Help desk
< November 16	<< Oct \| November \| Dec >>	November 18 >

Welcome to the Wikipedia Help Desk Archives
The page you are currently viewing is an archive page. While you can leave answers for any questions shown below, please ask new questions on one of the current Help Desk pages.

November 17[edit]

Notifying a Wikipedia Editior of a Comment on a Talk Page?[edit]

I would like to be sure that a specific Wikipedia editor (e.g "Mr.X") sees a comment that I am going add to a talk page. Is there a notification template, referring to Mr.X, that I can include in my comment? What is the Wikipedia best practice for creating such a notification in a talk page comment?

Deicas (talk) 00:02, 17 November 2021 (UTC)[reply]

@Deicas: Try {{reply to}} (which I have used here) or {{talkback}}. ClaudineChionh (talk – contribs) 00:06, 17 November 2021 (UTC)[reply]

Thank you for your response. Do I understand correctly that ...

... using the {{reply to}} template is equivalent to prefixing the username with an "@", eg. @ClaudineChionh?

... and use of the "@" username construct causes a notification to be delivered to username? Deicas (talk) 00:56, 17 November 2021 (UTC)[reply]

{{reply to}} by default will prefix the username with "@" and append a colon. Using this template, or manually linking to the user, will notify the pinged user if they have allowed notifications. ClaudineChionh (talk – contribs) 01:02, 17 November 2021 (UTC)[reply]

Using their linked username, like this Deicas (just don't copy a fancy one, because they it looks like they signed it), also serves as a ping. Note that the ping must occur as part of the original comment, and at the same time as the comment is signed and saved. Fixing it later will not work. A later ping has to be in its own signed comment, if it wasn't within the same edit as the original comment. -- Valjean (talk) 01:45, 17 November 2021 (UTC)[reply]

John Bullock (1731–1809)[edit]

ref number 5 is not quite right - with year of publishing etc - please help. thanks115.70.23.77 (talk) 01:17, 17 November 2021 (UTC)[reply]

You could add the |year= parameter with the year of publishing. What else specifically is not quite right? GoingBatty (talk) 03:59, 17 November 2021 (UTC)[reply]

Doesn’t seem to be making sense[edit]

Hi there,

Please help me out. On the page Philip Davies, the following is written in the introduction: "he is the most rebellious serving Conservative MP, having voted against the Tory whip over 250 times in the course of his parliamentary career, and he has been criticised for "talking out" Parliamentary Bills not supported by the government and by doing so "kill off legislation he doesn't like"."

So, since the Conservatives have been in power since 2010, how can be Mr. Davies be called "rebellious" for voting against bills not supported by the Conservative government? This is very unclear and doesn’t appear to be phrased right. Thank you.

ActiveContributor2020 (talk) 02:03, 17 November 2021 (UTC)[reply]

Looking at the revision history "most rebellious" has been there since 2014. Could be time for a change. ––FormalDude

^talk 02:12, 17 November 2021 (UTC)[reply]

It seems like 2 different things; 1) he's voted in 'opposition' to the party line the greatest number of times and 2) He's talked out bills he dislikes or not supported by the Govt. – presumably proposed by opposition parties. Eagleash (talk) 02:43, 17 November 2021 (UTC)[reply]

I concur with @Eagleash. I've split the sentence in two. ⁓ Pelagic ( messages ) 19:32, 17 November 2021 (UTC)[reply]

Albert Kitson, 2nd Baron Airedale[edit]

Refs number 15 and 18 are the same source - this should be "doubled up" I am sure, but I cannot do this, thanks for assisting. 115.70.23.77 (talk) 02:44, 17 November 2021 (UTC)[reply]

Fixed. ––FormalDude

^talk 02:48, 17 November 2021 (UTC)[reply]

FormalDude, if you give a man a fish he is hungry again in an hour. If you teach him to catch a fish you do him a good turn. -- Hoary (talk) 06:13, 17 November 2021 (UTC)[reply]

I mean if they just look at my edit they can see exactly how I did it. Teaching by example ;) ––FormalDude

^talk 06:19, 17 November 2021 (UTC)[reply]

You can read WP:NAMEDREFS for the instructions on how to do this. Happy editing! GoingBatty (talk) 04:01, 17 November 2021 (UTC)[reply]

Hoary this particular man has been in fishing school for years, received instructions enough to land Moby Dick, and still faceplants over minnows on a daily basis. I think at this point everyone just tries to fix whatever it is without comment and carry on... --Elmidae (talk · contribs) 19:01, 17 November 2021 (UTC)[reply]

Note: Hoary is pretty aware of the issues here see User talk:Hoary/Archive33#That Lupton editor. Eagleash (talk) 19:56, 17 November 2021 (UTC)[reply]

Bio - Info[edit]

Tree months ago i have forwarded a small article about my father and his family story that took place during the greek resistance in ww2. is there a reason that it is not public yet? Thank you.https://www.bookoo.gr/eshop/books/o-epizwn — Preceding unsigned comment added by MarSyDia (talk • contribs) 08:35, 17 November 2021 (UTC)[reply]

See the comments on User:MarSyDia/sandbox/Pavlos Diamantis. Any article on your father would need to cite more than just a single source, per Wikipedia:Notability policies. And furthermore, Wikipedia isn't an appropriate place to be promoting a book written by someone from your own family, even if it concerns a hero of the Greek resistance. Please read the Wikipedia:Conflict of interest guideline. AndyTheGrump (talk) 09:11, 17 November 2021 (UTC)[reply]

@MarSyDia, I assume you mean User:MarSyDia/sandbox/Pavlos Diamantis. You can see the reason on that page. WP:BASIC may be of help to you. Gråbergs Gråa Sång (talk) 09:15, 17 November 2021 (UTC)[reply]

Deleted page[edit]

Dear reader,

We just noticed that the profile page of our board member was deleted this morning (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Victor_van_der_Chijs). We don't know why and we want to know how we can solve this problem. What do we have to do?

Regards, Monica — Preceding unsigned comment added by 145.131.207.74 (talk) 13:05, 17 November 2021 (UTC)[reply]

If you follow that link you will see the reason in the deletion log: Not a neutral article: reading as a CV rather than a neutral biography. This suggests to me that the relevant Wikipedia policy is WP:NOTCV. ClaudineChionh (talk – contribs) 13:28, 17 November 2021 (UTC)[reply]

Monica, please be aware that Wikipedia does not contain "profiles" - not one. What it contains is encyclopaedia articles about notable subjects. These should be based almost entirely on what people unconnected with the subject have chosen to publish about them, not on what the subject or their associates say or want to say. --ColinFine (talk) 13:40, 17 November 2021 (UTC)[reply]

Dear Colin,

Could you please send met the content of the deleted page. I did not create this page, but the former association our chairman worked for, created this page. In cause I know the content, I can see what I need to change. Thx.

Monica. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 145.131.207.74 (talk) 12:31, 18 November 2021 (UTC)[reply]

ColinFine isn't an administrator, so he can't do that for you. You're better off checking the page's deletion log and contacting the administrator who did on their talk page. —Tenryuu 🐲 ( 💬 • 📝 ) 16:51, 18 November 2021 (UTC)[reply]

'Liz' is mentioned in the deletion log, but I do not know how to contact her. Could anyone please help? Monica. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 145.131.207.74 (talk) 15:08, 19 November 2021 (UTC)[reply]

You can contact Liz at User talk:Liz. (Please remember to sign your posts on talk pages by typing four keyboard tildes like this: ~~~~. Or, you can use the [ reply ] button, which automatically signs posts.) GoingBatty (talk) 15:37, 19 November 2021 (UTC)[reply]

Covid deaths in South Korea[edit]

I typed the above in a google search and got an incorrect response. The correct answer is 3,137, but the search response was 5.1M!! Wikipedia's answer was correct, but the incorrect response was bolstered by claiming they got their information from "Wikipedia and others". Is their anyway you can track that down and correct it? Thanks — Preceding unsigned comment added by 2603:6011:840:548:40F6:27CE:D95A:ACFA (talk) 13:23, 17 November 2021 (UTC)[reply]

Are you by any chance referring to a photo or text shown to the right of a Google search? Google's Knowledge Graph uses a wide variety of sources. There may be a text paragraph ending with "Wikipedia" to indicate that particular text was copied from Wikipedia. An image and other text before or after the Wikipedia excerpt may be from sources completely unrelated to Wikipedia. We have no control over how Google presents our information, but Google's Knowledge Graph has a "Feedback" link where anyone can mark a field as wrong. The same feedback facility is also provided on Bing and some other search engines. --ColinFine (talk) 13:42, 17 November 2021 (UTC)[reply]

For curiosity, I did the same search, on Google. It seems that the IP may be misinterpreting the results they got. The 5.1 Million figure is not associated with S. Korea in my results, but a worldwide total. The results page is astonishingly obfuscatory, Google should be praised for making it so difficult to interpret!!!!! (five colons, count them) -Roxy the dog. wooF 13:58, 17 November 2021 (UTC)[reply]

Roxy the dog, you indented by just two colons; I've indented by three. -- Hoary (talk) 23:20, 17 November 2021 (UTC)[reply]

how to manage interest conflict[edit]

please, help me place a {{paid|user=Martin Fireart|employer=InsertName|client=InsertName}} template to avoid the interest conflict as it was advised. where and how it should be included? can't find where the field is on my page, talk page or either of the pages. Please, let me know if there's an instruction to make it right. thanks a lot! — Preceding unsigned comment added by Martin Fireart (talk • contribs) 14:04, 17 November 2021 (UTC)[reply]

@Martin Fireart: The most important place for that template is on your user page at User:Martin Fireart. That's a red link as I type because you haven't yet created it. However, like other red links, once you click on them you'll be allowed to do so. These pages are to describe yourself in relation to what editing you plan to do in Wikipedia (see WP:USERPAGE for details of this and related pages). It can assist other editors if you also place the same template on the Talk Page of the articles you are editing where that payment or WP:COI is relevant. Note that the advice on the COI guide says that this includes making a declaration in edit summaries when adding to articles. Mike Turnbull (talk) 15:28, 17 November 2021 (UTC)[reply]

self-citing and corrections[edit]

Hello. I was unable to add a question to the Talk pages and I might have done something wrong. I apologize for going about things the wrong way, but I do stand by my corrections. Here's what happened: I have just published "Francis and Clare the Struggles of the Saints of Assisi," which Kirkus Reviews said was “lucidly written, a scrupulously thorough account.” On pub date yesterday 11/16/2021 I added my book as a reference on the following entries: Francis of Assisi, Clare of Assisi, Agnes of Bohemia, Elias of Cortona, and Pope Gregory IX. I also made some corrections and added my book and page numbers as a reference on Elias of Cortona and Agnes of Bohemia. Another point: Yesterday the coding of the ISBN numbers seemed to be correct but today the ISBN number on some entries leads to the WIKI ISBN search page and does not retrieve the book. Here are the links to the pages I mention: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Francis_of_Assisi https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clare_of_Assisi https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agnes_of_Bohemia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elias_of_Cortona https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pope_Gregory_IX

Thanks for your time and assistance. I am glad to have finally found the help desk.

Best wishes, Kathleen BradyKathleen Brady (talk) 15:16, 17 November 2021 (UTC)[reply]

Hello, Kathleen Brady, and thank you for wanting to help improve Wikipedia. But please do not ever add a citation to your own work, as that is regarded as a conflict of interest. You are welcome to suggest adding it, by making an WP:edit request on the article's talk page, so that an uninvolved editor can decide whether or not it is appropriate to add. I don't know why you were unable to add a question: what happened when you tried?. See also SELFCITE. --ColinFine (talk) 15:43, 17 November 2021 (UTC)[reply]

Actually, contrary to what ColinFine has said, it can sometimes be appropriate to cite one's own work. The guidance says Using material you have written or published is allowed within reason, but only if it is relevant, conforms to the content policies, including WP:SELFPUB, and is not excessive. With Wikipedia's WP:BRD policy, be Bold but prepared for someone to Revert: then Discuss on the Talk Page of the article. (Note that it is very rarely appropriate to directly edit an article about yourself, if one exists, but that's another topic.) Mike Turnbull (talk) 16:39, 17 November 2021 (UTC)[reply]

Thank you, Mike Turnbull. There seem to be different interpretations of the rules so I am going to remove my insertions and corrections.Kathleen Brady (talk) 12:50, 18 November 2021 (UTC)[reply]

Hi, @Kathleen, thanks for bringing your in-depth subject knowledge to Wikipedia! Google Books lists [1] the ISBN of your book as 1737549808 / ISBN 9781737549802. But at Agnes of Bohemia you entered it as 978-1565482210, which appears to be The lady : Clare of Assisi : early documents by Regis J Armstrong [2].

Looking now at Clare of Assisi, it does have ISBN 978-1737549802. So I think what I stumbled on in the Agnes article is tangential to your main concern. Linking ISBNs to Special:BookSources is by design. If a book was available at multiple booksellers and libraries, who are we to direct the reader to a specific store? WorldCat [3] has an Amazon link for anyone interested in purchasing.

. ⁓ Pelagic ( messages ) 20:36, 17 November 2021 (UTC)[reply]

Thank you, Pelagic. I shall address this. Other than the fact that I did it somehow, I don't know how it happened. I am learning lots about editing Wiki that I should have learned years ago.Kathleen Brady (talk) 12:43, 18 November 2021 (UTC)[reply]

Paromomycin article says bb[edit]

Why does it say bb on the top of the chemical structure image on Paromomycin article — Preceding unsigned comment added by Phillip603 (talk • contribs) 17:36, 17 November 2021 (UTC)[reply]

@Phillip603: Because this is the encyclopedia that anyone can edit, and, unfortunately, someone scribbled on this article. Thank you for noticing the damage and reporting it here! -- John of Reading (talk) 17:44, 17 November 2021 (UTC)[reply]

Clearing the main Search Wikipedia bar on the opening Wikipedia page[edit]

When I click on the space a history of searches is displayed. How do I clear them? — Preceding unsigned comment added by Dtopp313 (talk • contribs) 18:50, 17 November 2021 (UTC)[reply]

@Dtopp313: If they appear before you type anything then they are stored by a feature in your browser. You can ask for software help at Wikipedia:Reference desk/Computing. Tell them your browser or device. PrimeHunter (talk) 21:10, 17 November 2021 (UTC)[reply]

@Dtopp313: In most Chrome- (& Edge-)based browsers, you should be able to hover over any of the entries and a trash icon should appear next to it, allowing it to be removed. Mike Turnbull (talk) 13:00, 18 November 2021 (UTC)[reply]

B7932931[edit]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Identity_theft — Preceding unsigned comment added by 207.62.246.158 (talk) 19:33, 17 November 2021 (UTC)[reply]

What is your question or concern as far as editing or using Wikipedia? --Orange Mike | Talk 19:49, 17 November 2021 (UTC)[reply]

Asking for guidance on setting up a page[edit]

Was hoping for guidance to setup a bio page (for myself) - I am not trying to violate any policies and would hope for guidance on how to do this ethically, and with the requirements expected before even starting this process :) — Preceding unsigned comment added by Drryanstarzyk (talk • contribs) 19:56, 17 November 2021 (UTC)[reply]

Hi, Ryan, thank you for asking first before diving in, your concern with ethics and policies is heartening. There appear to be some bios already on other platforms (e.g. [4]), but the main requirement for an encyclopaedia article is significant coverage by independent sources. ⁓ Pelagic ( messages ) 20:45, 17 November 2021 (UTC)[reply]

Hello, Drryanstarzyk. Unelected candidates for political office are not considered eligible for a Wikipedia biography on that basis alone. Please read WP:POLITICIAN. If you win the election, then a biography of you would be appropriate at that time. Cullen³²⁸ Let's discuss it 20:52, 17 November 2021 (UTC)[reply]

Josef Pürer[edit]

Hello,

The bold phrase MILITARY CAREER has crept into the info box of this article and has frustrated my attempts to remove it. Can someone please remove it?Georgejdorner (talk) 21:23, 17 November 2021 (UTC)[reply]

It is there (not in capitals, though) because Template:Infobox military person is embedded within the infobox of the article. That inclusion appears reasonable at first glance. --David Biddulph (talk) 21:29, 17 November 2021 (UTC)[reply]

Why have two infoboxes anyway? Infobox person is superfluous. Clarityfiend (talk) 22:30, 17 November 2021 (UTC)[reply]

Hah! When I got rid of the extra infobox, "Military career" went away. Clarityfiend (talk) 22:31, 17 November 2021 (UTC)[reply]