WikiHow - A Work in Progress

WikiHow - A Work in Progress 

Creating a WikiHow is a process involving many steps. There is a lot that goes into creating these directions that is not seen by the public. Those that create wikiHow articles have to first choose a topic. While this may not seem like a very taxing step, it is important to remember that wikiHow has been around quite some time, so many topics already have articles written on them. Choosing a topic that is original is very important, because otherwise your article may not be approved, or may be added to a preexisting article. Then, the author has to write out the article. This includes the introduction, all steps, tips, and warnings. The writing is a process, and includes rounds of editing. The author is then responsible for putting their writing into the proper code for wikiHow. Another important part of the article is the photos. Photos in a wikiHow article allow the readers to follow along and watch the process happen. This is particularly helpful for visual learners. Videos can be added as well. Photos and videos have to be put into the proper code as well. Once all of the separate parts are combined and put into the proper code, the article has to be submitted for review by the wikiHow administrators. 

For this project, the topic chosen was "How to Use Eyebrow Pomade to Define Eyebrows". The instructions took multiple revisions. The tips and warnings took revisions as well. As stated before, the writing process is just that, a process. The article ended up having ten steps in total. Once the final draft was perfected, the entire article was put into the code for wikiHow. Along with the writing and the coding, photos were taken to go along with the steps. However, this part was much more complicated than just taking a few photos. There are some very important details that need to be remembered when taking photos for wikiHow, or for the web in general. The images need to be taken in landscape orientation. The images also need to have good lighting, be centered, and clearly show what is described in the instructions. Once the photos were taken they needed to be put into some sort of editing software, such as Photoshop, to be made ready for the web. Keys steps for preparation are ensuring that the photo is sized correctly, and that the levels are adjusted. Once all of the photos were properly edited and ready for the web, the photos had to be put into the code in the proper spots. The article was then submitted for review by the administrators. 

This article is filled with different forms of communication, and the process of creating it involved many different forms of communication as well. This article communicates a given topic to an audience through step by step instructions that are divided into two sections -- preparation and application. The steps thoroughly describe how to prepare your face to makeup, such as tweezing and moisturizing. It describes how to outline, clean, and fill the eyebrows as well. The article also uses images to provide visual aid to the readers. There is a photo to go with each step, such as outlining the brows and carving the brows. When looking back at the process of creating the article, most of the content comes from personal experience. The author wanted to communicate that personal experience to an audience. Collaboration played a large role in the process as well, as this was a class project. Collaboration happened between both peers and students and the professor. Each project, and in turn each wiki, was a group effort by the entire class. From picking the topic to final checks before submitting articles, this class helped one another to put out the best possible article. 

This process came with many challenges, and some stood out more than others. Picking a topic is incredibly difficult. Sometimes ideas end up getting scrapped, even when they’re almost finished. Also, putting the process of something that you do every day is challenging. WikiHows need to be simple enough that beginners can follow them. If a wikiHow is too complicated, uses too advanced vocabulary, or does not thoroughly explain each step then readers may be lost and discouraged. Another challenge was making sure that the article is objective. WikiHows may sometimes be written based on personal experience, but that does not mean that they should be written in first person. WikiHow articles are a great way to share information, but it is important to know the work behind each article.