Help:Moving a page

Moving a page in a MediaWiki environment, such as the one used by Wikipedia, refers to the process of changing the title of a wiki page. This action is also known as "renaming" a page. The ability to move a page is a fundamental feature that allows contributors to correct titles, accommodate changes in terminology, or merge content under a more appropriate heading. This article provides a comprehensive guide on how to move a page, the implications of doing so, and best practices to follow.

Reasons for Moving a Page

There are several reasons why moving a page might be necessary:

• Correcting spelling or grammatical errors: To maintain the quality of the encyclopedia.
• Updating terminology: Reflecting changes in the language or in the field the article pertains to.
• Consolidation: Merging similar content under a single, more comprehensive title.
• Disambiguation: Separating articles with similar titles or creating a disambiguation page.

How to Move a Page

Before moving a page, ensure that the new title adheres to the naming conventions and that the move is in line with Wikipedia's consensus policy.

To move a page, follow these steps:

1. Ensure you are logged in. Only registered users can move pages.
2. Navigate to the page you wish to move.
3. Click on the "More" tab at the top of the page and select "Move".
4. Enter the new title for the page in the "To new title" field.
5. Optionally, you can also move the page's talk page by checking the "Move associated talk page" option.
6. Provide a reason for the move in the "Reason" field.
7. Click "Move page" to complete the process.

After Moving a Page

After a page has been moved:

• A redirect is automatically created from the old title to the new one.
• The page history is preserved under the new title.
• It's advisable to check for and update any double redirects or links leading to the old title to prevent navigation issues.

Considerations

• Moving a page does not delete the previous title; it creates a redirect instead.
• Frequent or controversial moves should be discussed on the article's talk page or relevant project pages to reach a consensus.
• Some pages are protected and cannot be moved by regular users. In such cases, a request can be made for an administrator to perform the move.

See Also

• Wikipedia:How to edit a page
• Wikipedia:Manual of Style
• Wikipedia:Article titles