MEpedia:Getting Started

Welcome to MEpedia!

It is easy to get started, and this page will help you. We have created a Sample Page where you can try out the skills in the lessons below, or you can dive right in and try them out on any other page on the site.

MEpedia is a wiki site, which means that anyone can edit anything. If you see an error, change it. If you see something that can be improved, improve it. Because of its archiving system, and log of edit history, there is no damage that can be done (even if you accidentally delete an entire page). Anything lost can be easily restored, so have a go.

Create a Login
To be able to edit the site, you will need a login.


 * Click the login link in the top right hand corner of this screen.




 * Click the "Join MEpedia" button that appears on the bottom of the next screen.


 * Fill in the form, and click "Create your account". You're all set!

Simple text editing
The simplest edit to make on the site is to add or delete text.


 * To do this, click any "edit" link on the page on which you wish to add or delete text.

They appear next to every heading:



And at the top of every page:



(For now, we won't worry about formatting. We'll show you how to do that later).
 * Click in the text box, and type or delete the text you want.

Well done! You're almost there! Now you just need to save what you've done. The final steps relate to this box at the bottom of the screen.




 * Add a short summary of what you edited (so others can easily understand what you changed). It can be just a few words ("added text", "added reference", "deleted duplication"), or more specific ("added new Lipkin study").


 * Click "Show Preview". This will give you a preview of how your edits will look on the site.


 * If there is something you want to change, click "go to editing area" at the top of the screen, and it will take you back to where you can make changes.




 * Once you are happy with what you've done, click the "Save" button at the bottom of the screen. The page will refresh and your changes will be added. And just like that, you're an MEpedia editor!

Now try adding text to the Sample Page. Answer any of the questions listed on the page, and save your edits. Leave them there for others to find. Or choose a page on the site that you want to edit, and have a go there.

Some suggestions for pages to start with: your own country page, your doctor page, popular pages.

Ready to learn more? Head on over to References - The Basics for how to provide sources for the information you add to the site.