Comments on: The Future of Wikipedia http://academhack.outsidethetext.com/home/2007/the-future-of-wikipedia/ Tech Tools for Academics Fri, 09 Jan 2009 23:46:27 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 By: SomeRain http://academhack.outsidethetext.com/home/2007/the-future-of-wikipedia/#comment-7704 SomeRain Thu, 05 Apr 2007 01:54:30 +0000 http://academhack.outsidethetext.com/home/?p=142#comment-7704 In my grad program, students in the core course are given the option of writing a Wikipedia article on a topic related to our field in place of a standard short research paper. I should note that within this course, research papers and Wikipedia articles alike are submitted to peer review by two classmates before the final version is turned in. So far, I think the experience has been generally positive, although there have been some negative interactions with other Wikipedia users surrounding controversial subjects. Still, the vast majority of articles contributed have been on missing topics or stubs, which are rampant in our field. One of the biggest sticking points has been getting students to actually post the articles they've written -- people generally cite the conversion to Wikipedia markup as the hurdle, but I think there's also some trepidation about displaying work in such a public forum and uncertainty about the the ultimate fate of that work (will I annoy someone? will someone challenge my article? will I have to come back over and over to defend against vandals? etc). In my grad program, students in the core course are given the option of writing a Wikipedia article on a topic related to our field in place of a standard short research paper. I should note that within this course, research papers and Wikipedia articles alike are submitted to peer review by two classmates before the final version is turned in. So far, I think the experience has been generally positive, although there have been some negative interactions with other Wikipedia users surrounding controversial subjects. Still, the vast majority of articles contributed have been on missing topics or stubs, which are rampant in our field. One of the biggest sticking points has been getting students to actually post the articles they’ve written — people generally cite the conversion to Wikipedia markup as the hurdle, but I think there’s also some trepidation about displaying work in such a public forum and uncertainty about the the ultimate fate of that work (will I annoy someone? will someone challenge my article? will I have to come back over and over to defend against vandals? etc).

]]> By: ScottAndrewHutchins http://academhack.outsidethetext.com/home/2007/the-future-of-wikipedia/#comment-3725 ScottAndrewHutchins Thu, 01 Mar 2007 20:44:58 +0000 http://academhack.outsidethetext.com/home/?p=142#comment-3725 I think people who criticize Wikipedia are totally incompetent and should have their degrees taken away. I use Wikipedia and I notice that 99.9% of the articles are correct and written really well. So these fools in universities just don't like a little competition. The people rule the world now and all experts are usually finks anyway so it's no loss. I think people who criticize Wikipedia are totally incompetent and should have their degrees taken away. I use Wikipedia and I notice that 99.9% of the articles are correct and written really well. So these fools in universities just don’t like a little competition. The people rule the world now and all experts are usually finks anyway so it’s no loss.

]]> By: Jason Mittell http://academhack.outsidethetext.com/home/2007/the-future-of-wikipedia/#comment-3438 Jason Mittell Sat, 24 Feb 2007 03:02:47 +0000 http://academhack.outsidethetext.com/home/?p=142#comment-3438 I'm a bit less optimistic about the academy moving to support Wikipedia in any substantial way, mostly because I'm at an institution where a department has just banned the site in a really myopic way with very few faculty speaking out against the policy. I've blogged about the issue and my own take on academic uses of Wikipedia <a>here</a>. I’m a bit less optimistic about the academy moving to support Wikipedia in any substantial way, mostly because I’m at an institution where a department has just banned the site in a really myopic way with very few faculty speaking out against the policy. I’ve blogged about the issue and my own take on academic uses of Wikipedia here.

]]> By: J. Seth Lee http://academhack.outsidethetext.com/home/2007/the-future-of-wikipedia/#comment-3029 J. Seth Lee Wed, 14 Feb 2007 16:23:51 +0000 http://academhack.outsidethetext.com/home/?p=142#comment-3029 I have to agree with you as well. I'm currently teaching two sections of Freshman Composition focusing exclusively on research writing and Wikipedia has come into the conversation on at least two occasions. I agree with Gideon that the resource should not yet be used in formal writing, but it has the potential to become an invaluable resource if academics would take serious interest in its upkeep and content. As to CV line on the tenure review. I hold out hopes that isn't too far in the future. We're already having to seriously reconsider what we call 'documents' and 'text' and scholars like Jerome McGann and David Levy have already commented on the changing nature of the humanities in relation to digital texts. I'm in the process of searching for Ph.D. programs at the moment and the university's willingness to seriously consider digital humanities will factor into my final decision. I have to agree with you as well. I’m currently teaching two sections of Freshman Composition focusing exclusively on research writing and Wikipedia has come into the conversation on at least two occasions. I agree with Gideon that the resource should not yet be used in formal writing, but it has the potential to become an invaluable resource if academics would take serious interest in its upkeep and content.

As to CV line on the tenure review. I hold out hopes that isn’t too far in the future. We’re already having to seriously reconsider what we call ‘documents’ and ‘text’ and scholars like Jerome McGann and David Levy have already commented on the changing nature of the humanities in relation to digital texts. I’m in the process of searching for Ph.D. programs at the moment and the university’s willingness to seriously consider digital humanities will factor into my final decision.

]]> By: Wikipedia und die Universitäten at GedankenRaum http://academhack.outsidethetext.com/home/2007/the-future-of-wikipedia/#comment-3026 Wikipedia und die Universitäten at GedankenRaum Wed, 14 Feb 2007 15:03:22 +0000 http://academhack.outsidethetext.com/home/?p=142#comment-3026 [...] academhack » Blog Archive » The Future of Wikipedia [...] [...] academhack » Blog Archive » The Future of Wikipedia [...]

]]> By: Gideon http://academhack.outsidethetext.com/home/2007/the-future-of-wikipedia/#comment-2989 Gideon Wed, 14 Feb 2007 01:17:24 +0000 http://academhack.outsidethetext.com/home/?p=142#comment-2989 I couldn't agree more. Many in academia have had some sort of knee-jerk adverse reaction to wikipedia, many without really using it I might add, but it is a tremendous resource. When you need to just know a bit about something, wikipedia is one of the most accessable and informative places to look - I'd not use it for a paper, but when I'm reading a philosopher and need to know a little about what he just alluded to, wikipedia is a great place to go. Or if I want to know about a tv show, or an author, or just about anything else. I'm going to go contribute a few bucks right now. Poor college student or not, it is something I use almost daily. I couldn’t agree more.

Many in academia have had some sort of knee-jerk adverse reaction to wikipedia, many without really using it I might add, but it is a tremendous resource. When you need to just know a bit about something, wikipedia is one of the most accessable and informative places to look - I’d not use it for a paper, but when I’m reading a philosopher and need to know a little about what he just alluded to, wikipedia is a great place to go. Or if I want to know about a tv show, or an author, or just about anything else.

I’m going to go contribute a few bucks right now. Poor college student or not, it is something I use almost daily.

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