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Revision as of 14:26, 11 January 2009 view sourceTony1 (talk | contribs)Autopatrolled, Extended confirmed users, Pending changes reviewers, Template editors276,760 edits →Chronological items: No agreement: Cole's idea alone.← Previous edit Revision as of 14:32, 11 January 2009 view source Tony1 (talk | contribs)Autopatrolled, Extended confirmed users, Pending changes reviewers, Template editors276,760 edits UNMERGED. Can we have our original CONTEXT page back, too?Next edit →
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{{Mergefrom-multiple | Only make links that are relevant to the context | Build the web | discuss=WT:Only_make_links_that_are_relevant_to_the_context#Merge proposal |date=October 2008 }}
{{style-guideline|WP:MOSLINK|MOS:LINK}} {{style-guideline|WP:MOSLINK|MOS:LINK}}
{{Style}} {{Style}}


'''Linking''' is one of the most important features of Misplaced Pages. It binds the project together into an interconnected whole, and provides instant pathways to locations both within and outside the project that are likely to increase our readers' understanding of the topic at hand. This page contains guidelines as to when links should and should not be used, and how to format them. Detailed information about the syntax used to create links can be found at ]. Linking is one of the most important features of Misplaced Pages. It binds the project together into an interconnected whole, and provides instant pathways to locations both within and outside the project that are likely to increase our readers' understanding of the topic at hand. The basic types of link—internal and external, piped and unpiped—are explained on this page in terms of their mechanical aspects and the contexts in which they are used.


== Internal links ==
For the special rules on linking applicable to ''']''' pages, see the ].
{{see also|Misplaced Pages:Build the web}}
Items in Misplaced Pages articles can be linked to other Misplaced Pages articles that provide information that significantly adds to readers' understanding of the topic. As explained in more detail at ], this can be done directly ("<code><nowiki>]</nowiki></code>", which results in "]"), or through a ''piped link'' ("<code><nowiki>]</nowiki></code>", which results in "]" in the text, but still links to the article "]").


Internal links add to the cohesion and utility of Misplaced Pages by allowing readers to deepen their understanding of a topic by conveniently accessing other articles. These links should be included where it is most likely that readers might want to use them; for example, in article leads, the beginnings of new sections, table cells, and image captions.
== General principles ==
Items in Misplaced Pages articles can be linked to other Misplaced Pages articles which are likely to add significantly to readers' understanding of the topic. As explained in more detail at ], this can be done directly ("<code><nowiki>]</nowiki></code>", which results in "]"), or through a ''piped link'' ("<code><nowiki>]</nowiki></code>", which results in "]" in the text, but still links to the article "]").


*Do not link items in the ] or headings.
Internal links add to the cohesion and utility of Misplaced Pages by allowing readers to deepen their understanding of a topic by conveniently accessing other articles. These links should be included where it is most likely that readers might want to use them; for example, in article leads, the beginnings of new sections, table cells, and image captions. Misplaced Pages's articles function as ]s in a ] system—making links between them helps to build a web of information which readers can navigate effectively.
*Do not pipe links in ].
*Avoid placing two links next to each other in the text so that they look like one link (such as ] ]).
<!--* Individual words when a phrase has its own article. For example, link to "the ]" instead of "the ] of ]". Such a link is more likely to be interesting and helpful to the user, and almost certainly contains links to the more general terms, in this case, "flag" and "Tokelau".
* A page that ] back to the page the link is on. These circular redirects are frustrating to readers.
* Words in a ] ] other than to the disambiguation target itself. The general rule is "one link per entry" on a disambiguation page; additional links tend to confuse the reader.
*A technical term, whether linked or unlinked, should usually be defined on its first occurrence if this can be worked into the sentence neatly and concisely. Do not rely on linking a term for its basic definition; the purpose of the link should be to ''more fully'' define it.-->


=== {{anchor|Overlinking}}Overlinking and underlinking ===
The following general principles apply to internal linking:
{{main|Misplaced Pages:Only make links that are relevant to the context}}
*Do not place links in section headings. (It may be useful to place a {{tl|main}} or {{tl|seealso}} template immediately after the heading.)
*Do not place links in the bold reiteration of the title in the article's lead sentence.
*Avoid linking to a page that ] back to the page the link is on.
*Generally avoid linking items within quotations; instead, place links in the surrounding text of the article wherever possible.
*If possible, avoid placing two links next to each other in the text so they look like a single link (such as ] ]).
*Link to a more specific topic if it has its own article; for example, link to "the ]" instead of "the ] of ]"; link to a section within an article if that brings the reader immediately to the information of specific relevance.
*Link only the first occurrence of an item. A link that had last appeared much earlier in the article may be repeated, but generally not in the same section. (Table entries are an exception to this; each row of a table should be able to stand on its own.)
*Think carefully before you remove a link altogether—what may seem like an irrelevant link to you may be useful to other readers.
*Do not be afraid to create links to potential articles that do not yet exist (see ] below).
*If you feel that a certain link does not belong in the body of the text, consider moving it to a "]" section at the bottom of the article. (Remember that links can also be useful when applying the "What links here" feature from the target page.)


Many articles are '']'' or '']''. An article is likely to be considered underlinked if subjects are not linked that are necessary to the understanding of the article. An article may be overlinked if any of the following is true:
== {{anchor|Overlinking}}Overlinking and underlinking ==
* There are links to articles that are not likely to exist, or if they did would have little significance in the context of the article;
{{shortcut|WP:OVERLINK|WP:UNDERLINK}}
* Low added-value items are linked without reason—such as ], ], and ].
An article is said to be '']'' if subjects are not linked that are necessary to the understanding of the article or its context. However, '']''<ref name="Dvorak">{{cite news
* A link for any single term is excessively repeated in the same article. "Excessive" typically means more than once for the same term in an article. The purpose of links is to direct the reader to a new spot at a point where the reader is most likely to take a temporary detour due to a need for more information; this is usually on the first occurrence of the term, although the subsequent linking of an important item distant from its previous occurrence in an article may occasionally be appropriate in a table or in a subsection to which readers may jump directly, either within the article or via a section-link from another article.
| author = ]
| title = Missing Links
| publisher = ]
| date = April 2002
| url = http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,1759,33326,00.asp
| accessdate = }}</ref> is also something to be avoided. A high density of irrelevant links makes it harder for the reader to identify and follow those links which are likely to be of value. Provide links that aid navigation and understanding; avoid cluttering the page with obvious, redundant and useless links.


===What generally should not be linked=== === Piped links ===
It is generally not appropriate to link:
* plain English words.
* terms whose meaning (as relevant to the context of the article) would be understood by almost all readers.
* items that would be familiar to most readers, such as the names of major geographic features and locations, historical events, religions, languages, common professions and common units of measurement (particularly if a conversion is provided),<ref name="CommonMeasurements">Examples of common measurements include:
* units of time (millisecond, second, minute, hour, day, week, month, year)
* metric units of mass (milligram, gram, kilogram), length (millimetre, centimetre, metre, kilometre), area (mm², etc.) and volume (millilitre, litre, mm³)
* imperial and US units (inch, foot, yard, mile)
* composite units (m/s, ft/s)

Links ''may'' sometimes be helpful where there is ambiguity in the measurement system (such as ] vs ]) but only if the distinction is relevant. In an article specifically on units of measurement or measurement, such links can be useful.</ref>{{underdiscussion-inline|talkpage=WT:MOSNUM#Centralized discussion for linking of units of measurement}} except if they are particularly relevant to the topic of the article.
*dates, purely for auto formatting (see ] below).

===What generally should be linked===
In general, do create links to:
* relevant connections to the subject of another article that will help readers to understand the current article more fully (see the example below). This can include people, events and topics that already ''have'' an article or that clearly ''deserve'' one, as long as the link is relevant to the article in question.
* articles with relevant information, through references (Example: "see ] for relevant background"). Linking items in a list of examples makes them easier to reference as well.
* technical terms, unless they are fully defined in the article and do not have their own separate article. Sometimes the most appropriate link is an ] to ]. Consider instead defining technical terms immediately, if this can be worked into the sentence neatly and concisely.
* explicit articles when word usage may be confusing to a non-native speaker (or users of other varieties of English). If the word would not be translated in context with an ordinary foreign-language dictionary, consider linking to an article or Wiktionary entry to help foreign language readers, especially ]. Check the link for ], and link to the specific item.
* articles of geographic places that are likely to be unfamiliar to readers or that in the context may be confused with places that have a similar or identical name.

===Link density===
Aim for a consistent ''link density''. Do not link eight words in one sentence and then none in the rest of the article. The introduction of the article may require modification of this rule. For general-interest articles, where the links are of the "see also" or "for more information" type, it may be better to not link in the summary, deferring the link until the term is defined later in the article. Numerous links in the summary of an article may cause users to jump elsewhere rather than read the whole summary. For technical articles, where terms in the summary may be uncommon or unusual, and linking is necessary to facilitate understanding, it is permissible and may even be necessary to have a high link density in the introduction.

===Example===
In the article on ]:
* almost certainly link ] and ] as these are technical terms that many readers are unlikely to understand at first sight;
* consider linking ] and ] only if these common words have technical dimensions that are specifically relevant to the topic (a section-link is generally preferable in this case);
* not link to the "United States", because that is a very large article with no explicit connection to supply and demand.
* definitely not link "potato", because it is a common term with no particular relationship to the article on supply and demand, beyond its arbitrary use as an example of traded goods in that article.

== Chronological items ==
Items such as days, years, decades and centuries should generally not be linked unless they are likely to deepen readers' understanding of the topic.<ref>Dates should no longer be linked for the purpose of ], even though such links were previously considered desirable. This change was made on August 24, 2008 on the basis of ], ''inter alia'', and confirmed in December 2008 by two RfCs: ] and ].</ref> Articles about other chronological items or related topics are an exception to this guideline.

Links to articles on a topic in a specific chronological period, such as ], ], and ], may add significantly to readers' understanding of the current topic. One such link per article is enough to serve as a gateway for readers to access sibling articles for other years (] and so on); multiple links throughout an article are unnecessary. ''Year-in-X'' links should generally be kept explicit, so that readers can see where they lead, but they may be piped to look like plain year links – for example <nowiki>]</nowiki> – in some tables, infoboxes or lists where compact presentation and uniform display are important.

== Piped links ==
{{shortcut|WP:EGG}} {{shortcut|WP:EGG}}
It is possible to ] that are not exactly the same as the linked article title—for example, <code><nowiki>]</nowiki></code>. However, make sure that it is still clear what the link refers to without having to follow the link. It is possible to ] that are not exactly the same as the linked article title—for example, <code><nowiki>]</nowiki></code>. However, make sure that it is still clear what the link refers to without having to follow the link.


*'''Plurals and possessives.''' When forming plurals, do so thus: <code><nowiki>]s</nowiki></code>. This is clearer to read in wiki form than<code><nowiki> ]</nowiki></code>—and easier to type. This syntax is also applicable to adjective constructs such as <code><nowiki>]n</nowiki></code> and the like. Hyphens and apostrophes must be included in the link to show as part of the same word. For example, <code><nowiki>]</nowiki></code> or <code><nowiki>]</nowiki></code>. Keeping possessive apostrophes inside the link, where possible, makes for more readable text and source, though either form is acceptable for possessive forms of links such as <code><nowiki>]'s</nowiki></code> or <code><nowiki>]</nowiki></code>. When forming plurals, do so thus: <code><nowiki>]s</nowiki></code>. This is clearer to read in wiki form than<code><nowiki> ]</nowiki></code>—and easier to type. This syntax is also applicable to adjective constructs such as <code><nowiki>]n</nowiki></code> and the like. Hyphens and apostrophes must be included in the link to show as part of the same word. For example, <code><nowiki>]</nowiki></code> or <code><nowiki>]</nowiki></code>. Keeping possessive apostrophes inside the link, where possible, makes for more readable text and source, though either form is acceptable for possessive forms of links such as <code><nowiki>]'s</nowiki></code> or <code><nowiki>]</nowiki></code>.


*'''Case sensitivity.''' Links are not sensitive to initial capitalization, so there is no need to use piping where the only difference between the text and the target is the case of the initial letter. However, links are case-sensitive for all but the initial character. Links are not sensitive to initial capitalization (see below), so pipe-linking to fix a capitalization problem should never be necessary. Rather, it is most simple to directly use the form that is most readable in the clear text.


Avoid ] links from "year" to "year ''something''" or "''something'' year" (e.g., <code><nowiki>]</nowiki></code>) in the main prose of an article in most cases. Use an explicit cross-reference, e.g., <code><nowiki>''(see ])''</nowiki></code>, if it is appropriate to link a year to such an article at all. However, piped links may be useful:
*'''Piping and redirects.''' Do not use a piped link where it is possible to use a redirected term that fits well within the scope of the text. This assists in determining when a significant number of references to redirected links warrant more detailed articles. Automated processes should not convert links to redirects into piped links; the link should always be examined in context. For more information, see ] and ].
*in places where compact presentation is important (some tables, infoboxes and lists); and
*in the main prose of articles in which such links are used heavily, as is often the case with sports biographies that link to numerous season articles.


Do not use a ] to avoid otherwise legitimate redirect targets that fit well within the scope of the text. This assists in determining when a significant number of references to redirected links warrant more detailed articles.
*'''Intuitiveness.''' Keep piped links as intuitive as possible. Do not use them to create "] links", that require the reader to follow them to understand the term. Misplaced Pages's articles are sometimes read in hard copy, where the option of following a link is not available. For example, do not write this:
:... and by mid-century the puns and sexual humor were back to stay (with a few <nowiki>]</nowiki>).
:The readers will not see the hidden reference to Thomas Bowdler unless they click on or hover over the piped ] link; in hard copy, the reference to Bowdler is completely lost. Instead, reference the article with an explicit "see also" or by rephrasing:
:... and by mid-century the puns and sexual humor were back to stay (with only a few exceptions; <nowiki>see ]</nowiki>).
:... and by mid-century the puns and sexual humor were back to stay, aside from a few exceptions such as the writings of <nowiki>]</nowiki>.


Automated processes should not pipe links to redirects. Instead, the link should always be examined in context. For more information, see ], ], and ].
:Similarly, use:
::After an earlier disaster (see ]),... or
::After an earlier disaster (]),... or
::After the earlier ],...
:rather than:
::After an ],...


Keep piped links as intuitive as possible. Do not use piped links to create "] links", that require the reader to follow them before understanding what's going on. Also remember that there are people who print the articles. For example, do not write this:
:Piped links should never be used to introduce tendentious subtext, as in "He denied the <nowiki>]</nowiki>."
:...and by mid-century the puns and sexual humor were (with only a few <nowiki>]</nowiki>) back in to stay.
The readers will not see the hidden reference to ] unless they click or hover over the piped ] link—in a print version, there is no link to select, and the reference is lost. Instead, reference the article explicitly by using a "see also" or by rephrasing:
:...and by mid-century the puns and sexual humor were (with only a few exceptions; <nowiki>see ]</nowiki>) back in to stay.
:...and by mid-century the puns and sexual humor were back in to stay, <nowiki>]</nowiki> being an exception.


Similarly, use:
==Linking to sections of articles==
:After an earlier disaster (''see ]''),...
Linking to particular ] of articles can be useful, since it can take the reader immediately to the information that is most focused on the original topic. The format for a subsection link is <code><nowiki>]</nowiki></code>. For example, to link to the "Culture" subsection of the ] article, type <code><nowiki>]</nowiki></code>. When naming a ], think about what the reader will believe the link is about; in this example, the piped section-link should not be named "Oman", because the reader will think that link goes to the general article on Oman.
:"After the earlier ],...
'''not'''
:After an ],...


Piped links should be honest, rather than introducing "subtext". For example, the two sentences:
Although it is common to used piped links when linking to sections, e.g.:
:"He ] the allegation."
and
:"He denied the ]."
are identical on the surface, but the links imply two opposite readings. In this example, neither link is appropriate.

Linking to ] can be useful, since it can take the reader immediately to the information that is most focused on the original topic. Links to a subheading on a page are denoted by a # symbol between the page title and the subheading (see ]).

Section links can also be "piped", e.g.:
:<tt><nowiki>]</nowiki></tt> :<tt><nowiki>]</nowiki></tt>
:(]) :(]).
this often becomes unwieldy in the main prose, so it may be preferable to create and link to a redirect, e.g.: However this often becomes unwieldy in the main prose, so it may be preferable to create and link to a redirect, e.g.:
:<tt><nowiki>]</nowiki></tt> :<tt><nowiki>]</nowiki></tt>
:(]) :(]).
which points to a section within the main ] article, and may also become a separate article in the future (see also ]). In addition, ] currently provides no way to determine which pages link to which section(s) of a given article, so creating redirects offers a way to filter incoming links and identify related articles. As of 2008 this points to a section within the main ] article, but it is quite likely to become a separate article in the future (see also ]). Also as of 2008 ] provides no way to determine which pages link to which section(s) of a given article, so this also offers a better way to filter incoming links and identify related articles.


== Red links == === Precision ===
Links should use the most precise target that arises in the context, even where the target is a simple redirect to a less specific page. For example, link to "]" rather than "] engine".

=== Red links ===
{{Main|Misplaced Pages:Red link}} {{Main|Misplaced Pages:Red link}}
An internal link that displays <font color=#CC2200>]</font> points to a page that does not exist by that name. This will be for one of the following reasons:
An internal link that displays <font color=#CC2200>]</font> points to a page that does not exist by that name. Some red links come about due to errors (misspelling, or failure to check the exact name of the target article); these should be fixed by correcting the spelling, using a piped link or, if appropriate, creating a redirect. However many red links are perfectly legitimate, serving to point to an article which may exist in the future, and indeed encouraging editors to create such an article.<ref>Academic research has shown that red links drive Misplaced Pages growth; see ] and ] (2008): The collaborative organization of knowledge. In ], August 2008, Vol 51, No 8, Pages 68 - 73. DOI:10.1145/1378704.1378720. Quote: "Most new articles are created shortly after a corresponding reference to them is entered into the system". See also ]</ref>
#an article has not yet been created there; or
#there is a misspelling or plural left inside the link brackets, such as ] or ] instead of ].
#an article on that topic has a different title and needs a ], or (more commonly) an easy and intuitive ]. The preceding link is an example of this, as the correct article is named ], and simply linking the phrase ] results in a red link (see below).


Leigitmate red links should not be resolved by simply removing the bracket. If a red link is within the context of the article, and it is a topic with the potential to eventually be a ], ] and ] article, then the link should be kept. Such links do not have an expiration date, beyond which they must be "fixed". Red links should be removed only if they point to articles that are unlikely ever to be created, such as the names of book chapters, or if they would have little significance in the context of the present article even if they were created. Thus, many red links point to "buds" from which Misplaced Pages will grow in the future (Number 1), while others signify fixable problems (Numbers 2 and 3). Academic research conducted in 2008 has shown that red links drive Misplaced Pages growth;<ref name="spinellis">] and ] (2008): The collaborative organization of knowledge. In ], August 2008, Vol 51, No 8, Pages 68 - 73. DOI:10.1145/1378704.1378720. Quote: "Most new articles are created shortly after a corresponding reference to them is entered into the system". See also ]</ref> the first type of red links, to articles not yet created, should not be resolved by simply removing the bracket. If a red link is within the context of the article, and it is a topic with the potential to eventually be a ], ] ], then the link should be kept as an invitation for an editor to begin the appropriate article with this title. Such links do not have an expiration date, beyond which they must be "fixed".


Note that red is only the default color for these links; logged-in users can change their preferences to select another color. Readers often remove brackets because the color disturbs them or makes the text hard to read, but the color can be changed in other ways. The color of such links depends on the settings of the individual Misplaced Pages reader; red is only the default; readers can change their preferences to change the color.
Misspellings should be fixed - although the existence of a link does not mean words are spelled correctly: Misplaced Pages redirects from common misspellings for the convenience of searchers. The third class of redlinks, such as <font color=#CC2200>]</font>, can easily be changed by piping to the correct destination: <nowiki>]</nowiki> yields ].
To make a link more useful to readers when no article currently exists, it may be useful to create a redirect to a relevant existing article or section, or to create a ] for the new article (check similar articles for conventions on ] and ]).

== Checking links as they are created ==
One of the commonest errors in linking occurs when editors do not check to see whether a link they have created goes to the intended location. This is especially true when a mistake is not obvious to the reader or to other editors. The text of links needs to be exact, and many Misplaced Pages destinations have a number of similar titles. To avoid such problems, which can be irritating for readers, the following procedure is recommended, especially for editors who are new to creating links.
#Carefully key in the link.
#Click on "Show preview".
#In the display-mode, click on the links to check they go where you intend; if they do not, fix them. If a destination page does not appear to exist, do a quick search to determine whether the article has a differently worded title or the subject is treated in a section of another article. Adjust the link accordingly, or leave it as a red link.
#Return to the "Show preview" page using your browser's return button.
#Click on "Save page".

By following ], an internal link will be much more likely to lead to an existing article. When there is not yet an article about the subject, a good link will make the creation of a correctly named article much easier for subsequent writers.

== Link maintenance ==
Linking and continual change are both central features of Misplaced Pages; however, continual change makes linking vulnerable to acquired technical faults and the provision of different information from that which was originally intended. This is true of both "outgoing" links (''from'' an article) and "incoming" links (''to'' an article).
*''Outgoing links:'' These should be checked from time to time for unintended changes that are undesirable; if the opportunity arises to improve their formatting, appropriateness and focus, this should be done.
*''Incoming links:'' Creating an article will turn blue any existing red links to its title (redlinks are usually created in the hope that an article will eventually be written). Therefore, when creating an article, it is wise to check "What links here" to identify such redlinks, if any, and that they are appropriate.


== External links == == External links ==
Line 192: Line 149:
You can also indicate the language by putting a language icon after the link. This is done using ] by typing <nowiki>{{Languageicon|<language code>|<language name>}}</nowiki>. Alternatively, type <nowiki>{{xx icon}}</nowiki>, where xx is the language code. See ] for a list of these templates and the ]. You can also indicate the language by putting a language icon after the link. This is done using ] by typing <nowiki>{{Languageicon|<language code>|<language name>}}</nowiki>. Alternatively, type <nowiki>{{xx icon}}</nowiki>, where xx is the language code. See ] for a list of these templates and the ].


=== File type and size === === File type ===
If the link is not to an ] file, identify the file type. Useful templates are available: {{tl|PDFlink}}, {{tl|DOClink}}, {{tl|RTFlink}}. If a browser plugin is required to view the file, mention that as well. If the link is not to an ] file, identify the file type. Useful templates are available: {{tl|PDFlink}}, {{tl|DOClink}}, {{tl|RTFlink}}. If a browser plugin is required to view to the file, mention that as well.


=== File size ===
If the link is to a large file (in the case of HTML, including the images), a note about that is useful too. Someone with a slow connection may decide not to use it.
If the link is to a large file (in the case of HTML, including the images), a note about that is useful. Someone with a slow connection may decide not to use it.


=== Alternative styles of link ===
== Interwiki linking ==
Links to articles in other Wikimedia Foundation projects such as Wiktionary and Wikiquote can be done with special link templates such as ]. These will display as a blue box with a logo. Similar templates exist for some free content resources that are not run by the Wikimedia Foundation. These boxes are formatted in light green to distinguish them from Misplaced Pages's official sister projects. A list of such templates can be found at ].
{{main|Misplaced Pages:Interlanguage links|Misplaced Pages:Interwikimedia links}}

Links to articles in other Wikimedia Foundation projects such as Wiktionary and Wikiquote can be done with special link templates such as ]. These will display as a blue box with a logo. Similar templates exist for some free content resources that are not run by the Wikimedia Foundation. These boxes are formatted in light green to distinguish them from Misplaced Pages's official sister projects. A list of such templates can be found at ].
== Other considerations ==
=== Capitalization ===
Wikilinking is not case-sensitive in the first character, so editors should generally choose upper or lower case for the initial character of the linked article title or the piped text as would normally apply in the sentence. The same applies for piped external links that occur in running prose. (But capitalization does matter for all characters after the first.)

=== Quotations ===
In general, do not include links in quotations; links can alter the form or emphasis of the original.

=== Dates ===
For guidance on the linking of dates, see ]. In most cases, date items (days, years, centuries and so on) are not linked. In particular, the day and year links that were formerly recommended to make the ] function work are no longer considered desirable.<ref>This change was made on August 24, 2008, on the basis of ].</ref>

===Units===
In tables and infoboxes, units should not be internally linked to Misplaced Pages pages.

=== Checking links as they are created ===
One of the commonest errors in linking occurs when editors do not check to see whether a link they have created goes to the intended location. This is especially true when a mistake is not obvious to the reader or to other editors. The text of links needs to be exact, and many Misplaced Pages destinations have a number of similar titles. To avoid such problems, which can be irritating for readers, the following procedure is recommended, especially for editors who are new to creating links.
#Carefully key in the link.
#Click on "Show preview".
#In the display-mode, click on the links to check they go where you intend; if they do not, fix them. If a destination page does not appear to exist, do a quick search to determine whether the article has a differently worded title or the subject is treated in a section of another article. Adjust the link accordingly, or leave it as a red link.
#Return to the "Show preview" page using your browser's return button.
#Click on "Save page".

By following ], an internal link will be much more likely to lead to an existing article. When there is not yet an article about the subject, a good link will make the creation of a correctly named article much easier for subsequent writers.

=== Link maintenance ===
Linking and continual change are both central features of Misplaced Pages; however, continual change makes linking vulnerable to acquired technical faults and the provision of different information from that which was originally intended. This is true of both "outgoing" links (''from'' an article) and "incoming" links (''to'' an article).
*''Outgoing links:'' These should be checked from time to time for unintended changes that are undesirable; if the opportunity arises to improve their formatting, appropriateness and focus, this should be done.
*''Incoming links:'' Creating an article will turn blue any existing red links to its title (redlinks are usually created in the hope that an article will eventually be written). Therefore, when creating an article, it is wise to check "What links here" to identify such redlinks, if any, and that they are appropriate.

== See also ==
* ]


==Notes== ==Notes==
{{reflist}} {{reflist}}

==See also==
* ]
* ]
* ]
* ]
* ]
* ]
* ], pages without internal links
* ], pages without incoming links
* ]
* ]
* ]
* ]
* ]
* ], the idea that every single word should be a link ''(historical)''


] ]

Revision as of 14:32, 11 January 2009

It has been suggested that Only make links that are relevant to the context and Build the web be merged into this page. (Discuss) Proposed since October 2008.
This guideline is a part of the English Misplaced Pages's Manual of Style.
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Linking is one of the most important features of Misplaced Pages. It binds the project together into an interconnected whole, and provides instant pathways to locations both within and outside the project that are likely to increase our readers' understanding of the topic at hand. The basic types of link—internal and external, piped and unpiped—are explained on this page in terms of their mechanical aspects and the contexts in which they are used.

Internal links

See also: Misplaced Pages:Build the web

Items in Misplaced Pages articles can be linked to other Misplaced Pages articles that provide information that significantly adds to readers' understanding of the topic. As explained in more detail at Help:Links#Wikilinks, this can be done directly ("]", which results in "Ant"), or through a piped link ("]", which results in "five new species" in the text, but still links to the article "Ant").

Internal links add to the cohesion and utility of Misplaced Pages by allowing readers to deepen their understanding of a topic by conveniently accessing other articles. These links should be included where it is most likely that readers might want to use them; for example, in article leads, the beginnings of new sections, table cells, and image captions.

  • Do not link items in the title or headings.
  • Do not pipe links in disambiguation pages.
  • Avoid placing two links next to each other in the text so that they look like one link (such as internal links).

Overlinking and underlinking

Main page: Misplaced Pages:Only make links that are relevant to the context

Many articles are underlinked or overlinked. An article is likely to be considered underlinked if subjects are not linked that are necessary to the understanding of the article. An article may be overlinked if any of the following is true:

  • There are links to articles that are not likely to exist, or if they did would have little significance in the context of the article;
  • Low added-value items are linked without reason—such as 1995, 1980s, and 20th century.
  • A link for any single term is excessively repeated in the same article. "Excessive" typically means more than once for the same term in an article. The purpose of links is to direct the reader to a new spot at a point where the reader is most likely to take a temporary detour due to a need for more information; this is usually on the first occurrence of the term, although the subsequent linking of an important item distant from its previous occurrence in an article may occasionally be appropriate in a table or in a subsection to which readers may jump directly, either within the article or via a section-link from another article.

Piped links

Shortcut

It is possible to link words that are not exactly the same as the linked article title—for example, ]. However, make sure that it is still clear what the link refers to without having to follow the link.

When forming plurals, do so thus: ]s. This is clearer to read in wiki form than ]—and easier to type. This syntax is also applicable to adjective constructs such as ]n and the like. Hyphens and apostrophes must be included in the link to show as part of the same word. For example, ] or ]. Keeping possessive apostrophes inside the link, where possible, makes for more readable text and source, though either form is acceptable for possessive forms of links such as ]'s or ].

Links are not sensitive to initial capitalization (see below), so pipe-linking to fix a capitalization problem should never be necessary. Rather, it is most simple to directly use the form that is most readable in the clear text.

Avoid piping links from "year" to "year something" or "something year" (e.g., ]) in the main prose of an article in most cases. Use an explicit cross-reference, e.g., ''(see ])'', if it is appropriate to link a year to such an article at all. However, piped links may be useful:

  • in places where compact presentation is important (some tables, infoboxes and lists); and
  • in the main prose of articles in which such links are used heavily, as is often the case with sports biographies that link to numerous season articles.

Do not use a piped link to avoid otherwise legitimate redirect targets that fit well within the scope of the text. This assists in determining when a significant number of references to redirected links warrant more detailed articles.

Automated processes should not pipe links to redirects. Instead, the link should always be examined in context. For more information, see Misplaced Pages:Disambiguation, Misplaced Pages:Redirect#Do not "fix" links to redirects that are not broken, and Misplaced Pages:Redirects with possibilities.

Keep piped links as intuitive as possible. Do not use piped links to create "easter egg links", that require the reader to follow them before understanding what's going on. Also remember that there are people who print the articles. For example, do not write this:

...and by mid-century the puns and sexual humor were (with only a few ]) back in to stay.

The readers will not see the hidden reference to Thomas Bowdler unless they click or hover over the piped exceptions link—in a print version, there is no link to select, and the reference is lost. Instead, reference the article explicitly by using a "see also" or by rephrasing:

...and by mid-century the puns and sexual humor were (with only a few exceptions; see ]) back in to stay.
...and by mid-century the puns and sexual humor were back in to stay, ] being an exception.

Similarly, use:

After an earlier disaster (see Bombay Explosion (1944)),...
"After the earlier explosion in Bombay,...

not

After an earlier disaster,...

Piped links should be honest, rather than introducing "subtext". For example, the two sentences:

"He denied the allegation."

and

"He denied the allegation."

are identical on the surface, but the links imply two opposite readings. In this example, neither link is appropriate.

Linking to subsections can be useful, since it can take the reader immediately to the information that is most focused on the original topic. Links to a subheading on a page are denoted by a # symbol between the page title and the subheading (see HTML anchor#Links and anchors).

Section links can also be "piped", e.g.:

]
(Geography of Baden-Württemberg).

However this often becomes unwieldy in the main prose, so it may be preferable to create and link to a redirect, e.g.:

]
(Geography of Baden-Württemberg).

As of 2008 this points to a section within the main Baden-Württemberg article, but it is quite likely to become a separate article in the future (see also WP:REDIRECT#NOTBROKEN). Also as of 2008 Special:Whatlinkshere provides no way to determine which pages link to which section(s) of a given article, so this also offers a better way to filter incoming links and identify related articles.

Precision

Links should use the most precise target that arises in the context, even where the target is a simple redirect to a less specific page. For example, link to "V8 engine" rather than "V8 engine".

Red links

Main page: Misplaced Pages:Red link

An internal link that displays in red points to a page that does not exist by that name. This will be for one of the following reasons:

  1. an article has not yet been created there; or
  2. there is a misspelling or plural left inside the link brackets, such as oxygens or oxygin instead of oxygen.
  3. an article on that topic has a different title and needs a redirect, or (more commonly) an easy and intuitive piped link. The preceding link is an example of this, as the correct article is named Misplaced Pages:piped link, and simply linking the phrase piped link results in a red link (see below).

Thus, many red links point to "buds" from which Misplaced Pages will grow in the future (Number 1), while others signify fixable problems (Numbers 2 and 3). Academic research conducted in 2008 has shown that red links drive Misplaced Pages growth; the first type of red links, to articles not yet created, should not be resolved by simply removing the bracket. If a red link is within the context of the article, and it is a topic with the potential to eventually be a neutral, verifiable encyclopedia article, then the link should be kept as an invitation for an editor to begin the appropriate article with this title. Such links do not have an expiration date, beyond which they must be "fixed".

Readers often remove brackets because the color disturbs them or makes the text hard to read, but the color can be changed in other ways. The color of such links depends on the settings of the individual Misplaced Pages reader; red is only the default; readers can change their preferences to change the color.

Misspellings should be fixed - although the existence of a link does not mean words are spelled correctly: Misplaced Pages redirects from common misspellings for the convenience of searchers. The third class of redlinks, such as red link, can easily be changed by piping to the correct destination: ] yields red link.

External links

Main page: Misplaced Pages:External links

Misplaced Pages is not a link collection and an article comprising only links is contrary to the "what Misplaced Pages is not" policy.

Syntax

The syntax for referencing a URL is simple. Just enclose it in single brackets:

The URL must begin with http:// or another common protocol, such as ftp:// or news://.

In addition, putting URLs in plain text with no markup automatically produces a link, for example http://www.example.org/. However, this feature may disappear in a future release. Therefore, in cases where you wish to display the URL because it is intrinsically valuable information, it is better to use the short form of the URL (host name) as the optional text: produces www.example.org.

Link titles

Main page: Misplaced Pages:Embedded citations

You should not add a descriptive title to an embedded HTML link within an article. Instead, when giving an embedded link as a source within an article, simply enclose the URL in square brackets, like this: . However, you should add a descriptive title when an external link is offered in the References, Further reading, or External links section. This is done by supplying descriptive text after the URL, separated by a space and enclosing it all in square brackets.

For example, to add a title to a bare URL such as http://en.wikipedia.org/ (this is rendered as "http://en.wikipedia.org/"), use the following syntax: (this is rendered as "an open-content encyclopedia").

Generally, URLs are ugly and uninformative; it is better for a meaningful title to be displayed rather than the URL itself. For example, "European Space Agency website" is much more reader-friendly than "http://www.esa.int/export/esaCP/index.html". There may be exceptions where the URL is well known or is the company name. In this case, putting both the url and a valid title will be more informative: for example, "European Space Agency website, www.esa.int".

If the URL is displayed, make it as simple as possible; for example, if the index.html is superfluous, remove it (but be sure to check in preview mode first).

The "printable version" of a page displays all URLs in full, including those given a title, so no information is lost.

URLs as embedded (numbered) links

Without the optional text, external references appear as automatically numbered links: For example,

is displayed like this:

When an embedded HTML link is used to provide an inline source in an article, a numbered link should be used after the punctuation, like this, with a full citation given in the References section. See Misplaced Pages:Cite sources and Misplaced Pages:Verifiability for more information.

When placed in the References and External links sections, these links should be expanded with link text, and preferably a full citation, including the name of the article, the author, the journal or newspaper the article appeared in, the date it was published, and the date retrieved.

Position in article

Embedded links are positioned after the sentence or paragraph they are being used as a source for, and after the punctuation, like this.

A full citation should then be added to the References section. Links not used as sources can be listed in the External links section:

== External links ==
* [http://
* [http://

As with other top-level headings, two equal signs should be used to mark up the external links heading (see Headings elsewhere in the article).

If there is a dispute on the position of an embedded link, consider organizing alphabetically.

See Misplaced Pages:Citing sources#Embedded links for how to format these, and Misplaced Pages:Verifiability, which is policy.

Non-English-language sites

Webpages in English are highly preferred. Linking to non-English pages may still be useful for readers in the following cases:

  • when the website is the subject of the article
  • when linking to pages with maps, diagrams, photos, tables (explain the key terms with the link, so that people who do not know the language can interpret them)
  • when the webpage contains key or authoritative information found on no English-language site and is used as a citation (or when translations on English-language sites are not authoritative).

In such cases, indicate what language the site is in. For example:

You can also indicate the language by putting a language icon after the link. This is done using Template:Languageicon by typing {{Languageicon|<language code>|<language name>}}. Alternatively, type {{xx icon}}, where xx is the language code. See Category:Language icon templates for a list of these templates and the list of ISO 639 codes.

File type

If the link is not to an HTML file, identify the file type. Useful templates are available: {{PDFlink}}, {{DOClink}}, {{RTFlink}}. If a browser plugin is required to view to the file, mention that as well.

File size

If the link is to a large file (in the case of HTML, including the images), a note about that is useful. Someone with a slow connection may decide not to use it.

Alternative styles of link

Links to articles in other Wikimedia Foundation projects such as Wiktionary and Wikiquote can be done with special link templates such as Template:Wikiquote. These will display as a blue box with a logo. Similar templates exist for some free content resources that are not run by the Wikimedia Foundation. These boxes are formatted in light green to distinguish them from Misplaced Pages's official sister projects. A list of such templates can be found at Misplaced Pages:List of templates linking to other free content projects.

Other considerations

Capitalization

Wikilinking is not case-sensitive in the first character, so editors should generally choose upper or lower case for the initial character of the linked article title or the piped text as would normally apply in the sentence. The same applies for piped external links that occur in running prose. (But capitalization does matter for all characters after the first.)

Quotations

In general, do not include links in quotations; links can alter the form or emphasis of the original.

Dates

For guidance on the linking of dates, see WP:CONTEXT#Dates. In most cases, date items (days, years, centuries and so on) are not linked. In particular, the day and year links that were formerly recommended to make the autoformatting function work are no longer considered desirable.

Units

In tables and infoboxes, units should not be internally linked to Misplaced Pages pages.

Checking links as they are created

One of the commonest errors in linking occurs when editors do not check to see whether a link they have created goes to the intended location. This is especially true when a mistake is not obvious to the reader or to other editors. The text of links needs to be exact, and many Misplaced Pages destinations have a number of similar titles. To avoid such problems, which can be irritating for readers, the following procedure is recommended, especially for editors who are new to creating links.

  1. Carefully key in the link.
  2. Click on "Show preview".
  3. In the display-mode, click on the links to check they go where you intend; if they do not, fix them. If a destination page does not appear to exist, do a quick search to determine whether the article has a differently worded title or the subject is treated in a section of another article. Adjust the link accordingly, or leave it as a red link.
  4. Return to the "Show preview" page using your browser's return button.
  5. Click on "Save page".

By following naming conventions, an internal link will be much more likely to lead to an existing article. When there is not yet an article about the subject, a good link will make the creation of a correctly named article much easier for subsequent writers.

Link maintenance

Linking and continual change are both central features of Misplaced Pages; however, continual change makes linking vulnerable to acquired technical faults and the provision of different information from that which was originally intended. This is true of both "outgoing" links (from an article) and "incoming" links (to an article).

  • Outgoing links: These should be checked from time to time for unintended changes that are undesirable; if the opportunity arises to improve their formatting, appropriateness and focus, this should be done.
  • Incoming links: Creating an article will turn blue any existing red links to its title (redlinks are usually created in the hope that an article will eventually be written). Therefore, when creating an article, it is wise to check "What links here" to identify such redlinks, if any, and that they are appropriate.

See also

Notes

  1. Diomidis Spinellis and Panagiotis Louridas (2008): The collaborative organization of knowledge. In Communications of the ACM, August 2008, Vol 51, No 8, Pages 68 - 73. DOI:10.1145/1378704.1378720. Quote: "Most new articles are created shortly after a corresponding reference to them is entered into the system". See also inflationary hypothesis of Misplaced Pages growth
  2. This change was made on August 24, 2008, on the basis of this archived discussion.
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