---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Fuster, Mayo <Mayo.Fuster(a)eui.eu>
Date: Tue, Mar 8, 2011 at 10:34 PM
Subject: [fcf_discussion] Why don’t more scientists contribute to
Wikipedia?: Survey to find out
To: "fcforum_discussion(a)list.fcforum.net"
<fcforum_discussion(a)list.fcforum.net>
Why don’t more scientists contribute to Wikipedia?
The Wikimedia Research Committee is trying to find out why scientists,
academics and other experts don’t contribute to Wikipedia. >>>>
Participate at a survey to find out:
http://survey.nitens.org/?sid=21693
Dario Taraborelli outlines the situation:
Last month, Wikipedia celebrated its 10th anniversary, which saw
considerable coverage in mainstream media. A Chronicle article
observed that, today, the project does not represent “the bottom layer
of authority, nor the top, but in fact the highest layer without
formal vetting” and, as such, it can serve as “an ideal bridge between
the validated and unvalidated Web”.
An increasing number of university students use Wikipedia for
“pre-research”, as part of their course assignments or research
projects. Yet many among academics, scientists and experts turn their
noses up at the thought of contributing to Wikipedia, despite a
growing number of calls from the scientific community to join the
project. The Association for Psychological Science launched an
initiative to get the scientific psychology community involved in
improving the quality of articles in their field, while biomedical
experts recently called upon their peers to help make public health
information in Wikipedia rigorous and complete.
These initiatives remain sporadic and most academics – despite
goodwill to contribute – still perceive major barriers to
participation, which typically include a general lack of time to
contribute, but also barriers of a technical, social and cultural
nature. These encompass the lack of incentives from the perspective of
a professional career, the poor recognition of one’s expertise within
Wikipedia, the widespread perception of Wikipedia as a
non-authoritative source. In combination with the apparent anomaly of
collaborative – and often anonymous – authorship and the resulting
fluidity of Wikipedia articles, these factors create an environment
that significantly differs from the ones experts are accustomed to.
Now, the Wikimedia Research Committee has launched a survey to
understand why scientists, academics and other experts do (or do not)
contribute to Wikipedia, and whether individual motivation aligns with
shared perceptions of Wikipedia within different communities of
experts. The survey is anonymous and takes about 20 minutes to
complete. Whether you are an active Wikipedia contributor or not, you
can take the survey and help Wikipedia think of ways around barriers
to expert participation.
Participate at the survey at:
http://survey.nitens.org/?sid=21693
«·´`·.(*·.¸(`·.¸ ¸.·´)¸.·*).·´`·»
«·´¨*·¸¸« Mayo Fuster Morell ».¸.·*¨`·»
«·´`·.(¸.·´(¸.·* *·.¸)`·.¸).·´`·»
Research Digital Commons Governance:
http://www.onlinecreation.info
Ph.D European University Institute
Postdoctoral Researcher. Institute of Govern and Public Policies.
Autonomous University of Barcelona.
Visiting scholar. Internet Interdisciplinary Institute. Open
University of Catalonia (UOC).
Visiting researcher (2008). School of information. University of
California, Berkeley.
Member Research Committee. Wikimedia Foundation
http://www.onlinecreation.info
E-mail: mayo.fuster(a)eui.eu
Skype: mayoneti
Phone Spanish State: 0034-648877748
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