How do I build an Authority in Wikipedia as a New User?

Wikipedia a site that needs no introduction, took the world by storm with its exceptional ability to withhold several worlds of knowledge that it is said to be a free digital encyclopedia. Perhaps the site’s most attractive feature was allowing common users to contribute and edit information on their website. This raised concerns among the institutions but also gave rise to ‘Wikipedians’. They are devoted volunteers contributing to improving and editing content on Wikipedia so that the most updated information is available to us.

As a new user, the concept of building authority in Wikipedia may sound new to you but it has been a common talk of the community. Having authority makes the information you contribute more reliable and credible to the community. This authority ensures more accurate articles with less spread of misinformation which directly affects the trust users put on the reputable website. In this blog, we shall discuss how a new user can build authority in Wikipedia.

Why is Authority important in Wikipedia?

Wikipedia is the biggest platform known to be a digital encyclopedia formed by a collaboration of the community. Knowing that anyone can edit and add information has made the website a target of ridicule more often. Hence the community trusts a more authoritative source making edits and writing articles on the website than a new user to control the transmission of misinformation and false facts. A new user needs to build authority so that the content is considered credible and useful for the readers.

Ways to Build Authority as a New User

A comprehensive guideline is all you need if you are looking to build authority in Wikipedia as you familiarize yourself with the community and make improvements to Wikipedia content.

Sign In

It’s not necessary to be logged in to the account when you are editing or writing on a Wikipedia page. The access to tools is almost exclusively open to everyone and anyone can make changes under an anonymous identity. But when you are looking to build your credibility and not just a casual surfer, it is crucial to be logged in so that your contributions can be recognized individually.

By logging into the account the security and privacy are further increased and more benefits and tools in terms of editing are unlocked as your account ages and edit counts surpass certain milestones. Creating a personal page or account can be challenging but another benefit of being an authoritative contributor is that it allows you to become a Wikipedia profile creator, enabling you to make multiple accounts.  It proves to be more helpful when you socialize in the forums and get to know the rest of the community.

Provide Edit Summaries

As you make edits and changes anywhere, be sure to leave clear and informative reasoning behind the edits so that other collaborators can better understand and review it. Changes with no backed reasoning are more likely to be reverted. Your edit summary can also help guide future edits and discussions as well. Wikipedia supports clear transparency and accountability policies in their editing process and the provided edit summaries directly contribute to that.

Edit in fields You Hold Knowledge In

Choose articles or topics you already have a good grasp on to edit. It is crucial to know what you are writing and possibly mention valid citations to ensure the relevance of the content. While editing the user needs to be mindful of the guidelines of Wikipedia as well. This helps you and the content both to improve well. Editing articles of your expertise will help you provide a more valid context in the edit summaries and increase its chances of not reverting.

Furthermore, you will be able to provide a more well-structured insight on the topics you know about. This may also allow other collaborators to learn from your editing approach and in case of editing clashes, you will have the upper hand to defend it well through knowledgeable context.

Talk Pages

Talk pages are administrative pages used by the collaborators for discussions. These discussions can be regarding the edits, reviews of edits, and potential ways to improve content in the future. Every article has its talk page that is accessible from the top of the Wikipedia page. These talk pages are crucial for collaborators to discuss, ask questions, and even co-author content for further edits.

Conclusion

Having authority marks your content and contribution to be credible and reliable. It helps the community to recognize you for your knowledgeable and meaningful contributions to a world-ranking website. This also aids in acquiring experience in writing on Wikipedia pages under strict policies and guidelines that one may also offer Wikipedia writing services to users looking to create their own Wikipedia pages.

Having a registered account and providing your valuable insights on Wikipedia is a great way to familiarize yourself with the community and further collaborate with them through talk pages and edit summaries to help provide your point of view into the context. By being mindful of the guidelines and patience, a new user will hopefully be able to acquire authority.