User:Tony1/Build your linking skills



High-quality linking is a skill like writing. Skilled wikilinking is central to achieving good articles on Wikipedia. It was only eight or nine years after the start of the English Wikipedia that we began to realise the potential for refining wikilinking—how sophisticated decision-making is required to achieve a high standard of linking: what to link, what not to link, how and when to research more focused links, and how to integrate links smoothly into the text. In this respect, linking deserves attention just as our prose. Please keep in mind two things:
 * your readers rely on you to guide them toward the best links;
 * it's highly likely that readers click on links much less than we think they do, especially if the linking is dense.

Overlinking. There's been increasing awareness that overlinking damages the linking system through dilution of high-value links in the vicinity, and that sprinkling low-value links through a text degrades its professional appearance and undermines readers' confidence that links will take them somewhere relevant. So there's a trade-off in linking: increased utility needs to be balanced against the disadvantages of diluting other links close by, and of crowding the text with blue. While few editors would disagree that certain items should not be linked, and certain items should be linked, there is a grey area in the middle in which the decision to link or not link is an art rather than a laid-down, universally accepted decision.

Underlinking. We believe this is less of an issue than overlinking; it is nevertheless important to give readers links to articles (or article-sections) that are likely to be focused, relevant, and useful. This is particularly the case in highly technical topics.

Four key tests. Applying these tests will help you to make decisions about linking:
 * Relevance: Is the link-target sufficiently relevant and useful to link in the context? (See WC:LINK.)
 * Specificity: Does the link lead to the most focused appropriate target? Search for daughter articles and sections at whatever target article you're considering to link: if a narrower theme can be targeted, please do that.
 * Uniqueness: Is the linked topic reachable—directly or indirectly—through another link in the vicinity? (If so, consider not linking.)
 * WYSIWYG (what you see is what you get): Is the link-target clear and obvious to the reader? (See Wikipedia:Principle of least astonishment.)

The exercises: unfolding design. Each exercise below will present you with a portion of text in which you can improve the linking. They are designed to be done in your head, without typing. Each one unfolds in stages that you control: first, the problem text, then a hint to help you along if you need it; then a solution. The underlying syntax appears in coloured text where necessary. Where an item has been linked or unlinked in a solution, it is underlined to show this. The examples are taken from existing Wikipedia articles, from which reference numberings have been removed to avoid clutter.

Before attempting these exercises, we recommend acquaintance with WC:LINK, the style guide that contains advice about linking, internal and external. Feedback on how to improve these exercises is welcome on the talk page.

Pace yourself. You'll get the most out of them by thinking carefully about each stage before clicking on the next one. Monitor your performance for fatigue. The tasks are concentrated, so stop when you've had enough, and return fresh and distant the next day to take up where you left off. "Distributed" practice (that is, spaced over time) is often more effective than attempting all of the exercises at once ("massed" practice).



Andy Warhol
In 1979, Warhol was commissioned by BMW to paint a Group 4 Race Version of the elite supercar BMW M1|BMW M1 for the fourth installment in the BMW Art Car Project.

City of Manchester Stadium
Entry is gained by RFID smart card.

Underlying syntax:  Entry is gained by RFID smart card.

Lisa the Vegetarian
The episode features several references to the Beatles and McCartney's solo career.

The episode features several references to the Beatles and McCartney's solo career.

Fatboy Slim
Cook then formed Freak Power with horn player Ashley Slater and singer Jesse Graham. They released their debut album Drive thru booty in 1994, which contained the single "Turn on, tune in, cop out". The cut was picked up by the Levi's company for use in a multimillion-dollar advertising campaign. In 1996, Cook re-joined Freak Power for the second album More of everything for everybody.

Carabane
The Jola are very distinct from other major ethnic groups in Senegal by their language, egalitarian society, freedom from political hierarchy, and lack of slavery.

Greengage
Soon after, Greengages were cultivated in the American colonies, and were even grown on the plantations of American presidents George Washington (1732–99) and Thomas Jefferson (1743–1826). However, the cultivation of greengages in North America has declined significantly since the 18th century.

Soon after, Greengages were cultivated in the American colonies, and were even grown on the plantations of American presidents George Washington (1732–99) and Thomas Jefferson (1743–1826). However, the cultivation of greengages in North America has declined significantly since the 18th century.

Donnchadh, Earl of Carrick
As a result of his father's conflict with Uhtred and the Scottish king William the Lion, Donnchadh became a hostage of King Henry II of England.

As a result of his father's conflict with Uhtred and the Scottish king William the Lion, Donnchadh became a hostage of King Henry II of England.

Voting age
A voting age is a minimum age established by law that a person must attain to be eligible to vote in a public election. The vast majority of countries in the world have established a voting age, with the implication that those of an age lower than the chosen threshold lack the necessary capacity to independently decide how to cast a vote. The voting age is sometimes considered to be of such importance that it is set by constitutional provision.

Tasmania
Through war, persecution and the introduction of infectious diseases to which they had no immunity, by 1833 the indigenous population dwindled to just 300.

World War I
More than 15 million people were killed, making it one of the deadliest conflicts in history.

More than 15 million people were killed, making it one of the deadliest conflicts in history.

John Denver
Denver became outspoken in politics in the mid-1970s. In 1976, he campaigned for the election of Jimmy Carter, who became a close friend and ally. Denver was a supporter of the Democratic Party, and a number of charitable causes for the environment, the homeless, the poor, the hungry, and the African AIDS crisis. He founded the charitable Windstar Foundation in 1976 to promote sustainable living. His dismay at the Chernobyl disaster led to precedent-setting concerts in parts of communist Asia and Europe.

Denver became outspoken in politics in the mid-1970s. In 1976, he campaigned for the election of Jimmy Carter, who became a close friend and ally. Denver was a supporter of the Democratic Party, and a number of charitable causes for the environment, the homeless, the poor, the hungry, and the African AIDS crisis. He founded the charitable Windstar Foundation in 1976 to promote sustainable living. His dismay at the Chernobyl disaster led to precedent-setting concerts in parts of communist Asia and Europe.

Janis Joplin
During this period, she used other intoxicants and was a heavy drinker throughout her career; her trademark beverage was Southern Comfort.

During this period, she used other intoxicants and was a heavy drinker throughout her career; her trademark beverage was Southern Comfort.

Bessie Smith
Smith's career was cut short by a combination of the Great Depression and the advent of "talkies", which spelled the end for vaudeville. While the days of elaborate vaudeville shows were over, Smith continued touring and occasionally singing in clubs. In 1929, she appeared in a Broadway flop called Pansy, a musical in which, the top critics agreed, she was the only asset.

Whoopi Goldberg
Goldberg performed the role of Califia, the radiant Queen of California, for a theater presentation called Golden Dreams at Disney's California Adventure, the second gate at the Disneyland Resort, in 2000. The show, which explains the history of the Golden State (California), opened on February 8, 2001.

Goldberg performed the role of Califia, the radiant Queen of California, for a theater presentation called Golden Dreams at Disney's California Adventure, the second gate at the Disneyland Resort, in 2000. The show, which explains the history of the Golden State (California), opened on February 8, 2001.

