of this really is how you use the source to improve the article, and if you are maintaining a neutral point of view when adding the information to Wikipedia.
Also, don't get overwhlemed with all of these policies. Putting something down, even if you've made some mistakes, is better for everybody than if you haven't written anything at all. We're here to help. BTW, I love the article you've been writing, User:CopyBeard/Creative Circle. As a first article, you are doing just fine! --Robert Horning (talk) 20:07, 8 November 2011 (UTC)
The problem with archival material is not that it constitutes primary sources, but rather that it is unpublished, and thus fails our requirement of verifiability. If archival information is cited in a scholarly publication which itself passes our standards of reliable sourcing, then it can be used (subject to some restrictions); but unpublished, unverifiable archival content is original research, and has no place here. --Orange Mike | Talk 21:55, 8 November 2011 (UTC)
Thank you for the feedback chaps.
Robert - yes, it's been tricky determining what is (and what is not) a verifiable source in this instance - published articles and books mentioning the Creative Circle pre-1999 are scarce - the Creative Circle themselves have lost more than half of their self-published books (the nature of the advertising industry is generally a throwaway one). That said, I'll re-read the articles you've suggested and continue hunting for more sources. Again, many thanks for your help, and especially for your encouragement. :)
Mike - I understand that archival material constitutes a primary source. But for some facts, it's also the only source in existence. So is it best to simply omit this information? Or is it better to include it with the [citation needed] caveat and hope something turns up in future? Thanks again.
CopyBeard (talk) 09:48, 9 November 2011 (UTC)

November 8

How to decorate wikipedia

i can noure out how to decorate wikipedia. HELP ME!! ;(

--Meganfox0013 (talk) 00:05, 8 November 2011 (UTC)

I added a heading to your post. Your request is unclear. Can you clarify what you want help with? You could try Wikipedia:Tutorial. PrimeHunter (talk) 01:42, 8 November 2011 (UTC)

Stalin

Stalin became the Minister for Rural Development and Local Administration in the Government of Tamil Nadu after the 2006 assembly elections. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 59.92.85.252 (talk) 05:09, 8 November 2011 (UTC)

That sentence is in the lead of M. K. Stalin. Do you have a question or request for help? PrimeHunter (talk) 05:15, 8 November 2011 (UTC)

i trieed to submit an article about a famous person but its not saving properly ! something wrong with please help

i trieed to submit an article about a famous person but its not saving properly ! something wrong with please help17:27, 8 November 2011 (UTC) — Preceding unsigned comment added by Vazhikatti (talkcontribs)

Nothing is wrong. Ajithkumar Nair had to be deleted, since it was a copyright violation. It would have been deleted soon anyway, as the language is hopelessly promotional. --Orange Mike | Talk 18:53, 8 November 2011 (UTC)

November 9

Article Guidelines

Hello,

I would like to put up some very basic information about my company, VVF Limited, on Wikipedia. I do not want to promote or advertise it, but I do want to include some facts that will help spread awareness about the company. I noticed that your guidelines state that individuals are not permitted to post articles about their company. However, I see that several companies such as P&G, Bain, Mckinsey, KPMG, Deloitte, etcetera, have posted a lot of information onto Wikipedia. Why can't I do the same for my company?

Thanks for your time, 202.177.240.19 (talk) 07:44, 9 November 2011 (UTC)

Those articles were not written by or for those companies, but by volunteer editors working from reliable, independent coverage such as newspaper reports. I suggest you work your way down the FAQ page for businesses; feel free to again here if you still have questions. -- John of Reading (talk) 08:11, 9 November 2011 (UTC)
You seem to have trouble understanding that "help spread awareness about the company" is the same as "promote or advertise it"; and that's what we're trying to keep you from doing. --Orange Mike | Talk 16:39, 9 November 2011 (UTC)

Miss Mongolia

Miss Mongolia Association is an official organiser of Miss Mongolia contest since 2004. The winners are as follows: 2004: Ms. Sodtuya 2005: Ms. Gantogoo 2006: Ms. Bolortuya 2007: Ms. Gerelchuluun 2008: Ms. Khulangoo 2009: Ms. Badamgerel 2010: Ms. Badamtsetseg 2011: Ms. Tugsuu — Preceding unsigned comment added by 202.179.20.201 (talk) 14:08, 9 November 2011 (UTC)

Do you have a question? I see that you have added this to the Miss Mongolia article. -- John of Reading (talk) 16:10, 9 November 2011 (UTC)

citing information when you are the source

I submitted an article abd git back that I need citations. Most of the article is my first had experience so that facts (date founded, prigams offered) are from my own experience. How do you reference this?

My talk page- KHargleroad — Preceding unsigned comment added by Khargleroad (talkcontribs) 18:26, 9 November 2011 (UTC)

Simple; you don't. That is original research, and is firmly excluded from Wikipedia. If you don't have verifiable third party reliable sources, the article won't be accepted. - David Biddulph (talk) 18:46, 9 November 2011 (UTC)

Flat Switched Computer Network

The definition of a Flat Network has added conditions as part of the definition that have little to nothing to do with the simple definition of a Flat Network (switched or unswitched). Literally , a flat network is one that has not been subnetted and does not have VLANs (no layers or modules). That’s really all there is to it. A longer definition only confuses the issue. The portion of the definition claiming all hosts would receive a copy of every message sent on the flat network is not accurate, nor pertinent to the definition. The switches' MAC tables will filter most all messages, except broadcasts and multicasts. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 97.75.185.194 (talk) 20:09, 9 November 2011 (UTC)

I can't tell which article you are referring to, but the place to bring this up is on the article's talk page, where people with knowledge about, and interest in, that subject are more likely to see it. --ColinFine (talk) 22:25, 10 November 2011 (UTC)

How to fix capitalization problem with article title

Hi,

I recently created an entry about the Algonquin Area Public Library District not realizing Wikipedia was case sensitive. The article title currently reads Algonquin area public library district. According to the Wikipedia Help, since it is a proper name it should really be Algonquin Area Public Library District. How can I fix this? From what I've read so far it looks like it will have to be "moved." I am a total newbie. Can someone help me out with the process. I want to make sure I do it right.

Thanks!

Klnmc (talk) 20:56, 9 November 2011 (UTC)

I have moved it to Algonquin Area Public Library District for you. – ukexpat (talk) 21:14, 9 November 2011 (UTC)

Thank you so much!!! Klnmc (talk) 15:19, 10 November 2011 (UTC)

No problem. – ukexpat (talk) 15:52, 10 November 2011 (UTC)

November 10

Citing foreign language sources

Is it OK to cite sources in a foreign language? What if I don't know the foreign language, but relied on Google Translate? I didn't see this question addressed in the FAQ or at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citing_sources http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia_talk:Citing_sources -Frietje (talk) 19:03, 10 November 2011 (UTC)

English sources are preferred, but non-English sources are acceptable, provided of course that they are verifiable. – ukexpat (talk) 19:06, 10 November 2011 (UTC)

Thanks for the answer and for fixing the header - I was getting there, but you were quicker! -Frietje (talk) 19:18, 10 November 2011 (UTC)

See specifically WP:NONENG, and see Category:Language icon templates. PrimeHunter (talk) 19:49, 10 November 2011 (UTC)


November 11

Cluebot

Wiki Community,

Greetings. I edited an article called Social Media Optimization. Cluebot returned the page to it's normal form by saying the edits were unconstructive. However, not only am I social media optimization expert (this is what my company does), but the information cited is inaccurate and explains NOTHING about the origination of SMO, which is SEO. Further, it explains nothing about what social media platforms can be optimized and how that is accomplished.

The author put a link to his own Wiki page in the reference section and to his marketing services. I did no such thing and only sought to bring an expert view of the process. I will admit to needing editing and other assistance with structure, however, I would like to submit my work to replace what is there. If not replace, for the sake great information, PLEASE let me add a paragraph or something to clean-up this travesty. I will not link to any website of mine and am not seeking backlinks.

I have other page titles, ORIGINALS ALL yet, am now nervous to even submit. Please, have an editor check the SMO and let me at least get Wiki readers better information that isn't self serving. I would be more than happy to post or email content, video explanations and even REAL Social Media Optimization search results of mine, to prove I am who and what I say I am.

The email even said I may be banned, for contributing better information than what was present? I am not worried about such bans, believe me, I am also an unbanned expert however, I was always told Wikipedia was serious about the content of their pages and struggle to reconcile allowing a SPAMMER to create a page that says absolutely nothing, which can be backed up by credible sources or industry experts. He is even credited with inventing the term social media optimization..C'mon Wiki Editors, you can't think that is OK, can you? Websitewordpress (talk) 00:20, 11 November 2011 (UTC)

Websitewordpress (talk) 00:17, 11 November 2011 (UTC) Websitewordpress (talk) 00:11, 11 November 2011 (UTC)

If you click the "changed" link in the message by ClueBot NG at User talk:Websitewordpress#November 2011 then you will see that you blanked the whole article. It was only that edit which was reverted by ClueBot NG, and it was clearly appropriate to revert it. Your other edits were reverted by human editors as you can see in the page history at [1]. One of the problems in your edits was a lot of misformatted links to other articles. See Help:Linking#Wikilinks. Another problem is that you deleted all references and added unsourced content instead. Wikipedia articles should be based on verifiable published reliable sources. The article has been edited around 400 times by dozens of editors since it was created in 2006. Everybody can create and edit articles. I assume it is pure speculation when you make claims like "The author put a link to his own Wiki page in the reference section and to his marketing services." PrimeHunter (talk) 05:15, 11 November 2011 (UTC)

editing semi-protected pages

Hi,

There are numerous typos and words wrongly spilled (or used) such as exited for excited, that I would like to edit in the article: Crusades. I would also like to add a reference to the Further Reading section. When I submit my changes (Save Page or Preview) my connection times out waiting minutes for a response. Is this because this article is semi-protected?

Cheers, RobLandau Please reply to my talk page. — Preceding unsigned comment added by RobLandau (talkcontribs) 11:11, 11 November 2011 (UTC)

That page is semi-protected. See WP:SEMI for how to request changes. Note that when you ask a question here you get the answer here, so that it can be of benefit to other readers, rather than an answer on your talk page. - David Biddulph (talk) 11:21, 11 November 2011 (UTC)
However, your account is autoconfirmed, so that shouldn't be the reason you are having trouble. Perhaps try editing only one section at a time? -- John of Reading (talk) 11:34, 11 November 2011 (UTC)
Another thought is that the Crusades article is being watched by 689 users. This is much more than usual, and I believe that slows down the "Save". -- John of Reading (talk) 13:04, 11 November 2011 (UTC)

user page profile

Hi, I have tried creating a user page / profile a couple of times, but it gets deleted as being "promotional", so I am looking for guidance on how to create one (I have seen several others which looked similar in nature/context and had links as well, so I wasn't sure why some seem ok but others, like mine are not). Any assistance is welcomed

Martin — Preceding unsigned comment added by Martincallan (talkcontribs) 16:46, 11 November 2011 (UTC)

You repeatedly created a userpage (NOT "profile"; we don't do "profiles" here!) that seems deliberately designed to imitate an article about a notable person, complete with infoboxes and a grossly inappropriate amount of external linking. We aren't hospitable to what appear to be efforts to game the Wikipedia process in order to create a vanity "article" about oneself. Just tell us, IN FIRST PERSON, who this Martin Callan bloke is and what he hopes to do here. What are your affiliations, loyalties, prejudices, antipathies; what kind of editing philosophy do you have; regarding what subjects do you hope to improve our coverage; in what ways do you think we need to modify our contents, practices, etc.? --Orange Mike | Talk 16:55, 11 November 2011 (UTC)

US Navy Submarines- esp. Sea Dog and Tusk

I have original photos that belonged to my dad who served on Golet, Sea Dog and Tusk. Sea Dog was rammed and deck guns, conning tower severely damaged, almost sunk. Would photos be of interest? Not mentioned in article. Also- Tusk was used to tap into underwater Soviet cables during the Cold War. Again, not mentioned. Niteshft (talk) 20:09, 11 November 2011 (UTC)

If you can cite reliable sources for information about the subs, then you are welcome to edit the article and add the information; but if the information is from personal knowledge or unpublished sources, it is not verifiable and must not be included in the article.
Photos illustrating articles are always welcome, provided their copyright status is acceptable. It sounds as if you own the copyright to the photos, in which case you can donate them to the project. WP:Image tutorial will explain how you can actually add them to the article. --ColinFine (talk) 01:00, 12 November 2011 (UTC)

November 12

Operation Homefront

I would like to correct the entry regarding the founding of Operation Homefront. How do I go about that? 66.82.9.80 (talk) 22:33, 12 November 2011 (UTC)

Anybody is welcome to improve Wikipedia: if you have information to add to Operation Homefront that is referenced to an independent reliable source, please do add it, particularly since the only reference currently given for its foundation is from what appears to be a non-independent source. However, if the information you have is from personal knowledge or unpublished sources, please do not add it, as material in Wikipedia articles is required to be verifiable. --ColinFine (talk) 00:40, 13 November 2011 (UTC)
If you are unsure how to add your material, or to cite your sources, or if you think it might be considered controversial by other editors, it would be best to start a new section on the article's talk page discussing what you want to add. --ColinFine (talk) 00:40, 13 November 2011 (UTC)
See Help:Using talk pages and Wikipedia:Conflict of interest. Your clear conflict of interest had a strong negative effect on your article edit which was very inappropriate. You should make suggestions on the talk page instead. Suggestions should be based on verifiable published reliable sources and not your personal knowledge and experiences. See Wikipedia:Biographies of living persons and note that it also applies to talk pages. Some of the allegations against named people you made in the article shouldn't be made on the talk page either. Wikipedia is not the place to reveal alleged misdeeds of people you had a conflict with. PrimeHunter (talk) 00:37, 13 November 2011 (UTC)

November 13

Jesus Christ Superstar Original Australian Cast Recording

There appears to be an inconsistency on the page Jesus Christ Superstar Original Australian Cast Recording, which lists John Farnham as Jesus in the principal cast, although the list of the stage recording lists Trevor White. I believe Trevor White actually was the original stage Jesus. John Farnham sang the part of Jesus in the 1992 production (noted in the John Farnham page).

I have no idea how to go about editing this

14.200.4.201 (talk) 00:48, 13 November 2011 (UTC)

(Link to the article: Jesus Christ Superstar (Original Australian Cast Recording)). If you have a reliable source for the information, you can just edit it. However, I have just proposed the article for deletion, as it makes no claim as to the importance of the album, and cites no independent sources for it. --ColinFine (talk) 12:12, 13 November 2011 (UTC)

Regarding Licenses / Copyright of old/existing images

Hi, I have been a regular viewer of Wikipedia and have been using it for updating my knowledge base since last 3 years. However I am a relatively new as a contributor to wiki database. I uploaded few pics to Wiki database yesterday with an intent to add more information and knowledge about those places. All those images are old and free on other public forum. There are no copyrights associated with them. On the contrary, I recieved updates from wiki on missing licenses for those.

Its more likely that I might not be following appropriate methods/steps for uploading images in Wiki.

Any kind of help regd this will be highly appreciated.

Thanks, Sid — Preceding unsigned comment added by Sidghosh (talkcontribs) 05:23, 13 November 2011 (UTC)

Have you read the links provided to you on your talk page? See Wikipedia:File copyright tags and Wikipedia:Image use policy for starters. - David Biddulph (talk) 05:30, 13 November 2011 (UTC)
Define "old and free" and what you mean when you say "there are no copyrights associated with them"? Most things are copyrighted except when in the public domain, either because expired, or voluntary released, or otherwise. (Public domain is not to be confused with 'publicly available'). Copyright and intellectual property rights are independent of licensing, and that a file doesn't have explicit licensing terms doesn't mean it is not copyrighted, in fact it is probably an indication that it is indeed copyrighted and under a restrictive license.
Rule of thumb : when you take files that do not belong to you from the internet or other medias, you should always assume they are copyrighted and under a restrictive license unless explicitly labeled otherwise. Best regards, CharlieEchoTango (talk) 06:57, 13 November 2011 (UTC)

How to translate an article:

How does one go about properly translating an article? For instance, when I find an article needing translation, do I simply edit it and replace the untranslated text with the translated text? Do I create a new article that is the translated version? I'm not sure as to what I should do, and I haven't found anything in the Help Pages.

Please notify me on my talk page.

Person1235 (talk) 20:47, 12 November 2011 (UTC)

Does Wikipedia:Translation help? – ukexpat (talk) 18:21, 14 November 2011 (UTC)

IHRM

SCOPE OF INTERNATIONAL HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT — Preceding unsigned comment added by 27.57.188.28 (talk) 15:07, 14 November 2011 (UTC)

Did you have a question about editing and finding your way around Wikipedia? And please stop SHOUTING. - David Biddulph (talk) 16:55, 14 November 2011 (UTC)

November 15

GWTW

I am writing a paper for a college class in Film. My paper is about GWTW and Wikipedia is always very helpful, even though I am not allowed to reference any wiki's. After a number of years, I have just found my first mistake. In the list of actresses who wanted the part you have listed Barbara Striesand. She is younger than I am, and GWTW was filmed befor I was born. (Yeah, that makes me 70, the oldesr college freshman in existane today.) — Preceding unsigned comment added by 68.3.250.236 (talk) 03:09, 15 November 2011 (UTC)

I guess "GWTW" is Gone with the Wind. I don't see mention of "Barbara Striesand" or other actresses who wanted the part there. Are you referring to Scarlett O'Hara#Other actresses considered for Scarlett? I don't see a "Barbara Striesand" (I guess Barbra Streisand) there either. The closest name is Barbara Stanwyck (born 1907). Did you confuse the two? If not then please link to the page where you see Barbara Striesand or a name resembling that. PrimeHunter (talk) 04:01, 15 November 2011 (UTC)

Please help me

Erpert thinks I'm a sock-puppet for only being at AFDs. I am only at AFDs because I am a fan of deletion discussions, and I am not a sockpuppet. I like contributing to articles that are nominated for deletion. Please STOP this user. --Madison-chan (talk) 02:55, 15 November 2011 (UTC)

I suggest you respond to MuZemike's message on your talk page. -- John of Reading (talk) 08:12, 15 November 2011 (UTC)

Parasite

Trichonympha collaris, one of the symbiotic parasites living in the gut of termites, converts the cellulose that the termites eat to simple carbohydrates so they can be digested by the termites. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 124.6.181.199 (talk) 07:10, 15 November 2011 (UTC)

Do you have a question about using or editing Wikipedia? -- John of Reading (talk) 08:06, 15 November 2011 (UTC)

reliable sources language

I tried to place an article on Wikipedia and I received an email saying that I have to point a reliable source to confirm the information I wrote. Can the source be in Hebrew? How I have to use these sources, where to indicate it or to whom I have to send it? should it be a link or can it be PDF file?

Thank you in advance, Shirley — Preceding unsigned comment added by 192.116.198.2 (talk) 11:28, 15 November 2011 (UTC)

I am surprised if you have received an e-mail on this subject. Normally a notice would be placed on your user talk page. The main guidance is at WP:RS. The main thing is that the source should have been published, so that it is verifiable. Whereas it is preferable that it be in English, if necessary you can refer to published sources in another language, but when using a foreign language source as a reference it is useful to give a translation. - David Biddulph (talk) 11:45, 15 November 2011 (UTC)

The logo shown on this page is not current: <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Boeing-Logo.svg> It is NO LONGER used in two colors as shown. The circle in the symbol is too thin.

See this site for current reference: <http://boeing.com/companyoffices/aboutus/corpid/>

130.76.96.144 (talk) 17:58, 15 November 2011 (UTC)Boeing Employee

More Famous People From Binghamton, Ny

Hey I'm An Official Binghamtonian I should say. I was born and raised on the South Side Of Binghamton for 30 years, so I know what I'm talking about when it comes to my home. As far as the Art Section Goes, You should look into Rod Serling (Creator of the Original Twilight Zone), And Tony Monforte (Awesome Jazz Drummer and one of my best friend's father, who subsequently is an awesome heavy metal drummer himself, Pat "The Cat" Monforte). Just trying to add some more spice to the article. Gager23 (talk) 21:03, 15 November 2011 (UTC)

If you can find some reliable sources that say that these people are from Binghamton, you are welcome to add them to the article (with citations to the sources). If you are relying only on personal knowledge, then please don't add them: information in Wikipedia is required to be verifiable. --ColinFine (talk) 22:50, 15 November 2011 (UTC)

November 16

No edit summary or save tab

I am a newbie editor. I logged in and watched the tutorial about editing. (Edit tab, change, edit summary, save). But the page had no edit summary or save tabs. How can I save the edit? I find all the instructions overwhelmingly complex. E.g. it says below that I must post only encyclopedic information that can be verified, and must maintain an unbiased point of view. Isn't that an oxymoron? I hope this post is sufficiently neutral. Plumitife (talk) 00:25, 16 November 2011 (UTC)

Which page were you trying to edit? Are you saying that you had an edit button, but that after hitting that you couldn't see a save buuton or an edit summary box? Are you sure that you scrolled far enough down the page to see those below the edit box? Why not try again at the page on which you were experimenting a year ago: Wikipedia:Tutorial/Editing/sandbox. - David Biddulph (talk) 02:15, 16 November 2011 (UTC)
You saved your edit here and it's supposed to work the same way on all pages. Just to be clear, did you click an edit link in the tutorial and get an edit page with a box where you could write text? The edit summary box and Save page button are only on edit pages.
Somebody made a similar sounding report at Wikipedia:Village pump (technical)#Often get no bottom tabs (save/preview) upon "editing". Do you have Firefox 8? Does it vary whether you see an edit summary box and Save page button?
Note that "Please maintain a neutral, unbiased point of view" has a link on "neutral". Click it to see more. Words in Wikipedia are often linked to a page with more information. PrimeHunter (talk) 03:19, 16 November 2011 (UTC)

question about undoing a redirect

Hi, I apologise, but someone did answer part of this question for me a few months ago but I cannot find the answer in the archives. I want to do the following:

(1) To remove the redirect from the current "public archaeology" page (it now directs to "community archaeology") then, (2) To post a new article to the "public archaeology" page.

If there are already FAQs that answer this, I couldn't find them (though they may be there!). I know there is a wizard for creating a totally new article, but I don't think this would apply, would it? If I just want to post an article to an existing page, which at the moment has no "real" content? Many thanks, and again, apologies for bothering you again. Webarchaeology (talk) —Preceding undated comment added 19:04, 16 November 2011 (UTC).

Public archaeology, then hit the "Public archeology" link it the small print at the top of the page, then hit the edit tab, and replace what's there by what you feel ought to be there. I trust that you've read the discussion at Talk:Community archaeology? Your previous question and answer were at Wikipedia:New contributors' help page/Archive/2011/September#Wish to create page with name that is already being used. - David Biddulph (talk) 19:20, 16 November 2011 (UTC)

This is very helpful, thank you! — Preceding unsigned comment added by Webarchaeology (talkcontribs) 21:52, 16 November 2011 (UTC)

Sons of Anarchy

Sons of Anarchy comments: Tara: "Tara has her left hand broken during a fight." Clay: Under Clay Morrow, season four, it says Tara has her left hand injured. I believe the correct hand is right.

oldretrobiker99.173.26.182 (talk) 23:18, 16 November 2011 (UTC)

Clay Morrow (edit | talk | history | protect | delete | links | watch | logs | views)
Since the entire section has no sources to say where the information has come from, I have removed the word "left" from "left hand". Any editor may challenge and remove unsourced text - see WP:BURDEN - but please only change this to "right hand" if you can find a reliable source to confirm it. -- John of Reading (talk) 08:15, 17 November 2011 (UTC)

November 17

c

how to implement the atoi function — Preceding unsigned comment added by 180.151.32.98 (talk) 06:37, 17 November 2011 (UTC)

You could ask this question at the Computing reference desk, but I suspect that they won't do your homework for you. -- John of Reading (talk) 08:06, 17 November 2011 (UTC)

Is my contribution OK now?

Hi, I get an error message about missing references on an article I just wrote (Jeppe Riddervold). I have added the available references, but the error still shows up. What am I doing wrong? Camillaley (talk) 10:50, 17 November 2011 (UTC)

'Maniac'

The song, 'Maniac', was co-written by Dennis Matkosky and Michael Sembelllo — Preceding unsigned comment added by 69.245.52.93 (talk) 14:25, 17 November 2011 (UTC)

That's what it says in the infobox on Maniac (song) (apart from the extra l). What was your question? - David Biddulph (talk) 15:18, 17 November 2011 (UTC)

citation needed

how do you citate things?http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Wikipedia:New_contributors%27_help_page/questions&action=edit&section=new&editintro=Wikipedia:New+contributors'+help+page/editintro#http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Wikipedia:New_contributors%27_help_page/questions&action=edit&section=new&editintro=Wikipedia:New+contributors'+help+page/editintro#http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Wikipedia:New_contributors%27_help_page/questions&action=edit&section=new&editintro=Wikipedia:New+contributors'+help+page/editintro#http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Wikipedia:New_contributors%27_help_page/questions&action=edit&section=new&editintro=Wikipedia:New+contributors'+help+page/editintro#http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Wikipedia:New_contributors%27_help_page/questions&action=edit&section=new&editintro=Wikipedia:New+contributors'+help+page/editintro#http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Wikipedia:New_contributors%27_help_page/questions&action=edit&section=new&editintro=Wikipedia:New+contributors'+help+page/editintro#http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Wikipedia:New_contributors%27_help_page/questions&action=edit&section=new&editintro=Wikipedia:New+contributors'+help+page/editintro#http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Wikipedia:New_contributors%27_help_page/questions&action=edit&section=new&editintro=Wikipedia:New+contributors'+help+page/editintro# — Preceding unsigned comment added by 96.24.79.23 (talk) 22:13, 17 November 2011 (UTC)

The word isn't "citate"; it is "cite". See WP:CITE and WP:Referencing for beginners. I don't know what you were trying to do with the repeated link above. - David Biddulph (talk) 05:12, 18 November 2011 (UTC)

November 18

Moved page into article space but does not appear when searched

Hello! I created a page in my user space and moved it a couple days ago to the article space, I think. I followed the directions on the help page and when I am logged in the wikipedia, the article comes up when I search the title (Islamic Extremism in the United States). But today I tried to search for the article when I was not logged in and it did not appear. The links I placed on other pages still take a user to the article. I am not sure what the problem is or what to do about it. Thanks for any help! --Cbales212 (talk) 05:14, 18 November 2011 (UTC)

Problem No More

I just tried again and was able to locate the article while I was not signed in. I don't know if I did something or it was a fluk, but it seems I no longer have a problem :) --Cbales212 (talk) 05:32, 18 November 2011 (UTC)

This is usual; see this help section. -- John of Reading (talk) 07:53, 18 November 2011 (UTC)

replacing a photo on a wiki page about me

I have posted a more recent photo of myself (my own photo) and edited the page replacing the old photo with a newer one uploaded to google docs, permission to everyone. The link to the photo is here. and the Wiki page I have edited is here. My changes have not appeared. What am I doing incorrectly? Thanks, Jonathan Kaye — Preceding unsigned comment added by Malapiedi (talkcontribs) 10:21, 18 November 2011 (UTC)

In your edits today at File:JonathanKaye(ScreenCapEdit).JPG you have changed the information and licensing fields, but you haven't updated a new version of the photo. You need to go to the link at the bottom of that page where it says "Upload a new version of this file". I don't know about other people, but I can't get anywhere with the google docs link you posted above, or that quoted in the information field on the File: page. When you do get the new photo uploaded, please remember to update the caption on the article page. - David Biddulph (talk) 11:52, 18 November 2011 (UTC)

help me

can i post some steps to create a quiz game in macromedia flash 8? — Preceding unsigned comment added by Sidd20dhawan (talkcontribs) 15:17, 18 November 2011 (UTC)

Probably not; WP:NOTAMANUAL. - David Biddulph (talk) 16:15, 18 November 2011 (UTC)

Donation suggestion, maybe you might of had a similar idea...

Hi my name is Vladimir Andriyenko. Look, I respect the policies of Wikipedia, but let’s imagine that people have no knowledge on how to help and are unfortunate enough to also not have the means. What I’m asking of you as a request and a suggestion:

Could you make one single page filled with publicity with no empty space, and a counter of 30 sec or the time required to keep it open? SO it could be an alternative way of helping the cause. SO those kinds of people can at least donate 30 sec of their free time.

Please, give me a straight answer if it won’t be considered or it will be thought into. English isn’t my main language Please excuse me if I made any mistakes... 201.132.183.248 (talk) 18:34, 18 November 2011 (UTC)

Ok, I'll give you a straight answer : no. See WP:PEREN#Advertising for the rationale behind this. Cheers, CharlieEchoTango (talk) 06:32, 19 November 2011 (UTC)
Sorry, looks like I was worring for nothing, Good luck in your work! — Preceding unsigned comment added by 201.132.183.248 (talk) 16:54, 19 November 2011 (UTC)
Nothing to be sorry about, it is a commonly made suggestion, and your heart is in the right place! Best regards, :) CharlieEchoTango (talk) 17:26, 19 November 2011 (UTC)

November 19

Creating new article

How to create a new article for the first time?Ajay Gondaliya (talk) 06:27, 19 November 2011 (UTC)

See Wikipedia:Your first article. I've left you some other handy links on your talk page. -- John of Reading (talk) 08:16, 19 November 2011 (UTC)

Glenn Hearn,along with four other men, represented Madison County, Alabama, in the State House of Representatives from 1970-1974. George Wallace was Governor during that period. Hearn was known to be a strong supporter of Wallace, having traveled with Wallace and his campaign staff when he made his presidential run in 1968.

None of the other Madison County representatives had any more than a neutral relationship with the Wallace administration, and some were considered hostile to it. Hearn was able to use his Wallace connnection to get a spot on the powerful House Rules Committee, and also gained the Wallace's ear on matters effecting Huntsville and Madison County. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 72.148.28.175 (talk) 16:05, 19 November 2011 (UTC)

I think you are suggesting an addition to the article Glenn Hearn. If you can cite reliable sources which support the information you want to add, you are welcome to edit the article. If you haven't got sources for it, you might like to start a discussion on the article's |talk page, and others interested in the article may work with you to find sources. --ColinFine (talk) 17:49, 19 November 2011 (UTC)

November 20

Random Article Personalization

I am wondering if there is a way to specify the types of "random" articles Wikipedia displays, perhaps by category?

Often times I have to click through 15-20 random articles before I find something I'm interested in.

I know this defeats the purpose of having a "random article" option, but being able to select "science" specific categories, and then Chemistry/Biology/physics etc., or "business" specific categories, and then Entrepreneurship, Marketing, Finance, etc. would be an amazing tool, if it doesn't already exist.

I hate to compare, but stumbleupon.com has done a great job of this and it makes every click a more valuable and a better use of time...

Anyway, if anyone knows if this is available or in the hopper, please let me know.

-EH — Preceding unsigned comment added by Hitchman35 (talkcontribs) 01:49, 20 November 2011 (UTC)

See this tool. Happy reading/editing! CharlieEchoTango (talk) 01:57, 20 November 2011 (UTC)

Contribution to name dispute

I've just created a user account in order to join an ongoing name dispute. I've spent half an hour trying to work out how/where to comment, without success. I only have an iPhone to work from - could that be the problem? Please notify me on my talk page. Thank you.Descubridorperdido (talk) 13:47, 13 November 2011 (UTC)

Which name dispute? PrimeHunter (talk) 14:38, 13 November 2011 (UTC)
Are you using the iPhone app? That's fine for reading, but to edit (and go to non-encyclopia pages, I believe) you need to go to Wikipedia via a browser (I use Safari) -- PhantomSteve.alt/talk\[alternative account of Phantomsteve] 07:22, 20 November 2011 (UTC)

November 14

Layman addendum to medical page

Hello, I want to include an addendum to a medical Wiki page. Clearly, every entry on that page includes citations in support of each statement. I am a layman who was diagnosed by a doctor and two specialists as having the relevant condition, considered - in essence - incurable. I have recently been confirmed as being symptom-free. I want to draw professional (and patient) attention to the treatment which it appears effected the cure, in hopes that clinical trials may follow. I appreciate that, in essence, this makes my information 'anecdotal'. I would include the following points: 1) there was no biopsy performed, since the symptoms were typical. 2) the treatment is readily available, inexpensive, and I stand to make no money from it (nor in any significant sense, does anyone else). I am concerned about whether the 'encyclopedic content' verification proviso. If this or any other protocol would prohibit my making such an addendum, or if there is any approved manner in which I may include this recommendation, would you kindly let me know? Thank you. Delebirate (talk) 09:16, 19 November 2011 (UTC)

You are correct; anecdotal or personal knowledge should not be added to a Wikipedia article. Before your experiences could be mentioned here, they would have to be published in a reliable source. -- John of Reading (talk) 12:08, 19 November 2011 (UTC)
If you want professional attention to it, your best bet would be to persuade your doctor and the specialists to either write a paper about it in a recognised medical journal, or for them to contact a relevant person/body to do formal research into it, which would then be written up. As John says, anecdotal evidence is insufficient -- PhantomSteve.alt/talk\[alternative account of Phantomsteve] 07:15, 20 November 2011 (UTC)

WikiProject banners

I could really use some help adding WikiProject banners (more specifically, these) to the talk page of a newly created page. I have no idea how to do the ratings, and am not even sure if they should be added. Don't blame me, I'm a newbie. Anyway, help would be appreciated. Norvegia suecica (talk) 18:32, 20 November 2011 (UTC)

And now it's been solved. Awesome. Norvegia suecica (talk) 19:01, 20 November 2011 (UTC)
I created a basic stub to the talk page with a couple of appropriate Wikiprojects that I think certainly apply in this case. In terms of how to evaluate what kind of classification an article is in terms of quality or importance, it is something very subjective but typically can be changed easily so it isn't really critical you get it right the first time. Calling something a "start class article", particularly for something new, is a very reasonable thing to do at the beginning.
Pages like this are pretty typical for most Wikiprojects, at least in terms of evaluating the quality of the article Wikipedia:WikiProject_Sweden/Assessment#Quality_scale
Read through the guidelines on each project, but on the whole the standards are pretty typical across all Wikiprojects on Wikipedia. The purpose of this kind of evaluation is to help identify articles related to that project, and potentially identify what may be useful in terms of bringing in additional editors for cleaning up that article. Please evaluate other articles as you see them and add these banners where appropriate. Thank you for even taking the time to look at this kind of article evaluation, as this is something which in the long run does make Wikipedia a better project. --Robert Horning (talk) 19:03, 20 November 2011 (UTC)

November 21

Looking to get involved

Could someone give me an overview of where the important things happen on Wikipedia so I can be mindful of them?

Thank you,

Elisabeth — Preceding unsigned comment added by LastSeaOtter (talkcontribs) 01:23, 21 November 2011 (UTC)

Wikipedia is a big place with millions of articles and a lot of discussions. Users are interested in different things. For ongoing discussions with a wide impact, see Wikipedia:Centralized discussion. PrimeHunter (talk) 01:34, 21 November 2011 (UTC)
There are many places where "important things happen" on Wikipedia. One of the most important things you can do is to improve articles (this is an Encyclopedia, after all!) - a good place to look for useful things to be done is Wikipedia:Community portal/Opentask -- PhantomSteve.alt/talk\[alternative account of Phantomsteve] 05:18, 21 November 2011 (UTC)

Proper formatting for citations?

Hi there, I have found the procedure for writing references to be a bit complex and have noticed a few tutorials on here say not to worry too much about properly formatting one's citations, (as long as they're there & are proper sources). What do other editors think about this? I have mostly been using the format of "title. author. date. url" for many of my inline citations, although I doubt that is the correct format. Do you think it is imperative that I do more research on the precise conventions for formatting different types of citations and try to make them as correct as possible? Or do you think it is ok if I don't worry about it too much? (with the reasoning that it will require I spend a lot more time reading & formatting & therefore the amount of edits I am able to make will go down, plus if someone who knows more about references cares they will likely come along and format them properly anyway?) Thanks for your help & input! :-) --MsBatfish (talk) 09:55, 15 November 2011 (UTC)

Just in case it wasn't clear, I do know how to do the ref tags for inline citations, I just don't know exactly how I am supposed to write what goes inside the tags, exactly what info to include & in what order, whether some things are supposed to have italics, & so on. MsBatfish (talk) 09:59, 15 November 2011 (UTC)
A good thing to look at is the citation template, which you place between the reference tags like:
<ref>{{citation|url=http://www.example.com|title=example|accessdate=15 November 2011}}</ref> for a website reference.
--Mrmatiko (talk) 16:14, 15 November 2011 (UTC)

Sorry for the delayed response, I haven't been on Wikipedia since you answered this question. Thanks for the help Mrmatiko :-) Maybe I am just blind cuz I didn't realize before that there were templates for the different types of citations, lol. I do still wonder what to do when it is sort of a mix of types, for example, say it is a book (or an article or report, etc) but you just have the url for a site that contains some or all of the content? Would that just be "book template, url"? And what do you do if you want to use the same source multiple places in one article? Like say you would like to put an inline citation on line 7 and line 35 of an article, and they are both from the same source? So far I have just been repeating the reference. MsBatfish (talk) 22:27, 20 November 2011 (UTC)

What you need is Wikipedia:Referencing for beginners#Same reference used more than once. - David Biddulph (talk) 02:11, 21 November 2011 (UTC)
... and you'll find more details on the different types of citation template at Wikipedia:Citation templates. - David Biddulph (talk) 02:15, 21 November 2011 (UTC)
Thanks David Biddulph --MsBatfish (talk) 11:49, 23 November 2011 (UTC)

Guitarist on Beau Dollar's ( Soul Serenade)

Chuck Sullivan from Cincinnati, Ohio. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 74.215.217.219 (talk) 18:18, 21 November 2011 (UTC)

Do you have a reliable source for that? – ukexpat (talk) 19:25, 21 November 2011 (UTC)

November 22

Pictures to be uploaded

Hi, I would like to change the image for Singapore Aviation Academy in Wikipedia. I went to http://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Upload&uselang=ownwork to try to upload a picture however it is taking too long to load. The picture is 202kb and it is a newly shot picture. There is no copyright issues. Please advice. Ruwan.caas (talk) 06:31, 23 November 2011 (UTC)

You say there are no copyright issues but how do you know that? Did you take the picture yourself? If not, do you have a release from the copyright owner that complies with Wikipedia's licensing requirements? – ukexpat (talk) 14:47, 23 November 2011 (UTC)

Insertion of image in an article.

I want to insert a photo and a three view elevation drawing of an aircraft in an article. How do I do this?90.217.17.181 (talk) 10:52, 23 November 2011 (UTC)

Try reading WP:IMAGES for starters. - David Biddulph (talk) 10:59, 23 November 2011 (UTC)

Possible small correction to an article.

I think I have found a small error in an article on Types of Volcanic Eruptions.

Eruptions near subducting zones, meanwhile, are driven by subducting plates that adds volatiles to the rising plate, raising its melting point.

I think it should be lowering instead of raising. Is there a way of asking for another opinion before correcting the article in case I am actually wrong? 174.119.101.133 (talk) 14:46, 23 November 2011 (UTC)

Hi there! I think the best thing to do would be to raise the matter with Resident Mario (talk · contribs), who has written most of the article, or to post your message directly on the article's talk page. Cheers, CharlieEchoTango (talk) 14:53, 23 November 2011 (UTC)

Smokey Stover

Smokey Stover (edit | talk | history | protect | delete | links | watch | logs | views)

Foo, as used in the comic strip, was not the origin of FUBAR. The acronym FUBAR came from the phrase "F---ed Up Beyond All Recognition." 69.74.23.2 (talk) 15:32, 23 November 2011 (UTC)

I removed that sentence from the article as it was unsourced speculation, and not supported by FUBAR. – ukexpat (talk) 16:55, 23 November 2011 (UTC)

November 23

November 24

My Watchlist

I have just registered and would like to begin by adding several Wikipedia discussions to my watch list. I notice that I have a 'My Watchlist' but I can find no button on the article that puts it there. How can I add to 'My Watchlist'? — Preceding unsigned comment added by Christian gedge (talkcontribs) 08:29, 24 November 2011 (UTC)

On some of the older versions of the Wikipedia interface there was a tab sensibly labelled "Watch", but if you have the newer interface it is the star in the row of tabs at the top; click the star and it will change from white to blue to indicate that the page has been added to your watchlist. I don't know how you were supposed to guess that! Full marks for a user-friendly HCI? - David Biddulph (talk) 09:05, 24 November 2011 (UTC)
You can read more about it at Help:Watching pages. -- John of Reading (talk) 09:08, 24 November 2011 (UTC)

Ah, the star! Of course. How could I have missed that? Christian gedge (talk) 16:55, 24 November 2011 (UTC)

wiki page already exists

what can i do...i am trying to make a wiki page but the title i want and need is already taken, what can i do?Kaiserb34 (talk) 10:08, 24 November 2011 (UTC)

Your starting point is to read Wikipedia:Disambiguation. If you are still confused, come back and tell us the name of the existing page, and tell us what topic you are wanting to cover. Also, please remember that there is a difference between Wiki and Wikipedia; there are many wikis, of which Wikipedia is one. - David Biddulph (talk) 11:34, 24 November 2011 (UTC)

Adding picture

How do i add a picture to my wikipedia page? — Preceding unsigned comment added by 94.13.161.157 (talk) 21:15, 24 November 2011 (UTC)

Start by reading WP:Images. - David Biddulph (talk) 04:08, 25 November 2011 (UTC)
... and if you are talking about Wikipedia talk:Articles for creation/Full Support Healthcare, you need to read at least WP:CORP, WP:BFAQ, and WP:COPYVIO. - David Biddulph (talk) 04:21, 25 November 2011 (UTC)

November 25

Uploading a picture

Hello

I am a new user here, i having trouble to upload a picture on my contribution. can somebody help me with this. Because it is very hard to search for a solution from reading the procedures because it is long and complicated — Preceding unsigned comment added by Randyorton86 (talkcontribs) 06:36, 25 November 2011 (UTC)

Yusof Haslam (edit | talk | history | protect | delete | links | watch | logs | views)
It depends which picture you are planning to use:
  • The pictures from www.sinemamalaysia.com.my are almost certainly copyrighted and cannot be used to illustrate the Wikipedia article.
  • If you have taken a picture yourself then you can upload it to Wikimedia Commons using this form.
  • If you are planning to use the picture from the Malaysian Wikipedia article, then be patient - I have tagged it to be moved to Wikimedia Commons, and once that is done it can be used in the article.
Feel free to ask more questions here, as these help pages are complicated! -- John of Reading (talk) 09:17, 25 November 2011 (UTC)

Reverse page merge

Hi, I want to delete a redundant page but it has been merged with another page. How do I reverse or cancel the merge in order to delete the first page? Spectatored (talk) 13:02, 25 November 2011 (UTC)

Without knowing the articles involved, I can only give general advice. As a rule, it's best to discuss it on the talk page of the page it was merged to and get consensus to 'unmerge'. -- PhantomSteve.alt/talk\[alternative account of Phantomsteve] 13:19, 25 November 2011 (UTC)

lost draft

Yesterday, at the Articles for Creation page, i saved a draft for an article entitled Mickelia. I intended to finish the article today, but it appears to be lost. Is it possible to find out whether it still exists somewhere where i can not find it? 66.91.103.214 (talk) 21:14, 25 November 2011 (UTC)

You have edited Wikipedia talk:Articles for creation/''Mickelia'' since posting here, so you must have found it. -- John of Reading (talk) 22:15, 25 November 2011 (UTC)

Thank you for answering. I did eventually find it.66.91.103.214 (talk) 00:37, 26 November 2011 (UTC)

November 26

New Article

If have read that their must already be publications on a certain topic, so it is accepted as Wikipedia article. Does this mean, if I have something significant, although not yet notable, I have to look for other ways to publish it, hoping that other people will publish (not on Wikipedia) on the same topic and then go back to Wikipedia to create an article. The topic I would like to write about is the fact the many people are interested in sustainability. It seems to be that a new "Generation S" is currently developing, but maybe Wikipedia is not the right place to discuss and shape this topic. Comments? Peter.klement (talk) 04:51, 23 November 2011 (UTC)

Thanks for asking before just creating an article! You are quite right, Wikipedia is not the venue you are looking for. What you are talking about would count as original research. To have an article in Wikipedia, a subject needs to have received non-trivial coverage in multiple independent sources which would be counted as reliable. Unfortunately I cannot advise you on other suitable places (although this may have somewhere suitable ) -- PhantomSteve.alt/talk\[alternative account of Phantomsteve] 05:30, 23 November 2011 (UTC)
You may also wish to read the (somewhat cynical) essay "Up-and-coming Next Big Thing". Wikipedia is not where notability is established, it is where the already-notable is explained. --Orange Mike | Talk 17:14, 28 November 2011 (UTC)

Oscar Robertson Photo

Why doesn't someone post a photo of Oscar in his prime? — Preceding unsigned comment added by 173.84.186.43 (talk) 20:38, 26 November 2011 (UTC)

Why don't you? If you find one with an acceptable license (most photos do not have that) then you can create a Wikimedia Commons account at http://commons.wikimedia.org and upload images at commons:Special:UploadWizard. I have added commons:File:Oscar Robertson Statue.jpg to his Wikipedia biography.[2] PrimeHunter (talk) 22:44, 26 November 2011 (UTC)

November 27

November 28

information about volleyball

hello. i would like to know who invented jump service in volley ball and which year? if you can please mail me . my mailed is [details removed] and also i need 1958 Asian games held in Tokyo, Japan photos and videos,,, .. thanking you zeraj — Preceding unsigned comment added by 117.214.19.66 (talk) 16:27, 28 November 2011 (UTC)

I have removed your email address to protect your privacy; answers are given on this page. I suggest you ask this question again at the Entertainment reference desk, as some of the volunteers there enjoy sports questions and may be able to help. -- John of Reading (talk) 17:08, 28 November 2011 (UTC)

how to fix the title of an article ...

greetings,

how does one fix a typo in a title of an article ...

it is easy to edit in the body but i am asking about the main title

thank you — Preceding unsigned comment added by CJCTCRL (talkcontribs) 19:12, 28 November 2011 (UTC)

You change the title of an article by moving the page. --ColinFine (talk) 19:57, 28 November 2011 (UTC)

How do I close my wikipedia account?

I wanted to post an article for a company I worked for. I was "encouraged" by wikipedia to open a user account but then the article was deleted due to "conflict of interests". Now I want to delete this account which is not really needed and not going to be used. How do I do that? — Preceding unsigned comment added by Weinamerica (talkcontribs) 22:23, 28 November 2011 (UTC)

The easiest thing for both you and Wikipedia is to just stop using the account. Accounts cannot be deleted but see Wikipedia:Courtesy vanishing if you want the username to not be associated with the edits. PrimeHunter (talk) 00:22, 29 November 2011 (UTC)

November 29

Changing Username?

I tried to use the username "LB" to sign up, but it told me it was in use. However, there is no user by the name of "LB". Is there a way I can have my username changed or make a new account with that name? I really do not like my current username. LB725C (talk) 05:11, 29 November 2011 (UTC)

That username has been registered, but it doesn't seem to have made any edits. You may be able to request a rename to that name. See Wikipedia:Changing username/Usurpations for more information. — Manticore 05:35, 29 November 2011 (UTC)
You can see registered usernames at Special:ListUsers. LB is registered [3] but it was before registration dates were stored. PrimeHunter (talk) 14:51, 29 November 2011 (UTC)

Negev error

Wiki,

I was on th page for "Negev", [en.Wikipedia.org/wiki/Negev] Looking for external links. The 4th external link on the list, "Israels Negev Desert," was a link I tried several times, [www.Negev.org/About/negev_desert.htm], & all I was able to get was an error code of "404-Not Found".

Thought you would like to know,

Kari Rothstein [details removed] — Preceding unsigned comment added by 68.4.236.98 (talk) 16:55, 29 November 2011 (UTC)

Negev (edit | talk | history | protect | delete | links | watch | logs | views)
Thank you for reporting this. A dead external link isn't much use, so I have removed it. I have also removed your email address here to protect your privacy. -- John of Reading (talk) 17:04, 29 November 2011 (UTC)

Citations

Hi. I am working in Wikiquote, and I have put two quotations, both from the same source but different pages. I have figured out how to do the first citation. I cannot figure out how to do the second. Should I do the second by just repeating all the information that's in the first, just with the different page number, or is there another way to do this.

Thank you for your help. Robyn42Robyn42 (talk) 16:45, 29 November 2011 (UTC)

This is Wikipedia, which is a different project from Wikiquote, and has different ways of doing things. q:Village Pump would appear to be the right place to ask. --ColinFine (talk) 20:42, 30 November 2011 (UTC)

How do I delete a revision in the history of an article???

CSXNS011 (talk) 21:20, 29 November 2011 (UTC)

I want to delete a revision. I undid the revision but the old revision is still there in history. — Preceding unsigned comment added by CSXNS011 (talkcontribs) 21:14, 29 November 2011 (UTC)

1. What article?
2. Why do you want the history removed? --Orange Mike | Talk 21:24, 29 November 2011 (UTC)
Orangemike, those questions are not really appropriate, because if this is a genuine case where oversight is needed,CSXNS011 may have good reason not to want to identify the article.
This is something that is not normally done. but if there are particular reasons (for example, the deleted revision contains private information), it is possible for certain administrators to remove the revision. Please see WP:OVERSIGHT for how to proceed. --ColinFine (talk) 23:22, 29 November 2011 (UTC)
  • I don't see why Orange Mike's questions are "inappropriate", I would say it's extremely important to have a good reason for deleting part of an article's editing history. If the reason in itself makes CSXNS011 uncomfortable in drawing attention to the article, he/she could always explain the situation in general terms without giving the article's name at this point. (But if there is a valid reason for deletion someone's going to have to know at some point in order to delete the revision). --MsBatfish (talk) 00:43, 30 November 2011 (UTC)
Looking at CSXNS011's contributions, they have only edited on article, Derail. Since they said they had undone the edit they wanted removed from the article history, I thought that might shed some light on the question. None of their edits on that article would meet any criteria to be removed from the history. GB fan 01:16, 30 November 2011 (UTC)
    • I figured if there was an actual sensitive issue, CSX could drop me an e-mail. If not, I'd get a clearer understanding of what she/he needed done and why. --Orange Mike | Talk 20:58, 30 November 2011 (UTC)

November 30

Are comparative anatomy articles "original research"?

I am working with students on a series of anatomical dissections of pigs and comparing the original photos of these dissections to original sketches of human anatomy (based on many verifiable anatomical reference sources). We will be writing text comparing the two using some available published animal anatomy books, but to the best of our knowledge, much of this will be new as this type of anatomical comparison is only partially available in the published literature. We would wholly own the images, so we would be free to publish them under creative commons, but my fundamental question is: is this "original research" and therefore unsuitable for wikipedia? It seems that it would be a useful reference, but in my reading of the guidelines, this seems to fall into a grey area. 72.37.244.180 (talk) 21:55, 30 November 2011 (UTC)

Yes, I believe it would be original research. See WP:SYNTHESIS. --ColinFine (talk) 00:05, 1 December 2011 (UTC)