I am the hero [-of-the-moment] of my own life!
I just edited a Wikipedia article for the first time.
I am now a Wikipedian.
A couple hours ago, I'd started blogging here about the Jackson book I've been editing forever, and how it now has a cool photo
of Catharine Beecher >
(sister of Harriet Beecher Stowe).
Then I wrote:
And then I thought,
Wait… I am a better person than to leave it at that; I can do this.
So I did.
Have you edited Wikipedia?
It was pretty easy:
I went to Beecher's page, selected the "edit" tab along the top, and it prompted me to "create an account".
Editing is pretty straightforward, though it took me a couple tries to add links to external sources. Also, I should have composed my entry beforehand, using more short sentences à la Verlyn Klinkenborg. Oh well, I was too excited.
Beecher's page now has a subheading "Opposition to Indian Removal Bill":
There's a lot more that could be said, of course, but this at least points readers to a more complete source (footnote 2), the article "Mobilizing Women, Anticipating Abolition: The Struggle against Indian Removal in the 1830s".
For editing work, I often use Wikipedia for exactly that-- to find citeable sources. I sometimes follow up links for my own interest too.
Will my addition just… stay there? Do you know?
Oh, never mind--I looked it up--according to Wikipeida's editing Tutorial, other editors can "revert" your edit if they want. I guess I'll see if anyone does.
Wikipedia, you could get to be a habit with me.
I just edited a Wikipedia article for the first time.
I am now a Wikipedian.
A couple hours ago, I'd started blogging here about the Jackson book I've been editing forever, and how it now has a cool photo
of Catharine Beecher >(sister of Harriet Beecher Stowe).
Then I wrote:
I've mentioned before that CB started a women's letter-writing campaign to protest Jackson's Indian Removal policy.
Hm---that's not mentioned in her Wikipedia article.
If I were a better person, I'd figure out how to add it...
And then I thought,
Wait… I am a better person than to leave it at that; I can do this.
So I did.
Have you edited Wikipedia?
It was pretty easy:
I went to Beecher's page, selected the "edit" tab along the top, and it prompted me to "create an account".
Editing is pretty straightforward, though it took me a couple tries to add links to external sources. Also, I should have composed my entry beforehand, using more short sentences à la Verlyn Klinkenborg. Oh well, I was too excited.
Beecher's page now has a subheading "Opposition to Indian Removal Bill":
For editing work, I often use Wikipedia for exactly that-- to find citeable sources. I sometimes follow up links for my own interest too.
Will my addition just… stay there? Do you know?
Oh, never mind--I looked it up--according to Wikipeida's editing Tutorial, other editors can "revert" your edit if they want. I guess I'll see if anyone does.
Wikipedia, you could get to be a habit with me.
