MBraddy11028

User page creation template

The purpose of the Wikipedia user page is to introduce yourself to the on-line community that is Wikipedia. A secondary, but important purpose, is to present yourself as a capable editor, writer, and researcher whose work should be taken seriously and not summarily deleted without a discussion.

Keep in mind that studies of Wikipedia show that your audience is international, mostly male, very verbal, and educated above the national norm for the United States, though many Wikipedia editors are self taught as opposed to degreed.

As you use this template, you should erase the template comments completely, including the subheads and invent clever text of your own that shows off your intelligence, humor, and creativity.

This section of your template should be a basic introduction. You should indicate that you are a college freshman. What you want to say about the university you attend (coastal Georgia, mid-size, party school) is a creative decision you must make. You should use this section to indicate any scholarships you've received and other significant honors you have won whether they are academic, athletic, musical, or community service awards. If you are proud of your grade point average in high school or college, you can mention that in this section. No grade point averages beneath 3.2 are worth mentioning in your college professor's humble opinion.

This section is also a good place to mention your serious interests, a major for instance or a hobby or a part-time job or the fact that you go fishing every weekend with your uncle Bob. This is also a good place for what is commonly known in on-line communities as "random facts about me." Keep in mind that random facts help you emerge as a real person with a writer's voice and one with whom your audience can identify.

Contributions to Wikipedia

This section should be a summary of the work you have done so far and what you plan on doing in the immediate future. "I will keep working to improve my article on the U.S. National Tick Collection," for example. You should create internal links to articles that you have worked on in this section of your profile.

Relationship to technology

This section should tell people how you relate to technology, both generally and specifically. For instance, if you would rather write and receive a real, hand-written letter through the U.S. mail than to get a text message, you should tell people that about yourself in this section. This is also the section of the profile in which to tell people that you repel technology ("I've never sent an email prior to taking this class") or that you learn difficult computer languages like Fortran within five minutes flat.

This section should definitely tell people about any skills you have that are useful to the internet community. For instance, if you edit with a program called Twinkle or if you have written any editing programs that would be useful on Wikipedia, you should say that. You want to tell people, minimally, the programs you are proficient at (Microsoft Word 2007, Excel, QuarkXpress, Adobe Photoshop, etc.

As a matter of caution, please do not describe yourself as a technical whiz kid if you have been struggling to do simple coding on Wikipedia.

Philosophy of Wikipedia

This is a very open-ended category that allows you to express your feelings, attitude, ambivalence about Wikipedia as well as any more empirical criticisms or praise. For example, you might want to write about what you have used Wikipedia for in the past. (EXAMPLE: "I go to Wikipedia to look up information about my favorite TV shows and celebrities.") If you have heard criticisms of Wikipedia from your high school teachers or college professors, how do you respond to those criticisms? Do you agree (with most college profs) that Wikipedia is not a reliable source of information to cite in a traditional college term paper? Why or why not?

This is a good section, also, to make an honest evaluation of Wikipedia if you feel like it. Do you think the lack of (paid) professionals negatively affects the quality of writing and editing found on the site. Do you believe that people should have a minimum set of qualifications to write about, say, science, music, or history, and do you find that a lot of pages on Wikipedia on those subjects are written by hobbyists or people with few, if any, objective credentials in those areas?

Or do you love the fact that Wikipedia is open and democratic? Do you embrace the level playing field it offers?

Languages

In this category, you should explain in what languages you read, write, and speak. For many of you, this paragraph will identify you as a native speaker and writer of American English. If, however, you have any level of proficiency in other languages, you should say what they are and whether you'll be able to contribute to Wikipedia in those languages.

Whatever you like section

This is a section where you can do anything you like as long as it serves the purpose of conveying something about who you are. You can tell a story from your life. You can give a list of "random facts" about yourself. You can rant about the season your favorite team is having. You can post links to your favorite youtubes and say why you like them. Have fun!

Biggie Smalls

This user is a fan of The Notorious B.I.G.

This user loved Michael Jackson.

:-]	This user is polite and expects others to act accordingly.

:(This user wishes there were more userboxes on Wikipedia.

This user believes in being good.

Georgia SouthernThis user attends or attended Georgia Southern University.
Go Eagles!