Template:Answers/Inaccuracies

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How do I report inaccuracies in content on one of your projects? Our projects are "wikis", which means that anyone visiting the site can edit or add to most pages. In most cases, if you believe that content could be improved, we ask you to address it on the site yourself. First, you can edit almost any page directly. You don't need to apply or get special permission to join us. At the top of each page is an "edit" label. Try it for example at the sandbox on the English Wikipedia. You don't even need to log in to edit, although creating an account gives you more options and helps you keep track of your contributions. You can create an account on our educational projects by pressing "create account" in the top right corner. Our projects are open to volunteers and encourage people to pitch in. You can generally find information on how in the sidebar of each project. w:Wikipedia:Introduction and w:Wikipedia:Tutorial are useful reading for how to edit MediaWiki software, if you choose to contribute directly. Please note that while contributions are welcome, the volunteer communities who create and curate content do have policies and guidelines which they have crafted to which content must adhere. These will vary according to the project you are editing and can generally be read by following the links on the left side of the page. For instance, the policies that govern Wikipedia ask that you remain neutral in your prose and provide reliable sources to substantiate the information you add. Content that does not meet local policies may be modified or removed. Second, you can raise your concern for review by members of the community. Each page on our projects has an associated "discussion page" or "talk page"; you can access this by clicking the "discussion" link at the top of the page. You can then voice your concerns by selecting the "new section" link in the tabs at the top of the page. You will see two text boxes for you to write in: one for a title for your note and one for the note itself. (See the MediaWiki help page on talk pages if you would like more information on using them.) If other contributors are not receptive to your note or edits, there are dispute resolution processes you can follow on the sites. You can frequently find more information about these by pressing the "help" link found on most projects in the sidebar on the left. If you cannot find the dispute resolution processes on a given project, you should be able visit the help desk or community portal to ask local volunteers on that project how to proceed. Finally, in some cases, it may be appropriate to reach out for information or assistance to the volunteer email response team at infowikimediaorg. The volunteer email response team receives a large number of emails every day, and they do not have the capacity or the mandate to help with most minor corrections or standard content disputes. They may be able to assist people in special circumstances, however. Before writing, it's a good idea to check on the project where you are encountering difficulties to see if there are specific instructions for contacting volunteers on that project or specific information on how they may be able to help. For instance, the Dutch Wikipedia page on their volunteer email response system at nl:Wikipedia: OTRS includes specific details for what to do in various circumstances. (You may be able to locate this information on other projects by pressing the magnifying glass in the search bar, typing "OTRS" in the box, and pressing "Help and Project Pages" beneath the box.) Some projects include that information in the link on the left labeled "Contact page". (See, for example, the English Wikipedia's "Contact us" page.) If you do choose to reach out to the volunteer email response team, please keep in mind that our projects have no central editorial board. While volunteer responders are chosen from among the volunteer community by other volunteers for their experience on the projects, they can only act in accordance with the community-created policies and processes of the projects they serve. In some very exceptional circumstances, they may be able to help you directly, but, if not, should often be able to help you determine the best way to proceed. If contacting the volunteer email response team, please clearly explain the issues you are encountering and, if you are writing the general address, please specify the language and project where you are experiencing the issue (for example, French Wiktionary; Russian Wikipedia). Disclaimer: Emails to infowikimediaorg are reviewed and responded to by volunteers from our user community. Please understand that the Wikimedia Foundation cannot guarantee confidential treatment of any sensitive information you include in your message.