:Any questions or concerns before you start the next lesson? –[[user:pro-anti-air|<span style=”color:green;”>pro</span>-<span style=”color:red;”>anti</span>-<span style=”color:gray;”>air</span>]] ––>[[user talk:pro-anti-air|(talk)]]<–– 21:15, 15 November 2025 (UTC)
:Any questions or concerns before you start the next lesson? –[[user:pro-anti-air|<span style=”color:green;”>pro</span>-<span style=”color:red;”>anti</span>-<span style=”color:gray;”>air</span>]] ––>[[user talk:pro-anti-air|(talk)]]<–– 21:15, 15 November 2025 (UTC)
:: Yes, I’m ready to start the next lesson. May I ask how many lessons/parts there are in total? [[User:Wikieditor662|Wikieditor662]] ([[User talk:Wikieditor662|talk]]) 21:59, 15 November 2025 (UTC)
:: Yes, I’m ready to start the next lesson. May I ask how many lessons/parts there are in total? [[User:Wikieditor662|Wikieditor662]] ([[User talk:Wikieditor662|talk]]) 21:59, 15 November 2025 (UTC)
::: Well, there’s around 14, next lesson! You’ll do some anti-vandalism! –[[user:pro-anti-air|<span style=”color:green;”>pro</span>-<span style=”color:red;”>anti</span>-<span style=”color:gray;”>air</span>]] ––>[[user talk:pro-anti-air|(talk)]]<–– 22:13, 15 November 2025 (UTC)
Make sure you keep in mind that some edits that seem like vandalism can be [[Wikipedia:Vandalism#Editing tests by experimenting users|test edits]]. This happens when a new user is experimenting and makes accidental unconstructive edits. Generally, these should be treated with good faith, especially if it is their first time, and warned gently. The following templates are used for test edits: {{tlsubst|uw-test1}}, {{tlsubst|uw-test2}}, {{tlsubst|uw-test3}}, and {{tlsubst|uw-test4}}.
I just wanted to make sure you know about [[Special:RecentChanges]], if you use the diff link in a different window or tab you can check a number of revisions much more easily. If you enable Hovercards in the Hover section of your preferences, you can view the diff by just hovering over it.
;Find and revert some ”’vandalism”’. Warn each user appropriately, using the correct kind of warning and level. Please include at least two test edits and at least two appropriate reports to [[WP:AIV|AIV]]. <!– Make sure the diffs are ones you have reverted, I believe in you! If you have any questions, feel free to ask me on the talk page, you don’t have to do all of it at once, please link the diff like this [[Special:Diff/1234567890|1234567890]]–>For each revert and warning please fill in a line on the table below:
{| class=”wikitable”
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! # !! Diff of your revert !! Your comment (optional). If you report to AIV please include the diff !! My Comment
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Hello, welcome to your Counter Vandalism Unit Academy page! Every person I instruct will have their own page on which I will give them support and tasks for them to complete. Please make sure you have this page added to your watchlist. Your academy page has been specifically designed according to you and what you have requested instruction in – for that reason, please be as specific as possible when under my instruction, so that I know the best ways to help you (and do not be afraid to let me know if you think something isn’t working). If you have any questions about anti-vandalism, clarifying questions, or anything else, feel free ask me at my talk page.
Make sure you read through Wikipedia:Vandalism as that’s the knowledge which most of the questions I ask you and tasks you do will revolve around.
- How to use this page
This page will be built up over your time in the Academy, with new sections being added as you complete old ones. Each section will end with a task, written in bold type – this might just ask a question, or it might require you to go and do something. You can answer a question by typing the answer below the task; if you have to do something, you will need to provide diffs to demonstrate that you have completed the task. Some sections will have more than one task; sometimes additional tasks may be added to a section as you complete them. Please always sign your responses to tasks as you would on a talk page.
The start
Twinkle
Twinkle is a very useful tool when performing various maintenance functions around Wikipedia, including anti-vandalism work. Please have a read through the page.
If you haven’t already, please enable Twinkle and leave a note here to let me know when you have enabled it.
Good faith and vandalism
When patrolling for vandalism, you may often come across edits which are unhelpful, but not vandalism – these are good faith edits. It is important to recognize the difference between a vandalism edit and a good faith edit, especially because Twinkle gives you the option of labelling edits you revert as such. Please read WP:AGF and WP:NOTVANDALISM before completing the following tasks.
- Please explain below the difference between a good faith edit and a vandalism edit, and how you would tell them apart.
According to WP:AGF, Assuming good faith (AGF) means assuming that people are not deliberately trying to hurt Wikipedia, even when their actions are harmful.
so their intentions are what matters the most: if they made a mistake, even a bad one, but it was an accident, then it’s in good faith. However, if their intent was to cause damage, then that is a case of vandalism.
- Please find three examples of good faith but unhelpful edits, and three examples of vandalism. You don’t need to revert the example you find, and I am happy for you to use previous undos in your edit history if you wish.
- Good faith
First one: [1] user said something, probably worded awkwardly, which could be seen as a personal attack if misunderstood, however they may have had positive intentions, so you should assume good faith here. This is certainly not vandalism. 
Second: [2], same reasoning as the first one.
Third:
[3] kind of long, and possibly not properly sourced, but still could have had good intentions, so good faith should be assumed here.
- Vandalism
First: [4]. Could have believed there was a legitimate reason to remove this.
Second: [5] certainly not under good faith.
- Appears to be showing concern about Doug’s condition —pro–anti–air ––>(talk)<–– 04:18, 15 November 2025 (UTC)
Third: [6] added section without sources, but they could have not known this. {{y}
- Appears to be AI generated —pro–anti–air ––>(talk)<–– 04:18, 15 November 2025 (UTC)
Wikieditor662 (talk) 23:21, 14 November 2025 (UTC)
Final score: 6/6
Warning and reporting
When you use Twinkle to warn a user, you have a number of options to choose from: you can select the kind of warning (for different offences), and the level of warning (from 1 to 4, for increasing severity). Knowing which warning to issue and what level is very important. Further information can be found at WP:WARN and WP:UWUL.
- Answer the following questions
- Why do we warn users?
On one hand, some behavior cannot be tolerated, and we need to let users know that their behavior is unacceptable. On the other, we do not want to be excessive, and instead want to give users multiple chances.
- When would a 4im warning be appropriate?
Per the policy, This warning template should be used only in the worst conditions of vandalism. It indicates that this is the only warning the target will receive, and that further disruptive edits will result in a block without warning.
- Should you substitute a template when you place it on a user talk page, and how do you do it?
It depends on the scenario. For example, according to WP:SUBST, warnings and notices in the user talk space should be substituted.
Also according to the subst page, Instead, to substitute a template, the string
subst: is added after the opening braces, as in {{subst:Cleanup}}.
- Where would you put a warning if not on a user talk? I agree the question was worded weirdly, it should be warnings not templates. —pro–anti–air ––>(talk)<–– 21:15, 15 November 2025 (UTC)
-
- Good point, and I think that the entire subject of substitution can be quite confusing, I don’t think that the article explains it very well. Wikieditor662 (talk) 21:59, 15 November 2025 (UTC)
- What should you do if a user who has received a level 4 or 4im warning vandalizes again?
Report it to Wikipedia:Administrator intervention against vandalism.
- Please give examples (using
{{Tlsubst|''name of template''}}) of three different warnings (not different levels of the same warning and excluding the test edit warning levels referred to below), that you might need to use while recent changes patrolling and explain what they are used for.
If someone blanks a page, I will give them {{subst:uw-blank1}} to let them know not to do this, especially if it may have been an accident.
If someone removes important information from a page with no good reason given, I will give them the {{subst:uw-delete1}}, to let them know to either not do this, or clarify what they’re doing with a good reason.
If someone adds text but says they removed text, I will give them {{subst:uw-mislead1}}, to make sure this doesn’t happen again.
Wikieditor662 (talk) 20:41, 15 November 2025 (UTC)
Final score: 6/6
- All good! For question 3, I would’ve given you a
, but the question was unclear. For question 5, it appears {{tltts}} doesn’t support multiple parameters, so the text was not included. For real warnings, you shouldn’t include the text, as the warning will already explain it. - Any questions or concerns before you start the next lesson? —pro–anti–air ––>(talk)<–– 21:15, 15 November 2025 (UTC)
- Yes, I’m ready to start the next lesson. May I ask how many lessons/parts there are in total? Wikieditor662 (talk) 21:59, 15 November 2025 (UTC)
- Well, there’s around 14, next lesson! You’ll do some anti-vandalism! —pro–anti–air ––>(talk)<–– 22:13, 15 November 2025 (UTC)
- Yes, I’m ready to start the next lesson. May I ask how many lessons/parts there are in total? Wikieditor662 (talk) 21:59, 15 November 2025 (UTC)
Make sure you keep in mind that some edits that seem like vandalism can be test edits. This happens when a new user is experimenting and makes accidental unconstructive edits. Generally, these should be treated with good faith, especially if it is their first time, and warned gently. The following templates are used for test edits: {{subst:uw-test1}}, {{subst:uw-test2}}, {{subst:uw-test3}}, and {{subst:uw-test4}}.
I just wanted to make sure you know about Special:RecentChanges, if you use the diff link in a different window or tab you can check a number of revisions much more easily. If you enable Hovercards in the Hover section of your preferences, you can view the diff by just hovering over it.
- Find and revert some vandalism. Warn each user appropriately, using the correct kind of warning and level. Please include at least two test edits and at least two appropriate reports to AIV. For each revert and warning please fill in a line on the table below
| # | Diff of your revert | Your comment (optional). If you report to AIV please include the diff | My Comment |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | diff | comment | |
| 2 | diff | comment | |
| 3 | diff | comment | |
| 4 | diff | comment | |
| 5 | diff | comment | |
| 6 | diff | comment | |
| 7 | diff | comment | |
| 8 | diff | comment | |
| 9 | diff | comment | |
| 10 | diff | comment | |
| 11 | diff | comment | |
| 12 | diff | comment | |
| 13 | diff | comment | |
| 14 | diff | comment | |
| 15 | diff | comment |
