Wiki is any collaborative website that allows users to edit and contribute content. Wikipedia is one such example and serves as an indispensable source of knowledge on various subjects.
Articles published by this outlet frequently reflect an ongoing power struggle among groups vying to shape public meaning – this was made especially clear after Egypt’s revolutionary uprising.
Definition
Wikipedia is the world’s best-known wiki, an Internet-based encyclopedia created and managed by the nonprofit Wikimedia Foundation since 2001. Boasting millions of articles written by contributors in hundreds of languages, Wikipedia remains one of the tops visited websites online today and one of its mainstays. While some high-profile problems have recently marred its reputation, these typically do not reflect widespread concerns over information quality on this platform.
Wikipedians (editors of Wikipedia pages), also known as Wikipedians, can alter and add pages as they see fit, provided specific guidelines are complied with. Unregistered contributors often use pseudonyms without being registered, meaning community self-policing sometimes becomes necessary, creating problems.
As soon as the Egyptian revolution occurred in January 2011, Wikipedians quickly came together to create and defend an article against critics who thought coverage might come too soon. These actions significantly shaped how millions of people saw this event via searches on Google or elsewhere.
Origin
Wikipedia is an extensive online encyclopedia consisting of millions of articles written by volunteer contributors from all around the globe. As one of the world’s most-visited websites, it provides access to an enormous range of knowledge across numerous topics.
Wikipedia takes its name from the wiki, a Hawaiian term meaning quick. Ward Cunningham chose it for his software that allows instant collaboration; as initially designed, the web was meant to facilitate such endeavors – something Wikipedia is helping restore.
Wikipedia differs significantly from Nupedia in that editors rely on volunteer editors and contributors to submit material instead of following strict expert-approved publishing processes. Editors must adhere to some basic guiding principles, such as neutrality and the belief that contributors are part of an authentic effort to learn and contribute, along with being willing to resolve disputes through contributor discussions.
Additionally, editors identify and delete edits or articles that display obvious bias or extremism. Wikipedia strives to be current; major breaking events like Egypt’s revolution were given updates within minutes of happening, even featuring tweets sent out by activists during their uprising.
Scope
Wikipedia differs from traditional encyclopedias in that its content is continually revised through an innovative, collaborative online editing system – making it revolutionary! This makes wikis unique.
Everybody can sign up on Wiki dot org and contribute information, with editors making changes as they see fit. Several principles guide this process, such as neutrality and trust that contributors work in good faith; disputes regarding facts or bias can be resolved via contributor discussions.
Notability guidelines, including notability standards, limit what can be included in Wikipedia articles. To be considered notable, a topic must have received significant coverage in non-controlled sources (like newspapers or academic journals ). Other guidelines include having many web references and subject-specific notability criteria that help ensure accurate and timely articles.
Purpose
Although Wikipedia’s information isn’t peer-reviewed like traditional encyclopedias, its editors adhere to some basic guiding principles, including neutrality and trust that all contributors act in good faith when contributing. Any disagreements over facts or potential bias issues are addressed through contributor discussions.
Content on the site is constantly growing; currently, the online encyclopedia features millions of articles in multiple languages. Furthermore, this is one of the most visited websites.
As an educational tool, the Wiki model opens up new avenues of student engagement and collaboration; however, some educators remain wary about using such websites in classroom settings.
To be considered a valid source of information, an article must have either an influential author or be in a widely circulated publication with many copies available to readers. A well-known author would include someone featured on television shows, radio programs, or newspapers; additionally, reliable sources must be utilized when compiling it, such as textbooks or academic journals as a well-respected publications.