Week15 -- the edits I have made -- GUAN YUE

  

1. Summary

This week, I didn’t create a new article, but I edited an existing one on Chinese Wikipedia: Molecular Symmetry. I found it by clicking “Random Article” on the main page, which I sometimes do just for fun. Even though I don’t really understand chemistry, I noticed that some technical terms—like Spectroscopy, Point group, and Schoenflies notation—were not linked at all, and a few were even red links. So I decided to add internal links to help improve the navigation of the article. It was a small edit, but it made me think more deeply about the role of linking in Wikipedia.

2. New Things I Learned

One thing that stood out was the word Spectroscopy. In the article, it showed up as a red link, which usually means the page doesn’t exist. But when I searched for it, I realized there actually is a full article on it in Chinese Wikipedia—the link just wasn’t added correctly. That made me realize: not all red links mean missing pages. Sometimes the content already exists, but editors just didn’t find it or didn’t link it.

This edit also reminded me how useful links are, especially for readers who are not experts in the subject. When the key terms are linked, the whole article becomes much easier to follow. I don’t need to fully understand point groups or Schoenflies notation, but being able to click and explore makes a big difference.

Technically, the edit was simple—I used source mode and the [[ ]] syntax to add links, something I already learned in class. But what I really gained was a new awareness: you don’t have to be an expert to improve Wikipedia. Even small edits like fixing a link can help make the article better.

3. Question for Discussion

This made me think: Should we always double-check red links before assuming the page doesn’t exist?

In the case of Spectroscopy, it only took me a few seconds to search and find the existing article. But maybe many red links stay there just because no one takes the time to check.

So what if there was a feature that suggested possible matches when we type a red link? Or maybe beginner guides could remind new editors to search before linking a new page title. These small reminders might help reduce unnecessary red links and connect existing content better.

Editing Wikipedia doesn’t always have to mean writing new articles. Sometimes, just adding the right link can make an article easier to read and more complete. I used to think these edits were too small to matter—but now I see that small changes also help build the bigger knowledge network.