Basic Formatting Guide

From Provider Notes

The MediaWiki software that this wiki is based on has a diverse range of powerful options for formatting text and images within pages. Users looking for a more comprehensive guide should see the various guides available on the MediaWiki site, such as the one located here. However, for basic use the following guide contains guidelines on how to use the most common Wiki markup.

Contents 1 Basic text formatting 1.1 Bolding a word 1.2 Italicizing words 1.3 Underlined words 1.4 Combinations of emphasis 1.5 Centered text and quotes 2 Line spacing 2.1 Indentation 3 Lists 3.1 Unordered lists 3.2 Numbered lists 3.3 Mixed lists 4 Links 5 Tables

Basic text formatting

MediaWiki contains all the normal sentence formatting that you would expect in word processing software such as bold, italics, and underline. However, due to the nature of the technology, these functions cannot be accessed merely by pressing Ctrl+B, Ctrl+I, or Ctrl+U. Instead, editors need to use what is called Wiki markup, a language developed as a simple yet powerful to HTML geared towards conveying encyclopedic information. In this guide, the desired effect will be demonstrated, with the Wiki markup for that effect shown beneath.

Bolding a word

Bolded words look like this.

Bolded words look like '''this'''.

Italicizing words

Italicized text looks like this.

Italicized text looks like ''this''.

Underlined words

Underlined words look like this.

Underlined words look like <u>this</u>.

• Note: Manual underlining should be used sparingly in wiki articles, instead being reserved for links and other automatic applications.

Combinations of emphasis

These effects can be combined together, with bold italics, or bold italics underlined.

These effects can be combined together, with '''''bold italics''''', or <u>'''''bold italics underlined'''''</u>.

Centered text and quotes

Sometimes you may wish to center text within a table or section.

<center>Centered text</center>

Other times, you may want to make extensive quotes from other sources.

By using the blockquote tag, the text is indented from both margins, separating it more obviously from the rest of the text. If you do not have enough text to reach both margins, however, the blockquotes will look like a mere indentation. Normal quotation marks should most likely be used for shorter quotes, with the blockquote tag being reserved for larger, more important quotations.

<blockquote>By using the '''blockquote''' tag, the text is indented from both margins, separating it more obviously from the rest of the text. If you do not have enough text to reach both margins, however, the blockquotes will look like a mere indentation. Normal quotation marks should most likely be used for shorter quotes, with the blockquote tag being reserved for larger, more important quotations.</blockquote>

Line spacing

Line spacing has various functions in editing. When editing long or particularly complex articles, it is good to keep in mind fellow editors who may be contributing to the article later on, as well as those who will merely be reading the article. As such it is occasionally a good idea to make formatting changes that will make editing easier, whilst having no effect on what readers see.

For example, ending one line and starting another immediately after has no effect on the displayed text. This can be used to keep track of certain sentences or sections of a paragraph.

Two new lines, however, will create a new paragraph.

For example, ending one line and starting another immediately after has no effect on the displayed text.
This can be used to keep track of certain sentences or sections of a paragraph. 

Two new lines, however, will create a new paragraph.

• Note: Lists and other special cases will interpret new lines differently.

Indentation

Generally, Wiki markup avoids the use of indentation for normal paragraphs. However, certain cases may make it necessary or aesthetically pleasing to include indentation. By default, a new paragraph will not be indented.

When needed, indentation can easily be added.

As many indents as necessary.

As far as it needs to go.

:When needed, indentation can easily be added.
::As many indents as necessary.
:::As far as it needs to go.

Lists

There are three main types of lists in the MediaWiki software:

• Unordered lists
• Numbered lists
• Mixed lists

Each has its own purposes and will convey information more accurately in different contexts.

Unordered lists

Unordered lists can be used to add a note to a previous paragraph, emphasis to a previous statement, or keep track of information that shouldn't necessarily be ranked. These are akin to bullet points.

• A note can be added
• As can another
  • There can even be deeper levels of lists

  and previous items can be continued.

• Unordered lists are good for presenting bits of information in a simple form.

* A '''note''' can be added
* As can another
** There can even be deeper levels of lists
*: and previous items can be continued.
* Unordered lists are good for presenting bits of information in a simple form.

Numbered lists

Numbered lists can be used to rank things, or to provide steps to a process in an organized manner.

1. They are a good way to organize
2. They help a reader keep track of where they are in your list
3. And the points contained within the numbered list can be reorganized however you like. The list numbers itself.

# They are a good way to organize
# They help a reader keep track of where they are in your list
# And the points contained within the numbered list can be reorganized however you like. The list numbers itself.

Mixed lists

Mixed lists can be used when there are sub-steps or points to points that you are listing.

1. You can nest unordered lists within numbered lists
   • Perhaps to make a point about the previous item
2. Or you can nest numbered lists within unordered lists
   • Perhaps you want to list the steps to resolution:
     1. One
     2. Two
     3. Three

# You can nest unordered lists within numbered lists
#* Perhaps to make a point about the previous item
# Or you can nest numbered lists within unordered lists
#* Perhaps you want to list the steps to resolution:
#*# One
#*# Two
#*# Three

Links

Links are very important in a wiki. They allow you to link to other informational pages within the wiki, as well as pages outside the wiki. Since often the topic concerned has been covered before by someone else, a page on a wiki can consist of a summary of the relevant information to the readers, pointing them to other articles within the wiki for additional clarification, and outside the wiki if they want more information. The more useful information a reader is presented with, the greater the chance the reader will be able to understand what they are learning.

If you are just adding a link to another page, you can just type the address: http://en.wikipedia.org. If you would like to give it a title, you can: Wikipedia. Or, links can be added with no title at all: [1].

If you are just adding a link to another page, you can just type the address: http://en.wikipedia.org.
If you would like to give it a title, you can: [http://en.wikipedia.org Wikipedia].
Or, links can be added with no title at all: [http://en.wikipedia.org].

Links to other articles within the wiki work similarly. You can just link to an article, like cellular standards. Additionally, you can link to an article and use a different title. You can even link to a specific section of the article, like Cellular standards#Penn Preferred Vendors, or retitle a link to a specific section of the article: Penn preferred cellular vendors.

You can just link to an article, like [[cellular standards]]. Additionally, you can link to an article and use a [[cellular standards |different title]]. You can even link to a specific section of the article, like [[Cellular standards#Penn Preferred Vendors]], or retitle a link to a specific section of the article: [[Cellular standards#Penn Preferred Vendors|Penn preferred cellular vendors]].

Tables

Tables are a great way to organize information, such as this table on useful laptop keyboard shortcuts. Tables have many options and can get quite complex in MediaWiki, but basic tables are easy to create. They consist of three main sections: The table attributes, headings, and cells.

A table caption describing the table

A column heading	Column heading A	Column heading B	Column heading C
Row heading 1	Cell 1A	Cell 1B	Cell 1C
Row heading 2	Cell 2A	Cell 2B	Cell 2C

The table border and other attributes about size and spacing is specified in the first line, and the next line contains an optional caption. After that, column headings may be added for as many columns as you wish your table to contain. Next, rows are added, with the heading on a line started with a ! and cells on the next line, started with a single | and each cell separated by double | characters. Additional rows may be added by separating each row with a line consisting only of the |- combination. Alternately, each cell may be added on a new line following a |, or bar character. Each method displays the same way.

{| border="1"
|+ A table caption describing the table
! A column heading !! Column heading A !! Column heading B !! Column heading C
|-
! Row heading 1 
| Cell 1A || Cell 1B || Cell 1C
|-
! Row heading 2 
|Cell 2A
|Cell 2B
|Cell 2C
|}

Tables have many more options and are quite flexible for application. For additional help on creating tables in wikicode, see the MediaWiki article here.