Help:Tutorial
From Genealogy
This page is an easy step-by-step tutorial to follow for those who need help using this Wikia.
Contents |
[edit] General
A wiki is a type of website that anyone can edit. Basically, you can edit almost every page on this Wikia. (Pages you cannot edit include stuff for administrators, so you don't really need to be concerned about these.)
To edit part of a page, click the [edit] button on a section title. You can also edit a whole page at once using the "edit" tab or button at the top or side of the page.
For more information on editing, see our Help:Editing page and Central Wikia's article on editing.
Now that you know the basics, you may want to create a page about one or more of your ancestors. But first, if you do not have a naccount, it is reccommended that you create one.
[edit] Creating pages about people
Before creating an article on your ancestors, check whether there may be some pages about them already created.
Go to our Surname index, which includes over 1,800 surnames. Use the navigator (the box with the letters) on the page to quickly find a surname, so as not to jump from page to page.
Sometimes, we may have a surname that is not indexed yet. In the search box to the left of the page, type in the surname. You may find a series of pages that include the surname in the article title or within the text. If you recognize a name, click on the article. When you get to the article, you can edit it. You can add new information and/or fix any information that may be a mistake. Also, you can link to other pages. You can link that person's page to relatives such as parents, spouses, and children, and to all places mentioned.
If, however, you have a surname that is very common, there may be a great number of pages with that surname. So you can refine your search in the search box by adding a word or two. (Example: Not only can you search "Smith", you can also search "John Smith" or "Mary Smith" or anything else you like.)
If your ancestors do not have an article yet, you can create one. The simplest procedure is on Help:Model page for person. Our Help:Alternative types of page for individual is another page that can be used. In one of those boxes, for whatever template you want, type in the name of the person:
For example: "John Isaac Smith III (1902-1985)". If there is unknown information about him, the article could alternatively be named:
- John Smith III (c1905-aft1980)
- John Smith (bef1910-aft1980)
- John I. Smith III (c1905-bef1990)
- John Smith (?-?)
Once you reach the edit page of the person, fill in as much information as you know. Remember, you can link people to other people and places and make pages about their relatives. Once you've created an article, you can also make changes to it for any improvements/updates you may have. So can anyone else.
[edit] Creating pages about surnames
See Help:Surname categories See Genealogy:Surname category template
[edit] Help the rest of us to help you
After some use of this and other "Help" pages, you may still have problems or may see that something might be easier if rewritten. Please see Forum:Help improve the help pages and add your comments.
