User:TDang/Getting started

Create an account

To begin, you create an account here at Wikibooks if you don't already have one. If you do already have one, email me, or talk to me in class.

You can create an account with a pseudonym or your real name.

Since your classmates might wish to remain anonymous, in discussions on the wiki, please refer to them only by their usernames!

Let me know you're here

Go to the appropriate class list page and follow the instructions to add your username to the list:

For Econ 361H, use this class list.
For Econ 452, use this class list.

Send me an email letting me know your username, so I can identify your edits.

Important: All your edits must be done under your username, so that I can give you credit. It is possible to edit Wikibooks without logging in. Make sure you don't do so if you want to receive class credit for your edits.

Get familiar with Wikibooks

To begin with, I recommend looking at What is Wikibooks and Using Wikibooks.

Start editing

Learn how to edit in whatever way works best for you. Working together with a classmate at one machine might be a good way to get started.

For documentation on editing, I recommend How To Edit A Wikibook, Wiki-Markup, and Wikipedia's instructions on editing.

Do a test edit

For your first edit, do something on your userpage. You get to your userpage by clicking on your username in the upper-right-hand corner. As part of your userpage edit, add text like this (replacing "MyUserName" with your username):

I have a [[User:MyUserName/Sandbox|sandbox]] for test edits.

That will create a "red link"--a link to a page which doesn't yet exist on the wiki. Click the red link and you'll be able to edit the new "sandbox" page, which will be a good place to mess around while learning wiki editing. You can see that I have done this on my userpage.

Another good way to get started editing is to simply pick a page you want to edit, click on "edit this page" (alternatively clicking the "[edit]" link on a specific section), and making a change. However, when the change is complete, make sure to hit the "Show preview" button rather than the "Save page" button. That will let you see if you've made mistakes before showing your mistakes to everyone else.

Do a real edit

When you're ready to start editing for real, start with Be Bold. Since you're starting with being bold, don't wait too long before jumping into the editing. It's better to make some mistakes than over-think it so you can't get started. However, at about the same time you get started, you might want to check out Policies and guidelines to make sure you're working as the other editors here expect you to.

For Econ 361H, the book you're going to be editing for class is: Bestiary of Behavioral Economics.
For Econ 452, the book you're going to be editing for class is: Strategy for Information Markets.

Watchlist

When you start editing, I recommend you also change your preferences. Select "my preferences" in the upper-right corner of any page (or just click here), and choose the "Watchlist" tab. The second checkbox from the bottom is "Add pages I edit to my watchlist". Check that box. Now, whenever you work on a page of the book, you'll also be "watching" that page. You can click on "my watchlist" (or here), and you will be shown a list of recent edits to any pages you're watching.

If you have problems

If you have technical problems, then your best bet is asking your classmates or hunting around Wikibooks for help.

If you find yourself in conflict with another editor, don't let the heat get too high. Be civil. One thing to remember is that, even if another editor has changed things, your work still exists and can be recovered. Use the discussion/talk pages to try to reach consensus with the other editors. If you find yourself getting too angry, take a break and talk to me about it in person or via email before continuing to edit.