Help desk
< September 14	<< Aug \| September \| Oct >>	September 16 >

Welcome to the Wikipedia Help Desk Archives
The page you are currently viewing is an archive page. While you can leave answers for any questions shown below, please ask new questions on one of the current Help Desk pages.

September 15

Underline

How do I underline words? Jas9777 (talk) 00:36, 15 September 2020 (UTC)[reply]

Hi Jas9777! Just add <u> and </u> to the beginning and end of the word(s) you want underlined. For example: <u>Underline me!</u> would produce Underline me! :-) ~Oshwah~^{(talk) (contribs)} 00:38, 15 September 2020 (UTC)[reply]

@Jas9777: However, The use of underlining for purposes of emphasis is deprecated (See MOS:BADEMPHASIS) so unless you have some special-case use, you should probably be using italics instead. -Arch dude (talk) 00:51, 15 September 2020 (UTC)[reply]

@Jas9777 and Arch dude: The use of italics is covered at MOS:ITALICS – generally for non-English words or titles of works. The {{Em}} template is used to emphasize text if necessary. It currently renders as italics, but that could change at any point, and it's important to distinguish where it's used for emphasis as opposed to the other uses of italics. —[AlanM1 (talk)]— 01:26, 15 September 2020 (UTC)[reply]

Search Engine

Hello everyone,

I made a new article and it looks like it has been accepted and reviewed, but when I search on the article's name in google, it doesn't give any result from Wikipedia the article is Salah Hasaballah if any one searched on it typing Salah Hasaballah even in "" you won't get any result that direct you to Wikipedia So what is the problem.

Thanks. Sadekianovic (talk) 00:48, 15 September 2020 (UTC)[reply]

@Sadekianovic: It was reviewed just 14 hours ago. Give it a while. We have no control over Google's crawl schedule (there's nothing more to be done on this end). —[AlanM1 (talk)]— 01:29, 15 September 2020 (UTC)[reply]

Blocked Question

Hello.

I've recently tapped on the edit icon, and found that my IP address has been blocked for x number of days. I am curious about this because I've never edited anything in Wikipedia before. Do I need to be concerned that my phone has been hacked, or something similar? WRT — Preceding unsigned comment added by 2600:387:a:19::1d (talk) 02:14, 15 September 2020 (UTC)[reply]

No. IP addresses generally tend to be shared across multiple users, especially mobile IP addresses. —A little blue Bori v^_^v ^{Hasteur Hasteur Ha-- oh....} 02:21, 15 September 2020 (UTC)[reply]

Since IP addresses don't tend to be static as they used to be, it's very likely someone who had the address prior to you was up to some shenanigans here. Easiest way to stop getting these is to create an account; you are not obligated to edit here. —Tenryuu 🐲 ( 💬 • 📝 ) 04:12, 15 September 2020 (UTC)[reply]

My company wants me to rewrite their Wiki, but someone/some automated thing keeps reverting edits?

Courtesy link: East Asia Super League

Hey there,

I'm a PR/Marketing guy for the East Asian Super League, which has a Wiki. My boss wanted me to update the Wiki with more info, but every time I change it, parts of it are reverted back to a previous iteration.

I'm now locked out of making edits. Anyone have any clue why this happens? — Preceding unsigned comment added by 2601:240:cb01:2d90:612d:bb9c:d7de:cb44 (talk) 04:12, 15 September 2020 (UTC)[reply]

You would have a paid conflict of interest, which means you are vehemently discouraged from editing the article directly. You can go onto the article's talk page and leave edit requests on there to suggest contributions to the article. Make sure you have reliable resources. —Tenryuu 🐲 ( 💬 • 📝 ) 04:15, 15 September 2020 (UTC)[reply]

Hi. I am an administrator on the English Wikipedia and I protected the page you were editing due to numerous attempts to edit the article in a manner that was not consistent with our policies and guidelines. This means that only editors who have registered accounts and who have at least ten edits and have been on the project for at least four days can edit the page. Please read WP:COI, WP:NPOV and WP:NOPROMO before attempting to edit this page. Best regards... -Ad Orientem (talk) 04:24, 15 September 2020 (UTC)[reply]

IP 2601...cb44: Just a note on terminology. If you say your company "has a wiki", that means that you have installed the Wikimedia software on your own servers, and created content designed by and for your company, its customers, etc., usually about your company and its products. "Wiki" refers to the entire installation of software, including all its articles/pages. What you apparently mean here is that you want to update English Wikipedia's (this wiki's) article about your company, the content of which is dependent of what independent Wikipedia editors can find in independent, WP:reliable sources and write about. This may help avoid confusion in the future. —[AlanM1 (talk)]— 05:48, 15 September 2020 (UTC)[reply]

Hello PR/Marketing guy. When you say "their wiki", that raises red flags here among experienced Wikipedia editors. Your employer neither owns nor controls the Wikipedia article about that company. The article will neutrally summarize and cite what reliable sources independent of your company say about it. This is a matter of policy. If you want to have any input, set up an account as an individual, and make the mandatory Paid editing disclosure, and then make valid, properly formed edit requests at Talk:East Asia Super League.This is not negotiable. Cullen³²⁸ Let's discuss it 06:09, 15 September 2020 (UTC)[reply]

AlanM1, based on the context of the statement, I think the phrase "has a wiki" means they have a wikipedia article, not that they host their own wiki. Chaheel Riens (talk) 13:16, 15 September 2020 (UTC)[reply]

Fedualism

A medieval European social system in which land was divided into hundreds of small holdings. Europe was characterized by a social system historians have called feudalism. — Preceding unsigned comment added by OhMeet (talk • contribs) 06:34, 15 September 2020 (UTC)[reply]

Do you ahve a question about using or editing Wikipedia? General Knowledge Questions are welcome at the reference desk. Victor Schmidt mobil (talk) 07:52, 15 September 2020 (UTC)[reply]

@OhMeet: See Feudalism. -Arch dude (talk) 23:53, 15 September 2020 (UTC)[reply]

I hope you change 'Sea of Japan' to 'East Sea'.

Courtesy link: Sea of Japan naming dispute

To Whomever It May Concern

Recently I visited your website below: https://ko.wikipedia.org/wiki/%ED%8C%8C%EC%9D%BC:Japan_sea_map.png

And I was quite surprised to find your websites still label Korea's 'East Sea' as 'Sea of Japan,' which is incorrect. Such an error on such a well-known website such as yours comes as a surprise since we regard you as one of the world's best.

Using a proper name for the body of water between the Korean peninsula and the Japanese archipelago is not simply a question of changing the name of a geographical feature. It is part of the national effort by the Korean people to erase the legacy of Japanese Imperialism and to redress the unfairness that has resulted from it.

It is an absolute mistake to hear just one side of the story and to blindly follow. If we leave these kinds of things alone, it causes serious problems that disturb the order of international society.

For your reference, Dorling & Kindersley(https://www.dk.com), one of biggest textbook publishers, worldatlas.com, one of prominent online map provider, and one of the biggest mapmakers, National Geographic promised us that they would now use the name 'East Sea.' In addition, these websites are already using the name, 'East Sea' on their website after we pointed out the error.

http://whyeastsea.prkorea.com/our-effort

Most of all, the U.S. state of Virginia has revised the guidelines for history and social science education in line with a newly enacted law that requires textbooks to use the Korean name "East Sea" alongside the Japanese name "Sea of Japan" for the body of water between the two countries on 2017.

http://whyeastsea.prkorea.com/virginia-passed-the-east-sea-bill

As a member of the Voluntary Agency Network of Korea (VANK), I urge you to use 'East Sea' to describe the body of water in question or to use both Korean and Japanese designation simultaneously (e.g. 'East Sea/Sea of Japan') in all of your contents and maps.

According to IHO and UNCSGN, in case of topographical feature shared with two or more countries, yet naming differently in their own languages, all of the names in each language should be marked.

Once Korea and Japan agree on a common designation, that is in accord with the general rule of international cartography, we will then follow the agreed-on designation.

Thank you for reading and we would appreciate your favorable consideration. We would be grateful for your explanation as to why you chose to use ‘Sea of Japan’. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 1.253.29.135 (talk) 06:53, 15 September 2020 (UTC)[reply]

The Japanese would likely disagree with you. We will not solve the dispute here on Wikipedia. Discussion of the dispute is placed highly in the Sea of Japan article, and there is an article about the dispute itself. As noted at Talk:Sea of Japan, "Sea of Japan" is the most commonly used English term for the body of water at issue. Wikipedia usually uses the most common name in English for a topic to title an article, see WP:COMMONNAME. 331dot (talk) 07:42, 15 September 2020 (UTC)[reply]

Hello from Japan! And thank you for asking about this so courteously. Specifically, you're asking about ko:파일:Japan_sea_map.png. This is actually hosted at commons:File:Japan sea map.png. It's a Commons matter, not a Wikipedia matter; though of course whether to use it within this or that article is a Wikipedia matter. However surprisingly, the name 日本海 (with its derivatives) seems to be popular outside Japan: it's what's marked in this Chinese-language map too. Nothing's going to change in English-language Wikipedia until English-language newspapers and the like make much greater use of "East Sea". Good luck with that. (I'd suggest the inherently neutral "Whale Sea", from 鯨海, but this isn't the place to discuss it, or the naming issue in general.) -- Hoary (talk) 08:16, 15 September 2020 (UTC)[reply]

This is a perennial issue here on Wikipedia and elsewhere. Please see Sea of Japan naming dispute. This is the English Wikipedia, as we use the most common English name for this body of water. We are not here to WP:Right great wrongs. -Arch dude (talk) 23:50, 15 September 2020 (UTC)[reply]

Problem in finding my article online

I recently created a page describing a oceanic parameter to study tropical cyclones. Though I published it, I could not find it online on searching. I think it has to go through the review process before it appears online. Please help to find a way to resolve the same. — Preceding unsigned comment added by Venux4 (talk • contribs) 08:44, 15 September 2020 (UTC)[reply]

Venux4 "Publish" should be understood to simply mean "save", it does not mean "publish this to the encyclopedia" I have added the appropriate information to allow you to submit it for review. 331dot (talk) 08:48, 15 September 2020 (UTC)[reply]

Copyright violation!

Recently I added a section to the article 10 Minute School. I copied some sentences mistakenly from some newspapers. However, after submitting the edit, someone rollbacked my edit and put a tag named revdel. I apologize for my inconvenience. I am new to Wikipedia and still not familiar with copyright rules. I have read the rules now and want to rewrite the whole section. Hope any expert support me. I have been using Wikipedia for many years and found it to be useful. About a month ago I created an account to contribute to it. Userths (talk) 12:29, 15 September 2020 (UTC)[reply]

@Userths: Simply write in your own words. The tag is there so that an administrator can remove the versions infringing copyright from the article history. Victor Schmidt (talk) 15:07, 15 September 2020 (UTC)[reply]

Public Domain Mark 1.0

Hi Folks!! I have this image: [1] Apparently it is public domain and it has Public Domain Mark 1.0 as the PD tag. What is this and how do I translate this into a proper template so the image isn't deleted. Thanks. scope_creep^Talk 13:22, 15 September 2020 (UTC)[reply]

@Scope creep: It's PD, and should probably go at Commons. According to c:Template:PDMark-owner, and then c:Commons:Copyright_tags/General_public_domain#Released_into_the_public_domain, I think it wants you to use the license {{PD-because|PD Mark 1.0 according to https://wellcomecollection.org/works/h24a3ygv}}. —[AlanM1 (talk)]— 13:40, 15 September 2020 (UTC)[reply]

Edit conflict! That's a Commons question rather than a Wikipedia question; but anyway you should (i) specify the source more clearly -- British Medical Journal 1899; doi 10.1136/bmj.1.1988.317 (published 4 February 1899) -- in addition to the URL, and (ii) attach PD-UK-unknown to it. -- Hoary (talk) 13:46, 15 September 2020 (UTC)[reply]

@Hoary: That source is the Welcome Trust Obit, from Glasgow University Library. It is the same image and same obituary from the book, from which it is drawn, as its stored at the Welcome Trust and is clearly marked as Public Domain Mark 1.0, from 1899. scope_creep^Talk 14:01, 15 September 2020 (UTC)[reply]

Scope_creep, the reference to the Wellcome Trust has been deleted (by whom, I didn't bother to check). But I clicked on it anyway. What it shows is a reprint by/for the BMA of the obituary in the BMJ. So it's not a "Wel[l]come Trust Obit" but the BMJ obituary. Clearly it's in the public domain. As it's in the public domain, it should be hosted by Commons, not Wikipedia. The photographer is unknown, and publication was in Britain; thus I believe that PD-UK-unknown is appropriate for its addition to Commons. (NB I'm not an expert in these matters.) I'm sure that "Public Domain Mark 1.0" is not appropriate, and for two reasons: (i) it doesn't show that something has fallen into the PD (as has happened here) but instead shows that a copyright holder has relinquished copyright (which has not happened), (ii) it's problematic even when used as intended. -- Hoary (talk) 22:26, 15 September 2020 (UTC)[reply]

Thanks @AlanM1: scope_creep^Talk 14:01, 15 September 2020 (UTC)[reply]

Pictures

How can pictures be added to an existing Subject Story? — Preceding unsigned comment added by 49.188.110.66 (talk) 14:10, 15 September 2020 (UTC)[reply]

Hello. Are you trying to add an existing image to an article, or are you trying to upload an image to Wikipedia? Victor Schmidt (talk) 15:04, 15 September 2020 (UTC)[reply]

What is the essay I'm thinking of?

I feel like there is some essay out there about the situation where an article subject is the sort of thing you think sufficient sources would exist for (e.g. someone who held an important position that would have been documented in offline newspapers of the era), but the sources have not been identified yet, but the article still should be kept? Thanks, Calliopejen1 (talk) 18:45, 15 September 2020 (UTC)[reply]

Calliopejen1, don't know of essays but the guideline is WP:NEXIST. Best, Usedtobecool ☎️ 18:52, 15 September 2020 (UTC)[reply]

Thanks. Maybe I'm just thinking of the shortcut WP:NPOSSIBLE. This actually could be a good subject for a new essay... Calliopejen1 (talk) 18:54, 15 September 2020 (UTC)[reply]

Calliopejen1, WP:SNG is also relevant. Cullen³²⁸ Let's discuss it 18:56, 15 September 2020 (UTC)[reply]

You've probably already found Category:Wikipedia essays about notability, but if not, anything in it or its subcats look familiar? —Cryptic 19:19, 15 September 2020 (UTC)[reply]

Yeah, I checked through it and didn't find anything. I really think that I was thinking of seeing WP:NPOSSIBLE recently and potentially did not click through to what it actually said! Calliopejen1 (talk) 20:53, 15 September 2020 (UTC)[reply]

How to enter alternate ISBN numbers in cite book template?

When trying to add multiple ISBN entries in Template:Cite book, only the last one is recognized; but when adding it to the same entry, it issues (eg: isbn = 4-88996-187-9, 978-4-88996-187-4), invalid character error appears. Given certain books have both ISBN-10 and ISBN-13 numbers, and multiple editions of the same book (eg: reprints under different publishers/imprints, hard/soft cover editions) further multiplies the ISBN count, it is important to list all entries for documentation purposes. --205.189.94.9 (talk) 19:41, 15 September 2020 (UTC)[reply]

Template:Cite book#Identifiers tells you to use the ISBN-13 if available; in such a situation we don't need the ISBN-10 too. --David Biddulph (talk) 19:46, 15 September 2020 (UTC)[reply]

You cite the physical copy you used, exactly because of problems with discrepancies among "reprints under different publishers/imprints, hard/soft cover editions" with pagination. etc. If that copy has both a 10- and a 13-digit, then I always use the 13. --Orange Mike | Talk 19:48, 15 September 2020 (UTC)[reply]

The citation is there to allow a reader to find the source you actually used. You don't list multiple ISBNs for a single source. If you really did physically look at multiple editions, then you are are free to cite each of them as a separate source (but why)? If you looked at a particular edition, then use the ISBN of that edition. The reader is free to use the extensive non-Wikipedia resources that can find alternative editions: that is not what our citation is for. -Arch dude (talk) 23:43, 15 September 2020 (UTC)[reply]

Submitting drafts

I cannot submit my draft for review. When I attempt, it will tell you to enter the captcha. Enter the captcha, submit again, it still continues to tell you to enter the captcha. I am unable to proceed. --Gioguch (talk) 19:52, 15 September 2020 (UTC)[reply]

Gioguch I think that before you worry about that, you should understand that Draft:Outschool is not suitable as a Wikipedia article at this time. It does not summarize what independent reliable sources with significant coverage have chosen to say about the organization, showing how it meets the special Wikipedia definition of a notable organization. Please review Your First Article for more information. 331dot (talk) 19:57, 15 September 2020 (UTC)[reply]

Gioguch, what 331dot says above is important, but to address your specific problem – after entering your interpretation of the CAPTCHA, you have to scroll down to the "Publish changes" button and click it; only if you have entered an incorrect interpretation will you be asked to try again. A common error (which I myself have made in the past) is to enter your interpretation and then click on the "Refresh" button next to the CAPTCHA box. This will present you with a new CAPTCHA to interpret: its purpose is to give you another chance if you are unable to read the previous CAPTCHA and do not want to risk an incorrect guess. {The poster formerly known as 87.81.230.195} 2.218.14.16 (talk) 09:42, 16 September 2020 (UTC)[reply]

Prosper company tl

I agree — Preceding unsigned comment added by 105.112.60.129 (talk) 20:00, 15 September 2020 (UTC)[reply]

I'm extremely confused on how to deal with this.

There's a draft someone's writing which in this case is Draft talk:Christopher Wells.
One google search and I cannot find who this "Christopher Wells" person is, so now I want to get rid of the article. (Since they're potentially just writing an article about themselves or about their friend.)
I don't know if I should blank out the page after I've given the warning or not, please help... iceinabucket(talk) 20:30, 15 September 2020 (UTC)[reply]

In general see Wikipedia:Criteria for speedy deletion: the page should be tagged and an admin will delete it if they agree. In this case @Beeblebrox: can probably help as they deleted Draft:Christopher Wells. TSventon (talk) 20:56, 15 September 2020 (UTC)[reply]

It's gone. Thank you, Beeblebrox. Maproom (talk) 21:01, 15 September 2020 (UTC)[reply]

Yep. Lame hoax/self promotion. Zapped and tagged IP as WP:DUCK. Beeblebrox (talk) 21:03, 15 September 2020 (UTC)[reply]

Thanks! iceinabucket(talk) 22:56, 15 September 2020 (UTC)[reply]

Wikipedia user & IP address user are making similar edits

Hi,

I've noticed that the user Michaelt693 and an IP address 50.68.120.228 seem to be making very similar edits. For example, see here where Michaelt93 was reverted: [2]. The IP address reverted the revert a little over an hour later, as can be seen here: [3]. It seems like strange behavior, though I don't know what type of action would be warranted. Thanks, David O. Johnson (talk) 20:48, 15 September 2020 (UTC)[reply]

Hi @David O. Johnson, if there's problems with the edits it may be worthwhile to open a sockpuppet investigation. There, a CheckUser can verify if these are two separate individuals or the same person. You'd have to do this within the policies described there though. Ed talk! 21:49, 15 September 2020 (UTC)[reply]

Thanks for your help, Ed. David O. Johnson (talk) 00:58, 16 September 2020 (UTC)[reply]

wikipedia page request for Johanna Hall- American Songwriter

Please ask at Wikipedia:Requested articles/Biography/By profession, citing independent, reliable, published sources for her notability. -- Hoary (talk) 22:34, 15 September 2020 (UTC)[reply]

Delete evidence of vandalism

I vandalized the article "armadillo" as a poorly thought out joke. I regret my actions and would like my edits removed from the revision history. Does anyone have any tips on how to accomplish this? — Preceding unsigned comment added by AnotherSADN (talk • contribs) 21:00, 15 September 2020 (UTC)[reply]

The damage has been repaired. But the record of it will remain in Wikipedia's database, and is visible to anyone who searches the article's history, or your list of contributions. You could try having it expunged from both by asking an admin to "revdel" it – I can't predict how they'll react. Maproom (talk) 21:09, 15 September 2020 (UTC)[reply]

Speaking as an administrator, I do not think that your joke meets the standards described in Wikipedia:Revision deletion. Your best course of action is to edit Wikipedia productively, and after a couple hundred edits, nobody will hold your first edit against you. Cullen³²⁸ Let's discuss it 21:16, 15 September 2020 (UTC)[reply]

Another administrator has deleted the edit. For the benefit of third parties mentioned in the edit, I agree with the deletion. Regards, Newyorkbrad (talk) 23:57, 15 September 2020 (UTC)[reply]

Unexpected CAPTCHA report

Got hit with a CAPTCHA making this edit [4] which doesn't add or change any external links. 93.142.113.114 (talk) 21:30, 15 September 2020 (UTC)[reply]

I don't understand: Is this a question, a request, a complaint, or what? -- Hoary (talk) 22:38, 15 September 2020 (UTC)[reply]

I think this is more of a technical question - you usually only get the CAPTCHA pop up on new links as you say. Let us know if it happens again, and we can create a phab ticket. Best Wishes, Lee Vilenski ^{(talk • contribs)} 22:43, 15 September 2020 (UTC)[reply]

Edit a Statment or definittion

Hi, I just created an account with Wikipedia. I wanted to know how to edit a content and what I have to have to edit? — Preceding unsigned comment added by Hamadanouri (talk • contribs) 21:33, 15 September 2020 (UTC)[reply]

Hi, I want to edit a content or maybe add new article or content on Wikipedia, what I need to do?

Do not attempt to create a new article until you have plenty of practice editing existing articles. To edit a section of an existing article, click "edit" at the head of the section. -- Hoary (talk) 22:37, 15 September 2020 (UTC)[reply]

Citing a web page containing a script

I don't know who wrote the web page, but I know who wrote the script. Could anyone please tell me if I should include that in the footnote?--Thylacine24 (talk) 23:26, 15 September 2020 (UTC)[reply]

If an author(s) is(are) listed for web content such as an article, that is the author name you should place in the citation template. Beyond that, there are no other authors to list: this includes the script author.--Quisqualis (talk) 06:24, 16 September 2020 (UTC)[reply]

@Quisqualis: Thanks.--Thylacine24 (talk) 12:31, 16 September 2020 (UTC)[reply]

Zoroastrian Demographics 2020

If there's an admin out there willing to help, I am trying to contribute what I know to a page but every time I try to, a user seems to trash my reported and factual data for unjustified reasons. I'm sick and tired of making edits and doing the right thing and only to get punished for it afterwards. This is highly injustice and the administration team should crack down on this factor more. My sources were correct and my edits are decent, please repair and defend my previous edit on https://wiki.riteme.site/wiki/List_of_countries_by_Zoroastrian_population cause this guy threatened to ban me. — Preceding unsigned comment added by IntercontinentalEmpire (talk • contribs) 23:35, 15 September 2020 (UTC)[reply]

"This guy" is AntonSamuel. If you want to question AntonSamuel's reversion of your edits, please start the discussion at Talk:List of countries by Zoroastrian population. -- Hoary (talk) 23:44, 15 September 2020 (UTC)[reply]

@Hoary: Hi! Thanks for notifying me of the discussion, I've explained my revert on my talk page and his: [5] [6] [7] AntonSamuel (talk) 23:54, 15 September 2020 (UTC)[reply]

IntercontinentalEmpire, you've been adding what you admit is your own research to the article: see WP:OR. You've also added numbers without any supporting evidence, and added content including unpaired braces, which messes up the formatting. None of this is "the right thing". Maproom (talk) 08:10, 16 September 2020 (UTC)[reply]

ADDING AN ARTICLE TO AN EXISTING PAGE - Midknight_Valencia_Orange

Hi there is an article:

https://wiki.riteme.site/wiki/Midknight_Valencia_Orange

I have found a new article to put in this page:

https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/#search/oranges/FMfcgxwJXfrBDLcRCCRpnxSfHKwSpfMQ?projector=1&messagePartId=0.1

How do I add this to the page please?

I am not very computer savy, and get confused when reading the information, could you please help? — Preceding unsigned comment added by Humpty Dumpty Number 2 (talk • contribs) 23:39, 15 September 2020 (UTC)[reply]

You seem to be expecting that we will have access to your Gmail account. We don't have access to it, we don't want access to it, and surely when you come to think about it you'll be happy that we don't have access to it. If you find a link to a publicly accessible web page that's of interest, then post an edit request, with a link to the page, to Talk:Midknight Valencia Orange. -- Hoary (talk) 23:51, 15 September 2020 (UTC)[reply]