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Art and Feminism: Editing in Wikipedia

What you need to know to participate in the Wikipedia: Art + Feminism Event at Cornell

How to get started

Ready to get started? Here are a few quick steps to follow:

Step 1. Learn how to use Wikipedia

Learning to edit articles on Wikipedia can be daunting at first! Luckily, there are plenty of free online resources for learning how to become a Wikipedian. Take a look at the guides below and find what works for you:

Art+Feminism's Quick Guide (recommended)

Wikipedia's interactive Introduction to Wikipedia

Wikimedia Foundation's Editing Wikipedia brochure; here's the student version

Sister's quick guide to get started with Wikipedia editing

Wikipedia Editing slides from Cornell University Library's introductory workshop

Step 2. Research!

Feel like you have a decent grasp of how Wikipedia works and want to get started adding content? You'll have to do some research first. Once you have a person or topic in mind to focus on (see our list or Art+Feminism's list for suggestions), you can use the resources below to start writing. Keep in mind Wikipedia's guidelines on reliable sources and citing sources as you work through various texts and resources.

Click here to find resources for researching contemporary artists!

Step 3. Add/edit Wikipedia entries

Once you've got some great sources, it's time to add and/or edit content to Wikipedia pages! Use the specific how-to guides to find resources on how to edit individual elements of a Wikipedia entry or how to edit content related specifically to art/artists. You can also refer back to Step 1 to refamiliarise yourself with how to add and edit content on a Wikipedia page.

Step 1. Learn how to use Wikipedia

Specific how-to guides

Tips for Best Practices

  • Wondering if your artist meets the criteria for notability? In general, Wikipedia would like to see proof of 2 major solo shows and participation in 5 major exhibitions.
  • If you're having trouble finding published material, and would like to use primary sources, which Wikipedia discourages in general, look for published oral histories and published finding guides to materials in archives.
  • (Neutral) narratives about people are important components of Wikipedia articles, and always preferable to lists, such as lists of exhibitions. Try to describe an exhibition history, rather than just create a list. If you must include a list, try to curate it and focus on the most important exhibitions, rather than make it comprehensive.
  • When describing someone in a biographical narrative, do not identify them by nationality or gender unless they have done so themselves.
  • Do not use an artist's website or a website for a gallery that represents them as a source citation! That would trigger a conflict-of-interest flag. Focus on exhibition reviews instead. Use exhibition reviews from highly-visible sources as much as possible (e.g., New York Times).

Want to write a new article?

Be bold! Write new content for Wikipedia. Please note that Wikipedia now requires that your account must be active for over 96 hours and that you make at least ten edits before you can create a new Wikipedia article.

Here is a great place to start a new article.