Wikipedia:Please do not bite the newcomers

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✔ This page documents an English Wikipedia behavioral guideline. It is a generally accepted standard that editors should follow, though it should be treated with common sense and the occasional exception. When editing this page, please ensure that your revision reflects consensus. When in doubt, discuss first on the talk page.
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This page in a nutshell: Do not be hostile toward newcomers. Remember to assume good faith first and approach them in a polite manner.
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Wikipedia articles improve not only through the hard work of regular editors but also through the often anonymous contributions of many newcomers. All of us were newcomers to editing Wikipedia at one time, and experienced editors are still newcomers, in ways, when they edit articles on topics outside their usual scope.

New contributors are prospective "members" and are therefore our most valuable resource. We must treat newcomers with kindness and patience — nothing scares potentially valuable contributors away faster than hostility. It is impossible for a newcomer to be completely familiar with the policies, standards, style, and community of Wikipedia (or of a certain topic) before they start editing. If any newcomer got all those things right, it would be by complete chance.

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[edit] Please DO NOT bite the newcomers

  • Understand that newcomers are both needed by and of value to the community. By empowering newcomers, we improve the diversity of knowledge, opinions and ideals on Wikipedia, enhance its value and preserve its neutrality and integrity as a resource. In fact, it has been found that newcomers are responsible for adding the majority of lasting content to Wikipedia (i.e. substantive edits). While insiders and administrators are responsible for a large bulk of total edits, these often involve tweaking, reverting, and rearranging content.[1]
  • Remember, our motto — and our invitation to the newcomer — is be bold. We have a set of rules and standards and traditions, but they must not be applied in such a way as to thwart newcomers who take that invitation at face value. It is entirely possible for a newcomer to this site to bring a wealth of experience from other venues, together with ideas and creative energy which, current rules and standards notwithstanding, may further improve our community and Wikipedia itself. It may be that the rules and standards need revising or expanding; some of what the newcomer seems to be doing "wrong" at first may actually improve Wikipedia. Observe for a while and, if necessary, ask what the newcomer is trying to achieve before defining what he or she is doing as "wrong" or "substandard".
  • If you do determine, or sincerely believe, a newcomer has made a mistake, such as forgetting to put book titles or the names of ships in italics, or failing to make useful links, try to correct the mistake yourself: do not slam the newcomer; remember, this is a place where anyone can edit and, in a very real sense, it is therefore each person's responsibility to edit, not to criticize or supervise others.
Do not bite the newcomers!
Do not bite the newcomers!
  • Remember that newcomers often do not realize that edit histories are saved. So when their edits are deleted, they may panic, start an edit war or leave Wikipedia because they mistakenly assume that hours of work have been irretrievably deleted. Please gently let newcomers know that their work is never lost and can always be retrieved from the history. Teach them that they can negotiate on talk pages and that if all else fails they can always revisit the article a few months later to negotiate with a new set of editors.
  • If you really feel that you must say anything at all to a newcomer about a mistake, please do so in a constructive way. Begin by introducing yourself with a greeting on the user's talk page to let them know that he or she is welcome here, and present your corrections calmly and as the contributor's peer, perhaps also pointing out things he or she has done that you like. If you cannot do that, then it may well be better to say nothing.
  • Other newcomers may be hesitant to make changes, especially major ones, such as NPOV-ing and moving, due to fear of damaging Wikipedia (or of offending other Wikipedians or being flamed). Teach them to be bold, and do not be annoyed by their "timidity".
  • While it is fine to point a new user, who has made a mistake, towards the relevant policy pages, it is both unreasonable and unfriendly to suggest that he or she stop taking part in votes, AfD discussions etc. until he or she "gains more experience." This both discourages new editors and may deprive WP of much needed insights.
  • When giving advice to newcomers, tone down the rhetoric a few notches from the usual mellow discourse that dominates Wikipedia. Make the newcomer feel genuinely welcome, not as though he or she must win your approval in order to be granted membership into an exclusive club. Any new domain of concentrated, special-purpose human activity has its own specialized strictures and structures, which take time to learn, and which benefit from periodic re-examination and revision.
  • Do not call newcomers disparaging names such as "sockpuppet" or "meatpuppet". If a lot of newcomers show up on one side of a vote, you should make them feel welcome while explaining that their votes may be disregarded. No name-calling is necessary.
  • Think hard before calling newcomers Single-purpose account
  • Sometimes users forget to use four tildes after talk page posts. You can make the reminder process a little easier and less annoying by using the following two templates. One can also use {{unsigned}} to fix those anonymous comments in the meantime.
  • Assume good faith on the part of the newcomer. He or she most likely wants to help out. Give him or her a chance!
  • Remember Hanlon's Razor. Behavior that appears malicious to experienced Wikipedians is more likely due to ignorance of our expectations and rules. Even if you're 100% sure that someone is a worthless, no-good, internet troll, vandal, or worse, conduct yourself as if he or she is not. By being calm, interested, and respectful, your dignity is augmented, and you further our project.
  • Remember that you were once a newcomer also. Treat others as (if possible, better than) you would want to be treated if you had just arrived at Wikipedia.
  • And remember, Don't bite, do what's right!

[edit] How to avoid being a "biter"

Newcomers' perspectives of how things should be handled inside Wikipedia largely will be from outside of Wikipedia. It's a jungle out there and it may take some time before a newcomer becomes accustomed to "how things work" here. Keeping that in mind may help you avoid becoming a biter. In addition, you may avoid being accused of being a "biter" by:

  1. Avoiding intensifiers in commentary (such words as terrible, dumb, stupid, bad, good, and so forth, and exclamation marks).
  2. Modulating one's approach and wording.
  3. Avoiding sarcasm in edit summaries and on talk pages, especially when reverting.
  4. Striving to respond in a measured manner.
  5. Accepting graciously another person's actions or inactions in a given situation or context.
  6. Acknowledging differing principles and a willingness to reach consensus.
  7. Opening oneself towards taking responsibility for resolution of conflicts.
  8. Reciprocating where necessary.
  9. Listening actively.
  10. Avoid Wikipedia jargon. When linking to policies or guidelines, do so in whole phrases, not wiki shorthand.
  11. Avoid using blocks as a first resort. Consider talking to a user before you block him or her.

Try to use standard welcome/warning messages, which are both cordial and correcting, such as those in the first two columns of the chart at Wikipedia:Template messages/User talk namespace#Warnings. Other greetings can be found at Wikipedia:Welcome templates.

Consciously choose the steadfast ground. Strive to be a responsible Wikipedian. By fostering goodwill, one will not provoke or be provoked easily, and will allow new Wikipedians to devote their time and resources towards building an encyclopedia that everyone is encouraged to improve.

[edit] Common newcomer errors

One common error among newcomers is to create an article in mainspace about themselves or their bands. One way to deal gently with this is to userfy the article, and leave a note saying why. {{nn-userfy}} is designed for use when userfying autobiographical articles. The remaining redirect can be flagged for deletion using {{Db-rediruser}}. Userfied articles on bands could be tagged with {{PROD}}, since they tend to hang around and Wikipedia is not MySpace.

[edit] Ignorantia juris may excuse

The principle "Ignorantia juris non excusat" (Latin for: "ignorance of the law does not excuse") is incompatible with the guidelines of not biting and assuming good faith. If you prosecute and judge people because they are ignorant of our policies and guidelines, you are in fact violating our policies and guidelines!

Try instead to follow the points set forth here to relieve the new editors of their ignorance. Keep in mind that this is not the way many other things work, and even seasoned editors fail to follow our guidelines from time to time.

The point of not biting is to attract editors into Wikipedia, not to turn them away by mistreating them, even if they may have deserved it.

[edit] What to do if you feel you have "bitten" or have been "bitten"

If you have "bitten" someone, or feel that you have been "bitten", there are a number of things to keep in mind, and alternatives to choose from:

  1. Actively choose to learn from the incident.
  2. Consider alternatives that could have been used by the "biter" to achieve a more desirable response for yourself, and if you encounter a similar situation in the future, consider acting in the latter manner if the situation warrants.
  3. Allow yourself to feel encouraged that someone took the time to acknowledge your actions.
  4. Consider that negative "biting" incidents are transitory - one should not feel the need to pacify one's actions as a result of non-constructive commentary. Extract the wisdom that may have been unintentionally veiled, and choose to take that away as valuable experience.
  5. Choose to point out in a reasoned manner any offense taken, and learn to recognize when the message cannot be received. The recipient may be unable or unwilling to accept fault, and it may be better to move on to other things than to dwell on the "bite".

[edit] See also


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