User blog comment:Meighan/Wiki Wisdom: Reacting to Trolls and Vandalism/@comment-1025281-20111112001636

I don't really agree with "Don't bother with "Why are you doing this?" messages." It does run contrary to the traditional notion of "assume good faith". If there is the possibility that someone's edits reflect an unfamiliarity with how wikis work rather than a desire to see a reaction, why take the chance? Personally, I would advocate just being careful with the wording of message left for these users – so no pleading and no angry demands. Explain why their actions aren't in line with policy and how to become familiar with the site.

Of course, there are times when this approach may be a waste of time as well. If a user is replacing a dozen articles with explicit material, for instance, the probability that they are simply mistaken is almost nil.