Wikipedia:Please do not bite the newcomers
Wikipedia has become what it is today not only through the hard work of its more dedicated members, but also through the contributions, often anonymous, of many curious newcomers. All of us were newcomers once, even those careful or lucky enough to have avoided common mistakes, and many of us still consider ourselves newcomers after months (or years) of contributing.
New contributors are prospective "members" and are therefore our most valuable resource. We must treat newcomers with kindness and patience — nothing scares potentially valuable contributors away faster than hostility or elitism. While many newcomers hit the ground running, some lack knowledge about the way we do things.
Please do not bite the newcomers
- Understand newcomers' value to the community. Empowering newcomers is how we improve the diversity of knowledge, opinions and ideals on Wikipedia and preserve its neutrality and integrity.
- When newcomers make some of the common "newbie" mistakes, such as forgetting to put titles in boldface, or do not add wiki-links to useful phrases, try to correct the mistake, and politely point out some avenues for learning on the newcomer's talk page. Leave a greeting on their talk page in order to let them know that they are welcome here.
- Newcomers are often hesitant to make changes, especially major ones, such as NPOV-ing and moving, due to the fear of damaging Wikipedia (or of offending other Wikipedians, or being flamed for their changes). Teach them to be bold, and do not be annoyed by their "timidity".
- When leaving comments on your corrections of "newbie" mistakes, try not to make hostile comments about the newbie's ignorance. Do not scream out "Another Newbie Without A Clue Forgot To Bold The Title!!!!!" If you find such errors frustrating, don't correct them, just let them pass (but silently). In many cases the newcomer who turns into a contributor will be most diligent in hunting down all his or her early "misformattings". And if that does not happen, there will still be someone who actually gets satisfaction out of wikifying "pathetic stubs".
- When you give advice to newcomers, tone down the rhetoric even a few notches from the usual mellow discourse that dominates Wikipedia. Try to make the newcomer feel genuinely welcome, not as though they must win your approval in order to be granted membership into an exclusive club.
- Assume good faith on the part of the newcomer. They most probably really want to help out with our project. Give them a chance!
- Remember Hanlon's Razor. Behavior that may appear malicious to experienced Wikipedians is more likely due to ignorance of our expectations and rules. Even if you're 100% sure that someone is a worthless, no-good, low-down scum-sucking Internet troll, vandal, or worse, comport yourself as if they're not. By being forgiving, instructive, and respectful, you come away with much more dignity, and you reflect well on our project.
On talk pages
On talk pages, you can use the template:nobite by writing {{nobite}} or if you prefer to substitute the boilerplate text, {{subst:nobite}}. This gives the following statement (the in text in bold is a hyperlink on any other pages than this one), which you might consider using if you have to give a harsh but fair message to a newbie:
Please note that I am not trying to bite you, but trying to help you become a better Wikipedian.