A short guide on how to update a Wikipedia page.

3 February 2025, Alice Woods.

Wikipedia is a huge online encyclopedia with millions of articles in English Wikipedia alone. It’s not uncommon to come across content that seems incorrect, biased, or poorly expressed.

We acknowledge that this can cause distress for some people. Especially if you're new to Wikipedia and don’t know how to make changes—or if you're hesitant to edit directly.

Here are a few suggestions that you can try:

1. Create a Wikipedia Account and edit the page If you're comfortable you can make edits directly to the article, create a Wikipedia account and edit the page, making sure to reference your source for each change.
2. Use the article’s Talk page If you’re unsure about editing, you can write a short message on the Talk page of the article, stating your concerns, providing references and requesting changes to the page.
3. Ask for help in the Teahouse The Teahouse is a friendly online space in Wikipedia designed to help new and/or inexperienced editors.
4. Post on the relevant Noticeboard For topic or region-specific issues, you can post a short message on the relevant community noticeboard. In Australia, the Australian Wikipedians’ Noticeboard is a good place to start.

Resources for beginner editors

Getting started with Wikipedia can feel overwhelming, but there are many resources to help beginner editors learn:

Teahouse The Wikipedia Teahouse offers guidance and support for new editors. A friendly place to learn about Wikipedia culture, ask questions, and develop community relationships.

Introductory Videos The More Than a Day introductory videos produced in partnership with Wikimedia Australia and Franklin Women which feature Australian Wikimedian Caddie Brain.

FAQ video answers A beginner-friendly series of short YouTube video answers to Frequently Asked Questions about Wikipedia.

Online Course Introduction to Wikipedia course through WikiLearn, created by Australian Wikimedia James Gaunt.

Wikimedia Australia events Join monthly introduction sessions, drop-ins, or community meetings to ask questions and learn more.

Understanding how Wikipedia works

Wikipedia is edited and managed by a worldwide community of volunteers. Over 24 years, they’ve developed detailed policies and processes to ensure content quality, accuracy, and transparency. Every edit is logged in the View History tab on each page, so you can track changes and see who made them.

It's important to note that Wikimedia Australia staff do not enforce Wikipedia rules or have any editorial control over articles—all decisions about content are made by the volunteer editing community.

Key policies to be aware of:

• Neutral Point of View (NPOV). All content must be balanced and unbiased.  
• Conflict of Interest (COI). You cannot write about yourself, your workplace, colleagues, family, or friends. These topics are considered too close for you to remain neutral.
• Avoid Paid Articles: Please do not pay someone to create a Wikipedia article for you—this is often a scam, and it usually violates Wikipedia's Conflict of Interest (COI) policy, which prohibits paid editing that is not transparently disclosed.

You can see all the Wikipedia policies and guidelines here.

Ready to edit?

By following these steps and guidelines, you can help improve Wikipedia while respecting its community-driven principles.  Even small edits—like fixing a typo, improving clarity, or adding a reliable source—make a big difference in keeping Wikipedia accurate and trustworthy.

Everyone is welcome to contribute, so if you’re unsure where to start and still have questions, please don’t hesitate to ask for help or join a Wikimedia Australia event.

Email Wikimedia Australia on contact@wikimedia.org.au

Image attribution: Woman with wax tablets and stylus, Naples National Archaeological Museum, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.