Why Your Wikipedia Edits Keep Getting Reverted

If you have made the decision to get involved in Wikipedia, you may find the editorial environment confusing, overwhelming, and sometimes even hostile. Even though Wikipedia encourages editors to be bold, there can be real tension when changes are perceived as out of line, controversial, or otherwise problematic.  Changes made by novice editors are often reverted. 

Please note that editing a Wikipedia article about yourself or your company is prohibited without disclosing conflict of interest.

Five Blocks offers Free Consultation and help in determining your options regarding Creation or Editing of Wikipedia pages. Contact Us.

The following recommendations are for objective, volunteer editors who are not being paid or swayed to edit in any way. A basic understanding of these common editing snags can streamline the process of contributing to Wikipedia, and make it easier for you to expand the encyclopedia’s content in constructive ways. 

1. You’re not signed in — Wikipedia has two primary editing channels: registered and unregistered (or IP) editing. If you don’t create an account, your changes will be attributed to the IP address of the computer you are using to make the edits. For all sorts of reasons, Wikipedia editors prefer “interacting” with registered editors as opposed to IP addresses. Extensive editing done without logging in is often viewed suspiciously. The editing community is less trusting of IP edits and is, therefore, more likely to revert sizable edits made in this way. 
2. You didn’t include citations — Wikipedia wants readers to know where the information is coming from. Assertions made in a Wikipedia article should be backed up by independent, reliable sources. Reliable sources are defined as those with a good reputation and a solid editorial process. Blogs, tabloid journalism, and sponsored content are not to be used. Peer-reviewed industry journals can be used where appropriate. This policy is scrupulously enforced. 
3. You’re citing original research and primary sources — As an extension of the previous item, information can only be included in Wikipedia if it has been published in reliable sources. Research that has not gone through the peer-review process of academic and scholarly journals should not be cited in the encyclopedia. Articles and publications written by the subject of the Wikipedia article should not be used in most cases. Information published by the subject’s employer is also considered “primary sourcing” and could flag your edits for reversion.
4. Your subject isn’t notable — Not every person, company, or concept is considered worthy of a Wikipedia article. Even though someone may seem very important to you, it does not necessarily mean they meet Wikipedia’s standards of notability. We wrote about this here and here. 
5. You’re repeating edits — Known as edit warring, the re-insertion of content that has already been removed is unacceptable on Wikipedia. If an edit you made is reverted, look at the reasons given. An article’s talk page is the right place to start a discussion about the content you’d like to add, particularly if you are finding that it keeps getting reverted. 
6. You are inserting radical, extreme, and/or fringe theories — Wikipedia strives to present a neutral point of view and a balanced demonstration of the facts. It is not a platform for inclusion of every theory, hypothesis, or premise. While these notions might be mentioned in a particular article, they will not be given equal weight compared to mainstream views. Wikipedia articles will always strive to reflect the scientific consensus. 
7. You seem too close to the subject — If you have a financial connection to the subject of an article, Wikipedia requires that you declare your conflict of interest. For the most part, editors with a conflict of interest are encouraged to avoid editing a page directly, and instead to use the talk page to suggest changes and raise issues.
8. Your edits cause harm- Your edit might be reverted if it is considered disruptive or malicious, changes that Wikipedia considers vandalism. Repeated sabotage of a page will either get your account blocked from editing, the page protected (meaning it can only be edited by a small group of Wikipedia editors), or both.

As Wikipedia continues to maintain a powerful position in the current landscape of accessible information and data consumption, it needs editors—just like you—to work diligently, effectively, and efficiently to ensure the quality and neutrality of the articles. From hobbyists to subject experts, Wikipedia needs and wants people like you. Wikipedia thrives because of its community of editors—the volunteers who are committed to fixing mistakes, adding stellar content, and improving the platform for readers. 

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FAQ

Why did my Wikipedia edit get removed?

Any changes that are unsourced; supported by unreliable sources; malicious; biased; or considered harmful in any way, will be reverted. Edits made by editors appearing to have a conflict of interest will also be flagged or deleted.

 

Do I need to be an editor to edit Wikipedia?

Anyone can edit Wikipedia, even without a registered account. The Wikipedia community prefers to “interface” with registered editors. If you choose to edit without signing in, your changes will be attributed to the IP address of the computer you are using.

 

How can I change information on my own Wikipedia entry?

The goal of the Wikipedia project is to be an encyclopedic source of objective information. Articles that are promotional, self-serving, or bias are at-risk of being tagged or deleted. These are our recommendations for making changes on your own page.

 

How do I know who edited a Wikipedia page?   

All changes to a Wikipedia entry are logged. You can see this log by going to the ‘View History’ tab at the top right of the Wikipedia article. The date, time, and size of each change is listed next to the name of the editor who made it. Clicking on the editor’s name will take you to their ‘user page’ where you can read more about the editor.

 

Does everything on Wikipedia need to be sourced?

Information included on Wikipedia needs to be backed by independent, reliable sources. If you want to add content, it needs to have been picked up by media outlets with a good reputation and an editorial process. 

 

 Who can have a Wikipedia article?

Wikipedia has standards of notability which determine a subject’s eligibility for inclusion. Read this article to learn more about the criteria for getting a Wikipedia article.