Wikipedia is more than just an encyclopedia - it is also a community. People from all over the world come together to write, edit and improve articles. One thing people need is appreciation. Appreciation is a basic human need.^[1] Therefore, it is important to thank each other (regularly) for the work each does in building the encyclopedia. A thank you never hurts.

Thanking a Wikipedia contributor for his or her work has many benefits. Below is a list of what positive effects thanks and compliments can have on Wikipedia contributors:

1. Increases the person's self-confidence.
2. Strengthens the connection between you and the other person.
3. Creates an atmosphere of appreciation and kindness.
4. Encourages others to be kind and helpful as well.
5. Can have a positive impact on the mood of both persons.
6. Gives a sense of recognition and respect.
7. May lead to a greater willingness to help again in the future.
8. May induce a feeling of satisfaction and happiness in the giver.
9. Contributes to a positive and supportive community.
10. Can brighten the overall atmosphere and make it more positive.

These positive effects will be quite underestimated by some.

On Wikipedia, there are several ways to show gratitude to each other:

• You can send a thank you using the thank you button. To do this, go to the edit history of a page. Then find an edit by another user and click on "thank you," which is to the right of "undo."
• You can leave a thank you note on someone's discussion page. You simply type what you want to say to that person. Examples of things you can say are:

It can be that simple!

• You can give a WikiLove to someone. To do so, go to someone's user page and click on the heart icon to the left of the star. Select a type of Wiki rating you want to leave, such as a barnstar, and then select which barnstar you want to give, for example the Civility Barnstar. Next, you can enter a message. Then click on "Preview" and you can send the WikiLove!
• If you want to thank someone in particular, you can give them a flower (see top right). This is a somewhat outdated way of giving an appreciation, but it works too! It takes some searching, but on Wikimedia Commons you have many images of beautiful flowers. Find one you think suits someone and post it on someone's talk page with a personal message underneath!

This user enjoys giving thanks!

Users who know and want to spread the power of thankfulness can place the userbox right here on their user page using this code: {{User A thank you never hurts}}. A click on this link will bring up a list of all the pages that include this userbox.

Thank you for taking the time to read the essay! Hopefully you found it interesting and were inspired!

• Wikipedia:Wikipedia is a community
• Wikipedia:Accepting other users