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Consumer Action Taskforce:Talk page guidelines
- Wiki Communication Guide
This guide explains how to effectively communicate on the wiki, particularly when using talk pages and user discussions.
Basic Communication Tools[edit | edit source]
Talk Pages[edit | edit source]
Every page on the wiki has an associated talk page for discussions about the content. You can access it by clicking the "Discussion" tab at the top of any page.
User Talk Pages[edit | edit source]
Each user has their own talk page at User talk:Username where others can leave messages for them.
How to Reply to Messages[edit | edit source]
Basic Reply Format[edit | edit source]
When replying on a talk page, use this format:
:Your message here ~~~~
Key elements:
- The colon
:indents your reply - Four tildes
~~~~automatically add your signature and timestamp - Add one more colon than the message you're replying to for nested discussions
Notifying Users[edit | edit source]
MediaWiki doesn't automatically notify users of replies. To ensure your message is seen:
1. Use the ping syntax in your message:
:Hi [[User:Username|@Username]]! Your message here ~~~~
2. Leave a note on their user talk page:
== Re: Topic == [[User:Username|@Username]] I've replied at [[Talk:PageName]]. ~~~~
For maximum visibility, do both!
Example Full Conversation[edit | edit source]
== Original Topic == Initial message here. ~~~~ :Hi [[User:Username|@Username]]! Responding to your point... ~~~~ ::Thanks for the reply! Additional thoughts... ~~~~
Best Practices[edit | edit source]
Starting New Topics[edit | edit source]
- Use clear, descriptive section headers
- Start new sections with
== Section Title == - Always sign your messages
Maintaining Conversations[edit | edit source]
- Keep replies on the same page where the discussion started
- Use proper indentation to show reply hierarchy
- Update old discussions by adding to them rather than starting new ones
Common Mistakes to Avoid[edit | edit source]
- Forgetting to sign messages with
Travis (talk) 17:08, 17 January 2025 (UTC) - Not notifying users of replies
- Starting new threads instead of replying to existing ones
- Editing others' comments (instead, reply to them)