Wikipedia:WikiProject Bluelink patrol

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WikiProject Bluelink patrol (WP:BPAT) is a WP:WikiProject begun in January 2021 as a complement to Wikipedia:Disambiguation pages with links (WP:DPL). User:DPL bot generates frequent reports of all bad links to WP:Disambiguation (DAB) pages, and WP:WikiGnomes try to fix them. However, there is no bot which records WP:Blue links (WP:BLUE) to WP:Set index articles (WP:SIA) (which include {{given name}}, {{surname}}, and other subtypes); and no bot could possibly check links to WP:Primary topics (WP:PTOPIC).

This WikiProject is a forum for gnomes who try to fix such bad bluelinks, to avoid duplication of effort and to share techniques. This is not the place to discuss things like specific WP:Guidelines (WP:PG) or WP:Requested moves (WP:RM) - the appropriate WP:Talk pages (WP:TP) are thataway →

If you have questions or comments about how this WikiProject should operate, please post at Wikipedia Talk:WikiProject Bluelink patrol (WT:BPAT), not here.

How to fix a bad bluelink[edit]

This is everyday gnoming. If there is a corresponding (disambiguation) page or a WP:ONEOTHER-type hatnote, look at that. If there is no match there (and the search tool turns up nothing - it sometimes does), choose between unlinking, WP:REDLINKing, and creating a new WP:REDIRECT - and, if appropriate, add an entry to a DAB page or a {{redirect}} hatnote to an article. If in doubt, ask at Wikipedia Talk:Disambiguation (WT:DAB) or at Wikipedia Talk:Disambiguation pages with links (WT:DPL).

Techniques for finding bad bluelinks[edit]

The human eyeball is the only sure resource. However, some search techniques have proved useful in getting the numbers to be looked at down to something manageable. You can help by adding others:

  • Uppercase versions of PTOPICs which are not proper nouns (e.g. Bull). (Such searches often turn up violations of MOS:CAPS; you can console yourself with the thought that even if you haven't corrected an error, you have improved the encyclopaedia.)
  • Lowercase versions of PTOPICs which are proper nouns (e.g. slough, which may mean slough (hydrology) rather than the town).
  • Links to {{surname}} pages in {{taxobox}}es.
  • Links in quotes or italics (e.g. "FizBuz" or FizBuz) without obvious need because the main article does not have them (e.g. The Crown, which may mean The Crown (TV series)). Such links may turn out to be WP:QUOTES or WP:ITALICS violations; for the consolation, see above.
  • Variations on the above, where links to the main article should be in quotes or italics (e.g. hamlet, which may mean hamlet (place) rather than the play).

Advanced search techniques for (among other things) efficiently finding such links can be recorded and discussed in WP:WikiProject Bluelink patrol/Workshop.

Useful resources[edit]

Investigations[edit]

This section is broadly set up from oldest to newest, with the idea that new ideas get posted at the bottom, get looked at, and finally bubble up into Past or Ongoing. That scheme also applies within subsections: oldest first - newest last.

Past investigations[edit]

WP:WikiProject Bluelink patrol/Archive contains records of investigations carried out at any time, whether as part of this WikiProject or independently of it.

Ongoing investigations[edit]

Certain pages will continue to accumulate bad incoming links.

User:GoingBatty/Backlinks and User:Certes/Backlinks are lists of targets whose incoming links are monitored daily.

User:HostBot/Top 1000 report shows Wikipedia's most visited pages, some of which enjoy temporary popularity. Most entries are not relevant to this project but qualified titles may be worth checking if the base name leads to a different article. For example, if The Crown (TV series) is popular then The Crown may attract links intended for the series. Certes (talk) 14:40, 3 February 2021 (UTC)Reply[reply]

Recently completed investigations[edit]

Items may be left here for others to check, or seek inspiration from, before moving to the Archive.

Investigations in progress[edit]

New investigation suggestions[edit]

If you have thought of a bluelink which might be worth looking at, or looking at again, or indeed are in the process of looking at, post it here as a bulleted list entry with brief comments (and sign). Please keep date order: oldest at the top. If you complete one of these investigations, please move it to the Archive, or to Recently completed investigations (just above).

Members[edit]

If you would like to participate, add your username to this list, with brief details. Please keep alphabetical order. If you add {{User WP Bluelink patrol}} to your WP:User page, you will be automatically categorised into Category:Wikipedians who patrol bluelinks.

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