Before starting a Howto it is important to have the experience and knowledge to be able to thoroughly and accurately describe the process to complete the project. A new HowTo should follow this page's skeleton form. If you are updating or correcting a page, See:Howto modify an existing howto page
Remember the more detailed the instructions the more likely they can be followed by everyone. If you want simply to know how to write a new page right now, see Howto write a new Howto page on Wikihowto.
Requirements/Part List/Tool List[]
- Become a User: Although you can submit anonymously, we prefer giving credit where credit is due. plus it hides you IP
Quick Steps[]
- Check to make sure another Howto doesn't exist under another name.
- Start a page
- Create a link to your Howto on an Object, your home page, or the Howto List
- Try to follow general Help:Page Styles/Howto
- Link your howto to all the applicable objects, and portals.
- Smile because you helped
Full Steps[]
- Check to make sure another Howto doesn't exist under another name.
- This can be done by using the search box on the left of the page
- Naming Conventions:
- The title and name should be should be the same
- Example: Howto brush your teeth
- Always start with 'Howto', capital 'H', one word, not 'How to'
- Use spaces or underscores for white-space, they are the same in mediawiki.
- all words besides the first should be lowercase, except when is a proper noun, acronym, of otherwise appropriates.
- don't make the title too wordy, keep it precise.
- Specify the specific subjects name or version when similar subjects could effects the Howto.
- Example: Howto install Windows could be about Howto install Microsoft Windows or Howto install house windows
- It's a good idea to create a temporary page to write your howto, and post it to the main page when it is complete.
- When designing the howto, try to follow Help:Page Styles/Howto template:
- Howtos are not required to follow the template, but it is recommended
- The basic outline is as follows:
- Create s short description of the project, if beneficial add Wikipedia links to any specific terms in the form Definition: Fedora_Core
- Make a list the Requirements, Parts, or Tools .
- After the list Add the box, as shown below, with this code {{Rating|time=1h|cost=~3$US|difficulty=easy-med|age=NA}}
- put 'NA' is if does not apply
- After the list Add the box, as shown below, with this code {{Rating|time=1h|cost=~3$US|difficulty=easy-med|age=NA}}
| ||||||||
| About:Ratings |
- Create a step by step description of howto accomplish the task.
- Be descriptive, add sub steps to make things clear.
- Include photos, diagrams, and other multimedia when necessary.
- If a step requires more than a simple explanation, title the step and create sup-steps, or sub-sub-steps.
- Keeps all steps, and sub-steps short to increase readability and decrease confusion.
- When a step is complex, if applicable, create a separate howto or link to an existing one.
- For example: 1. Before you start the start the engine you should check you spark plugs. See:Howto check you spark plugs
- Link technical terms, products, or other important words to objects on WikiHowTo or Wikipedia definitions.
- If there are common problems that reader may come across add a Common Problems Section. When problems are computer errors, copy the error message into the page. This will help people searching to find solutions to their error
- If is helpful to create a section for References or See Also to see where the information came from and help to guarantee accuracy. This could be a good place to put links to recommended supplementary information, and similar howtos.
- You can put a credits section on the bottom of the page for you name. If you copy information from a source with a license that requires you to give them credit, you can do so here
- Create a step by step description of howto accomplish the task.