User talk:The1darknight

Pearland High School
Dear The1darknight, first of all, welcome to Wikipedia! I'd like to talk to you a little bit about Wikipedia's guidelines and policies, as it seems that you've jumped in with both feet, and while that's not a bad thing, it can lead to some issues, and I see those issues with the above article.

First, please realize that Wikipedia uses its own "scripting language", and as such, doing things like indenting, or placing spaces before items, will not give the desired results. Instead, they end up in no-wrapping "non format" boxes (example below), and should not be done. For bullets, use the asterisk, to indent, use the colon and for numbered lists, use the number sign with no line breaks between lines. This is an example of what happens if you add a leading space, or use tabs/indents

Second, references must be from third-party, neutral, verifiable sources, and thus, using the school's website as a reference is not something that can be done, as it is neither neutral, nor third-party. It can be included as an external link, but should not be used to source a statement. Additionally, it is not needed to break down every area of the school's site in external links. One link to the main URL is sufficient, should users wish to peruse the site's sub-sections, that's their choice. Please see the external links guideline for more information about external links.

Third, when listing notable alumni, there is no need to place references after names of individuals who have an article on Wikipedia already. If one wishes to go see the individuals notability, one can simply go to that article. For those who do not already have an article, it is acceptable, but again, I would request that you review the proper formatting and placement of references, as found in how to cite sources and citation templates.

Finally, it is again not necessary to put a school's website into a reference, when referring to individuals who have gone on to attend said school. Unless you're making a claim to their notability in other areas aside from their past valedictorian/salutatorian status, it is not needed.

I would really like to encourage you to take some time and get familiar with some of the basics of Wikipedia, such as the manual of style, the Layout guide, first article, article development and how to edit, among just a few. Finally, I would like to draw your attention to the conflict of interest guideline, which may come into play with regards to your stating you're a former Valedictorian. The issue is that one of the core polices of Wikipedia is neutrality, and it is very difficult to remain neutral, when editing an article that is a subject with which you have close ties. It can be done, but it is suggested that instead, you request a neutral party add information, via the article's talk page. I'd encourage you to take a look at all the core polices of Wikipedia.

I have fixed the issues I listed above, and I would appreciate you taking the time to compare the versions, to understand some of the things that were done to "Wiki-fy" the article, using my changes as example. Feel free to use the help pages should you have any additional questions, or you can place here on your talk page, followed by a question, and someone will come respond to your question. I hope this helps you find your way around, Wikipedia is a very large area, with many guidelines and policies, so I hope that you'll enjoy things after you have had a chance to get familiar with them! Cheers, Ariel ♥ Gold 08:38, 11 September 2007 (UTC)

We do not include stuff that is not encyclopedic. See WikiProject Schools to see what is encyclopedic... and what is not. WhisperToMe (talk) 03:45, 5 April 2008 (UTC)

Speedy deletion of List of Pearland High School Valedictorians and Salutatorians
A tag has been placed on List of Pearland High School Valedictorians and Salutatorians requesting that it be speedily deleted from Wikipedia. This has been done under section A1 of the criteria for speedy deletion, because it is a very short article providing little or no context to the reader. Please see Wikipedia:Stub for our minimum information standards for short articles. Also please note that articles must be on notable subjects and should provide references to reliable sources that verify their content.

If you think that this notice was placed here in error, you may contest the deletion by adding  to the top of the page (just below the existing speedy deletion or "db" tag), coupled with adding a note on the talk page explaining your position, but be aware that once tagged for speedy deletion, if the article meets the criterion it may be deleted without delay. Please do not remove the speedy deletion tag yourself, but don't hesitate to add information to the article that would would render it more in conformance with Wikipedia's policies and guidelines. Roleplayer (talk) 20:46, 6 April 2008 (UTC)

Re: List of Pearland High School Valedictorians and Salutatorians
I deleted the page because it was about a group that was not notable per Wikipedia's standards; WP:N and WP:BIO will give you more information about what Wikipedia considers to be notable enough for inclusion. ... disco spinster   talk  20:58, 6 April 2008 (UTC)

Removed BCS page vandalism from TCU vandal.
Removed BCS page vandalism from TCU vandal.

Duh! The 2010 BCS will be TEXAS versus Alabama.

The idiot vandal who put in TCU has been foiled.