Wikipedia for Beginners

Understanding Notability guidelines

2026-03-01

Nubel Bariloe

Nubel Bariloe is the an Open Knowledge Advocate, the Vice President of the Wikimedia User Group Nigeria - Rivers Network, and the Wikimedia User Group Nigeria South South Grant Officer.

Find me on Meta-Wiki at User:nubelbariloe or at LinkedIn/Nubel Bariloe Benjamin

Contents

Introduction

• What is Wikipedia
• Why contribute
• Key terms
• Notability

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Structure of a Wikipedia article

Adding References

Editing a Wikipedia article

Good practices

• Lead section
• Body
• Wikilinks
• References
• Categories
• External links

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Learning Objectives

At the end of this session, the participant will be able to:

1. Explain the purpose and structure of Wikipedia articles
2. Differentiate between lead sections, body content, and references
3. Construct or improve a Wikipedia page with verifiable information
4. Evaluate the quality and reliability of sources
5. Contribute to Wikipedia in a responsible and ethical way

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What is Wikipedia

• Wikipedia is a free, online encyclopedia that anyone can edit

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• Articles are written collaboratively by volunteers

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• Content is licensed freely, meaning it can be reused and shared

Why Contribute?

• Share knowledge with the world

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• Improve the quality and coverage of information

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• Highlight local topics that are underrepresented

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• Gain experience in research, writing, and referencing

Notability

• Notability refers to whether a topic meets Wikipedia's guidelines for inclusion based on significant coverage in reliable, independent sources.
• A subject must have received sustained attention from reputable sources, such as books, newspapers, academic papers, or other verifiable publications.

Key Terms

• Article / Page → A Wikipedia entry about a topic

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• Editor / Contributor → Someone who edits Wikipedia

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• Reference / Citation → Source that supports information

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• Infobox → Summary box with key facts (like on a person or place)

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• Talk Page → Discussion page about an article

Notability on Wikipedia

A topic is notable if it has received significant coverage in reliable, independent sources.

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Key Points:

• Sources must be published (e.g., books, newspapers, academic journals)
• Coverage must go beyond just a mention
• The topic must be covered by multiple sources, not just one

Why notability matters

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• Keeps Wikipedia reliable
• Prevents spam and self-promotion
• Encourages sourcing and verifiability

Types of Wikipedia Notability Guidelines

General notability guideline (GNG): applies to most topics

Subject-specific notability:

People: Must have received significant coverage

Organizations: Must have impact, coverage, or achievements

Events: Must be documented in reliable sources

Wikipedia does not accept original research

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Notability

Link to Wikipedia notability:

Structure of a Wikipedia Article

• Lead section → Brief summary

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• Body → Detailed sections with headings

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• References → Proof of information

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• Categories → Groups similar articles

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• External links / Further reading → Optional sources for readers

Editing an Article

• Click Edit on the article section

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• Add or improve content

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• Add infoboxes

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• Add citations using reliable sources

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• Preview your changes → Save with a short edit summary

Adding References

• Reliable sources only (books, news articles, journals)

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• Use Cite tool to format references automatically

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• Every factual statement should have a source

Good Practices

• Avoid plagiarism → write in your own words

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• Neutral point of view (no bias)

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• Avoid original research

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• Use consistent formatting

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Adding unsourced statements

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• Promotional content

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• Duplicate articles

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• Poor grammar or unclear writing

Questions?

Fire away!�5 minutes ⏰

Practical Exercise