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This is a guide to starting your first medical billing encyclopedia article. We will show you how to create an article and explain some of the DOs and DON'Ts, then show you how to create an article.
Medical Billing Wiki covers only subjects related to medical billing. If the topic is likely to be related to the billing industry in some way, go ahead; if you're unsure, or the article is about you or something you are closely connected to, you can ask an administrator by email at admin@medicalbilling.wiki.
'''You can only create a new article once you've [[Special:CreateAccount|registered an account]] and verified your email.''' ( Need to change your email, do so in [[Special:Preferences|Preferences]] ). Before startingon your new page, try editing existing articles to get a feel for writing and for using Medical Billing Wiki's mark-up language. Also search Medical Billing Wiki first in case an article already exists on the subject, perhaps under a different title.
If the article already exists, feel free to make any constructive edits to improve it.
== How to Create Your Page ==
== 1. Search for the Article ==
Before creating an article, try to make sure there is not already an article on the same topic, perhaps under a slightly different name. [[Special:Search |Search]] for the article before creating your first article. If an article on your topic already exists, but you think people might look for it under some different name or spelling, learn how to create redirects to alternative titles; adding needed redirects is a good way to help people find the article. Also, remember to check the article's deletion log in order to avoid creating an article that has already been deleted. (In some cases, the topic may be suitable even if deleted in the past; the past deletion may have been because it was a copyright violation, did not explain the importance of the topic, or on other grounds addressed to the writing rather that the topic's suitability.)
If a search does not find the topic, consider broadening your search to find existing articles that might include the subject of your article.
Write everything you can on the subject in a neutral manner.
'''Things to avoid:'''
Don't add promotional language
Don't remove negative/critical text from an article
Don't make a "group" account for multiple people to share
Don't neglect to disclose your affiliation on the article's talk page
'''How to make certain things happen:'''
When you need to use some type of formatting, such as for a new headings or making text bold, you do this using wiki syntax or the buttons in the edit toolbar above the editing zone.
'''Create an underlined Heading:'''
Create underlined headings by using equals signs before and after your text.
<nowiki>== References ==</nowiki> creates an H2 heading.
<nowiki>=== References ===</nowiki> creates an H3 heading.
<nowiki>==== References ====</nowiki> creates an H4 heading.
'''Text Formatting:'''
Create different text formats by using the examples below.
Italic Text - <nowiki>'' Italic Text ''</nowiki>
Bold Text - <nowiki>''' Bold Text '''</nowiki>
Bold & Italic Text - <nowiki>'''''Bold & Italic Text'''''</nowiki>
'''Create an Internal Link:'''
Create an internal wiki link by using double brackets before and after your title.
<nowiki>[[ Exact Page Title ]]</nowiki> creates a link to that wiki page.
<nowiki>[[ Category:Exact Category Title ]]</nowiki> creates a link to that wiki category page.
'''Create an External Link:'''
Create an external link by using single brackets before and after your title.
<nowiki>[ http://www.domain.com ]</nowiki> creates a link to that external web page.
<nowiki>[ http://www.domain.com Domain Name ]</nowiki> creates a link to that external web page with different text.
See all mediawiki's markup formatting help here: [https://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/Help:Formatting Format Help]
== 4. List Your References ==
An orphaned article is an article that has few or no other articles linking to it. The main problem with an orphan is that it'll be unseen by others, and will get fewer readers if it is not linked to.
Most new articles are orphans from the moment they are created, but you can work to change that. This will involve editing one or more other articles. Try searching for other pages referring to the subject of your article, then turn those references into links by adding double brackets to either side: "[[" and "]]". If another article has a word or phrase that has the same meaning as your new article, but not expressed in the same words as the title, you can link that word or phrase as follows: "[[title of your new article|word or phrase found in other article]]." Or in certain cases, you could create that word or phrase as a redirect to your new article.
One of the first things you want to do after creating a new article is to provide links to it so it will not be an orphan. You can do that right away, or if you find that exhausting, you can wait a while, provided that you keep the task in mind.
