External Resources

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  1. External Resources

This article is designed for beginners to MediaWiki and explains how to effectively utilize and manage external resources within your wiki pages. External resources, such as websites, documents, and other online materials, are crucial for providing context, supporting claims, and offering users further information related to the topics covered in your wiki. This guide will cover everything from basic linking to advanced techniques for managing and presenting external links. We will also discuss best practices for ensuring the longevity and reliability of these links.

What are External Resources?

In the context of a wiki, external resources refer to any content that resides outside of the wiki itself. This includes:

  • **Websites:** Links to other websites providing related information. This is the most common type of external resource.
  • **Documents:** Links to downloadable files like PDFs, DOCs, spreadsheets, or presentations.
  • **Images & Videos:** While images and videos *can* be hosted directly on the wiki (see File:Management for details), sometimes linking to external sources is more practical, especially for large files or streaming videos.
  • **Online Tools:** Links to external tools, calculators, or interactive resources relevant to the wiki's content.
  • **Academic Papers & Research:** Links to scholarly articles, research reports, and databases.

Why Use External Resources?

Integrating external resources into your wiki pages offers several benefits:

  • **Credibility & Verification:** Linking to reputable sources strengthens the credibility of your wiki's content and allows users to verify the information presented.
  • **Depth & Detail:** External resources can provide more in-depth information than can reasonably be included directly within the wiki.
  • **Currency:** External resources, particularly websites, can be updated more frequently than a wiki page, ensuring users have access to the latest information. This is especially important for topics like Technical Analysis where market conditions change rapidly.
  • **Accessibility:** Linking to resources that are already available online saves you the effort of duplicating content.
  • **User Experience:** Providing links to further reading or related tools enhances the user experience and encourages exploration.

Basic Linking Syntax

The fundamental way to create an external link in MediaWiki is using the following syntax:

```wiki Link Text ```

Replace `https://www.example.com` with the URL of the external resource and `Link Text` with the text you want to display for the link. For example:

```wiki Fibonacci Retracement Levels ```

This will render as:

Fibonacci Retracement Levels

The link will open in a new tab or window when clicked (this is the default behavior).

Advanced Linking Techniques

MediaWiki offers several ways to refine your external linking:

  • **Titles (Tooltips):** You can add a title attribute to provide a tooltip that appears when the user hovers over the link. This is helpful for providing additional context.
   ```wiki
   Link Text | Title Text
   ```

   Example:

   ```wiki
   | BabyPips Forex Introduction | A comprehensive guide to the Forex market
   ```
  • **Link Classes:** While less commonly used for basic wikis, you can assign CSS classes to links for custom styling. This requires knowledge of MediaWiki's CSS system.
  • **Link Prefixes:** MediaWiki recognizes certain prefixes that modify the link's behavior. For example:
   *   `ftp://`:  Creates a link to an FTP server.
   *   `mailto:`: Creates a link that opens the user's email client.  Example: `Contact Us`
   *   `tel://`: Creates a link that initiates a phone call (on compatible devices).

Best Practices for External Linking

Following these best practices will ensure your external links are effective and maintainable:

  • **Relevance:** Only link to resources that are directly relevant to the content of your page. Avoid unnecessary or tangential links. Consider resources on Candlestick Patterns only when discussing price action.
  • **Reliability:** Link to reputable and trustworthy sources. Avoid linking to websites with questionable accuracy or bias. Look for established institutions, academic sources, or well-known industry experts.
  • **Currency:** Regularly check your external links to ensure they are still valid. Websites change, and links can break over time. Use tools (described below) to help with link checking.
  • **Clarity:** Use descriptive link text that accurately reflects the content of the linked resource. Avoid vague phrases like "Click here."
  • **Context:** Provide context around the link. Explain *why* the resource is being linked and what information the user can expect to find there. For example, "For more information on Moving Averages, see Moving Averages at StockCharts.com."
  • **Avoid Excessive Linking:** Too many links can be overwhelming for users. Prioritize the most important and relevant resources.
  • **Consider "nofollow" Attribute:** In some cases, you may want to use the `nofollow` attribute to indicate that you do not endorse the linked resource. This is typically used for user-generated content or links to potentially untrustworthy websites. (This may require extensions or configuration depending on your MediaWiki setup).
  • **Link to Archives:** If a website is known to change frequently, consider linking to archived versions of the page using services like the Wayback Machine ([1](https://web.archive.org/)).

Managing External Links

Maintaining a large number of external links can be challenging. Here are some strategies for managing them effectively:

  • **Link Lists:** Create dedicated pages for listing external resources related to specific topics. This makes it easier for users to find relevant links and for you to manage them. For example, a page titled "External Resources for Day Trading" could list links to relevant websites, tools, and educational materials.
  • **Templates:** Use templates to create standardized link formats. This can help ensure consistency and simplify the process of adding links.
  • **Categories:** Categorize external resources to make them easier to find. For example, you could create a category for "External Trading Resources" or "External Technical Analysis Tools."
  • **Link Checking Tools:** Use link checking tools to identify broken links. Several online tools and MediaWiki extensions are available for this purpose. Some popular options include:
   *   **Broken Link Checker (MediaWiki Extension):** Automatically scans your wiki for broken links and reports them. ([2](https://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/Extension:BrokenLinks))
   *   **Online Link Checkers:**  Websites like [3](https://www.deadlinkchecker.com/) and [4](https://brokenlinkcheck.com/) can scan your wiki pages for broken links.
   *   **Xenu's Link Sleuth:** A desktop application for checking links on websites. ([5](http://home.snafu.de/tilman/xenulink.htm))
  • **Regular Audits:** Schedule regular audits of your external links to ensure they are still valid and relevant.

Troubleshooting Common Issues

  • **Broken Links:** These are the most common issue. Check the URL carefully for typos. If the website has changed, try searching for the content on the new website. If the content is no longer available, consider linking to an archived version or removing the link.
  • **Links Opening in the Wrong Window:** By default, MediaWiki links open in a new tab or window. You cannot directly control this behavior using MediaWiki syntax alone. It is typically controlled by the user's browser settings.
  • **Link Text Not Displaying Correctly:** Make sure the link text is enclosed in square brackets and that the URL is enclosed in angle brackets. Also, check for any syntax errors.
  • **Incorrect URL:** Double-check the URL for accuracy. Even a small error can prevent the link from working. Consider resources related to Elliott Wave Theory when verifying the context of the link.

Resources for Further Learning



Help:Contents MediaWiki File:Management Templates Categories Editing Manual of Style Technical Analysis Day Trading Risk Management Candlestick Patterns



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