Archive for the ‘Wikipedia’ Category
Wikipedia’s 20, but how credible is it? DW 01/14/2021
Wikipedia, which has been referred to as a world treasure,turns 20 on Friday.According to research conducted over the years including a scientific study published by the journal Naturein 2005 and a report commissioned bythe site's Wikimedia Foundation in 2012 Wikipedia's entries are comparable in quality to those in prestigious encyclopedias such as Britannica. However, it is difficult to measure the consistency of information that can be altered at any time.
Sometimes, the quality of entries is a question of word count because longer articles will generally contain more details. Length, though, varies by language. For example, a sentence in French might contain more words than one in Kiswahili, which attachessubjects, objects and tenses to verbs. Measuring according to the file size of an entry is also of limited use because some alphabets take up more virtual space, Martin Rulsch, who works for the German section of Wikimedia and has volunteered for the site in various capacities for over 15 years, told DW.
Rulsch said quality must be gauged byindividual indicators. He said a large number of contributors alone did not necessarily translate to quality content. An article that was initially "researched in detail" and factually sound would not always benefit from several changes and addenda. Moreover, it is not easy to rapidly call up the number of authors in every language version, he said. So, it is not easy to measure the quality of Wikipedia according to a formula.
Poor spelling and grammar can be signs that an entry is substandard, saidNenja Wolbers a project manager at Germany's Digital Opportunities Foundation, which promotes online inclusion to combat the societal digital divide. She said users should pay attention to whether an article is neutral or expresses an opinion, and whether it provides a broad overview and presents different perspectives.
Users should be on the lookout for contradictions and should always check the sources, Wolbers said: "This is essential if I want to know if information is valid." She said it was important that quotations be referenced and that users check the sources. "It makes sense to simply click on the links," she said. Wolbers uses Wikipedia to get a general overview of a subject, but "this doesn't mean that I have a final answer."
"Users have to remember that Wikipedia is a site used by many authors," she said, "and it is possible to modify things quickly."
Articles about the same topics are written and edited independently of each other by authors in different languages. They may emphasize different aspects of issues; there might even be very different information. For example, entries about Crimea, which Russia annexed from Ukraine in March 2014, differ depending on the language. DW's fact-check team analyzed the German, Russian and Ukrainian entries. The German version called Crimea a "Ukrainian peninsula," while the Russian did not mention its belonging to Ukraine, though it acknowledged a territorial dispute. The entries contained most of the same basic factual information about the region, but the entries differed on more recent events: The Ukrainian version has a section called "Annexation of Crimea," but the Russian refers to the "Accession of Crimea to the Russian Federation." Most Russian entries on the topic fail to mention that the March 2014 referendum that led to Crimea's annexation was not considered legitimate by the government of Ukraine and many international institutions, which do not recognize the annexation either.
Rulsch cited the conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan over the territory of Nagorno-Karabakh, which flared up once again recently. "I've been seeing this conflict on Wikipedia for over 10 years," he said. "The issue is about definition whether it was genocide or not and who started it." Volunteers like him can work as mediators in such situations. "I don't think that there is truth and neutrality, but Wikipedia's goal is to get as close to these as possible and to strive towards them," he said. "If there is no neutral standpoint, then several standpoints can be presented."
Wolbers recommends that users use translation tools to read Wikipedia entries in other languages, as well as to seek other sources.
Several cases of politicians editing the entries about them have been reported. In Germany, the energy lobby has been accused of tweaking Wikipedia entries in order to "greenwash." Celebrities such as the US actor Lindsay Lohan have been declared dead. Wikipedia even has a list of fake entries in nine languages. A hoax article about a fictional extinct carnivore called a Mustelodon was online for 14 years and nine months at least according to Wikipedia. "The more obscure a topic is, the less likely people are to read it," Rulsch said, "and, the smaller the language version is, the greater the chance of manipulation."
There are mechanisms to prevent this, but Wikipedia often relies on users. "In theory, I could now spread conspiracy theories about antiquity, because not so many people would read them," Rulsch said. "But someone would notice if there were a link to another author, and then all my modifications would be examined carefully."
Rulsch is very familiar with non-German pages, as he is also a "steward," which gives him access to "small Wikipedias": language versions with less than 50,000 articles and fewer than 10 administrators, to whom he provides support. He said there was generally less inclination to manipulate entries in smaller versions because there were fewer readers.
To prevent manipulation, administrators can remove users who have violated the regulations. They can also protect articles so that only certain users can modify them. For example, the Bosnian-languageversion of the entry on the Srebrenica massacre of 1995 is protected, and the rights to edit various entries in English pertaining to sexual organs have been limited.
Over the years, Rulsch said, a system of quality control has been developed by language versions with large numbers of users. German entries have to be given a green light before being published, for example, and only registered users are allowed to create new articles in English. Bots are also used to sift out certain words, such as vulgar terms. There is also a transparency tool for users of all language versions, which gives a history of edits and deletions.
Sois Wikipedia a credible source? Many of the entries are well-documented, checked for quality and as opposed to reference books often completely up-to-date, but, 20 years after its creation, the online encyclopedia is not 100% reliable, because information can be manipulated, and sometimes almost undetectably.
Therefore, Wikipedia encourages users to be attentive and use their critical judgment.
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This article has been adapted from German.
Excerpt from:
Wikipedia's 20, but how credible is it? DW 01/14/2021
Can You Create a Wikipedia Page for Your Company? [Best … – HubSpot
For many in the millennial and Gen-Z age groups, Wikipedia has become like a broad encyclopedia for all sorts of things, from random animal facts, to information about our favorite TV shows.
One of the driving forces behind Wikipedia's endless wealth of information is its community of writers and editors all around the web.
And, because of Wikipedia's notoriety and traffic, you might wonder, "How can I get my brand in on this action?" or even ask yourself, "Can I make a page for my business on Wikipedia?"
After all, Wikipedia is one of the best third-party sources for ranking on page one of Google. Typically, when you search for an intended keyword, you don't have to scroll far before you see its accompanying Wikipedia page:
But, is creating your own page on Wikipedia really the best move? And can you even do that? We'll dive into the ins and outs of page creation, some of the best business pages, and the guidelines and legalities related to publishing Wikipedia business pages that you'll need to know this year and beyond.
While you can create a page for Wikipedia with the right administrative privileges, you should always be cautious of Wikipedia guidelines and objective when adding information -- and, importantly, avoid advertorial content at all costs.
Why?
Wikipedia was built as a community-driven, objective, non-biased encyclopedia. By nature and because of its mission, over-promotional content and biased content can go against its guidelines or even be removed. Ultimately, it's somewhat discouraged to create or edit pages of a business you own or are paid by as this can make it pretty hard to keep your listing objective and non-promotional.
At the moment, Wikipedia does allow editors to contribute to or publish pages that might have a conflict of interest -- as long as they follow Wikipedia and the Wikimedia Foundation's Guidelines.
However, if you do edit or publish a page for an entity you own or work for, you must adhere to Wikipedia's Conflict of Interest Disclosure Guidelines and ideally make it transparent that an entity paid or benefiting from the company is creating or editing the content. You also should avoid publishing or editing biased pages about competitors.
If you're benefiting from or are otherwise a conflict of interest on a piece you're editing or publishing, you must disclose it to Wikipedia editors, as perWikimedia Foundation terms and guidelines:
"Apaid contributionis one that involves contributing to Wikipedia in exchange for money or other inducements. It includes adding or removing content from any page, including articles and talk pages.
If you receive, or expect to receive, compensation for your contributions to Wikipedia, youmustdisclose who is paying you to edit (your "employer"), who the client is, and any other relevant role or relationship. It does not matter whether you are paid directly by the client, or paid indirectly by an employer on behalf of the client. Editors who receive payment for their edits or actions on the English Wikipedia must comply with both the Wikimedia Foundation's Terms of Use and the local policies and guidelines of the English Wikipedia."
If you feel you can objectively create or edit a page about your business or an organization, and decide you'd like to get started on creating a Wiki page, below are the steps you should take, as well as more best practices for creating fair and objective content.
Legal Disclaimer: The steps below will highlight screenshots of the Wikipedia site which include logos and other assets trademarked by the Wikimedia Foundation.
Wikimedia and Wikipedia wordmarks, name, and/or logos as listedhere are trademarks of the Wikimedia Foundation and are used with the permission of the Wikimedia Foundation. HubSpot in no way is endorsed by or affiliated with the Wikimedia Foundation.
Go to Wikipedia's homepage and click "Create account" in the top right.
Enter the necessary information, including username and password, then click "Create your account".
When you first join Wikipedia, you'll see a box pop-up that reads, "Help improve Wikipedia" with a link to start editing an article:
Before creating your page, you'll need to become an autoconfirmed user.
These are Wikipedia's typical guidelines for an autoconfirmed user: "Although the precise requirements for autoconfirmed status vary according to circumstances, most English Wikipedia user accounts that are more than four days old and have made at least 10 edits (including deleted ones) are considered autoconfirmed."
Here, you'll need to practice patience spend the first couple days once you open an account editing other people's pages. Once you click "Edit a page", there are links on the top right of every paragraph with the word "Edit", so it shouldn't be too time-consuming.
Once you're autoconfirmed, proceed to the next step.
Now we've reached the most challenging part creating the page.
First, go to Wikipedia's "Writing an article" page. As you scroll down the page, you'll see a blue button that reads, "Article wizard: an easy way to create articles." Click this button (as long as you're autoconfirmed):
Source: Wikipedia
Next, you'll be redirected to Wikipedia's Article Wizard. Here, you have two options immediately begin creating your page by clicking "Next", or practice editing your page in Wikipedia's sandbox, first.
For our purposes, we'll click "Next":
It's important to note since there's likely no Wikipedia page already available for your company, you can include as much or as little information as you want. Additionally, you'll want to structure the page for easy readability, featuring some of the most important and basic information (like what your company does), first.
For instance, take a look at how HubSpot's Wikipedia page is structured:
Source: HubSpot Wikipedia Page
The page starts with a two-sentence overview of what HubSpot does, followed by a table of contents on the left, and a "fact sheet" on the right. Below the table of contents, you'll first find HubSpot's history, followed by a description of HubSpot's software and services.
On HubSpot's Wikipedia page, the information that's above-the-fold is likely most useful for a new visitor who hasn't heard of HubSpot before a quick glance at the page can tell her, for instance, what HubSpot does, how much revenue HubSpot makes, what third-party sources such as Forbes say about HubSpot, and who HubSpot's founders are.
While readers can continue scrolling for more product-specific information, it's critical Wikipedia is mainly used as a broad brand awareness platform.
We'll look at more examples later on.
Wikipedia is ultimately an encyclopedia, so to prove the validity of your topic, you must include citations to various articles and third-party sources.
Before you begin creating your page, Wikipedia warns you of this, stating "the topic of an article must already be covered in reliable sources that are independent of the subject. These include journals, books, newspapers, magazines, and websites with a reputation for fact-checking. social media, press releases, or corporate/professional profiles do not qualify":
Ultimately, citations give your business credibility and allow the reader to trust your company is real. Look for magazine or newspaper articles that mention your company, other websites that backlink to your website as a resource, or directories that link to your company's profile.
When using imagery, or anything pulled from Wikipedia's Creative Commons, you should also be sure to follow Wikipedia's Creative Commons Attribution Share-Alike 3.0 Guidelines which state:
AttributionYou must give, provide a link to the license, and. You may do so in any reasonable manner, but not in any way that suggests the licensor endorses you or your use.
ShareAlike If you remix, transform, or build upon the material, you must distribute your contributions under theas the original.
Even when you feel like you're being as objective as possible about your company or a company paying you, keep in mind that you might subconsciously be adding information that might feel biased or over-promotional.
To avoid having an over-promotional page, read the content you've added or edited before it goes live putting yourself in the shoes of a reader who's not a member of the business. If anything you've said about your brand sounds salesy, or aggressively against your competition, consider moving it.
When in doubt -- add citations or links from sources other than your company. Citing or linking to other Wikipedia pages, news publication articles, and trusted company databases can help readers feel like they aren't just reading one big company advertisement.
Lastly, for an absolute final gut-check, deeply read and review Wikipedia's Conflict of Interest Guidelines one last time to ensure you've covered all of your needed bases.
When you're finished with your page, submit it for review. Once Wikipedia deems it a credible source, it will be uploaded as an official Wikipedia page.
Remember the hard work isn't over, just yet. As your Wikipedia page begins ranking on page one of Google for your company name, it's vital you regularly update it to ensure it provides the most up-to-date information regarding your products or services.
Additionally, by updating it regularly with company developments, you're maintaining transparency, which is comforting for both your customers and leads.
There are over 6 million articles in the English Wikipedia. A good chunk of those are company pages. The best company pages share the following characteristics:
Below we'll take a look at two examples of company pages that can inspire your own.
World Wide Technology's wikipedia page is an excellent example of a company page. First, it offers a brief overview describing what type of company it is, how much revenue it earns, and how many people it employs. It then offers a timeline of notable events, starting with when it was founded and ending with its latest recognition in TIME magazine in 2021.
The page ends with a comprehensive list of independentreliable sources, which have been published about the organization. Such a list helps Wikipedia understand why the organization is notable and avoids the appearance of a conflict of interest. Without such a list of references, your company page could be deleted.
Urban One's wikipedia page is another excellent example of a company page. It begins by describing what the company is, who its primary audience is, and how large it is. While details like the fact that it's the largest African-American-owned broadcasting company and one of the highest-earning African-American-owned businesses in the United States are impressive, they are stated objectively and cited properly to avoid the appearance of self-promotion.
Wikipedia requires significant coverage in multiple independent sources for articles on organizations to be considered noticeable a requirement which Urban One has easily met. Towards the bottom of the page you'll find a references section with over 54 entries.
Nowadays, a quick Google search provides us with an abundance of information including social media profiles, directories, and press releases on a given subject. By ensuring you have an up-to-date Wikipedia page, you're covering your bases and giving viewers a trustworthy source of information related to your business or brand.
Editor's note: This post was originally published in October 2019 and has been updated for comprehensiveness.
See the rest here:
Can You Create a Wikipedia Page for Your Company? [Best ... - HubSpot
Wikipedia:Rules – Simple English Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
From Simple English Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Any time that people work together, it is important to make rules that they should agree to follow. Most of the rules written here must be followed by everyone, and some of the rules are still being decided.
Most of the time, if a rule has not been made here, or if something that happens is not covered by the rules that are here, we will look at the rules on the main English Wikipedia or other Wikimedia projects. We should also use common sense.
The Wikimedia Foundation has made rules that can never be changed. All projects must follow them:
Policies
These are rules about how users should act.
Guidelines
These are rules for writing articles for the Simple English Wikipedia.
These are rules for how to work better in Wikipedia together.
See original here:
Wikipedia:Rules - Simple English Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
How to Cite Wikipedia in MLA Format | Grammarly
Writing an academic paper or professional report requires you to cite verified and authoritative sources. Unlike primary and secondary sources, Wikipedia is considered a tertiary source since its information is written and edited by its own users. At any point, a user can modify a Wikipedia entry with misinformation or omit information altogether.
Therefore, professors advise against exclusively using Wikipedia for your research. However, using it as a starting point has become an increasingly acceptable practice, as developed Wikipedia entries often have a list of references to original, credible sources that you can explore in more depth.
If youre allowed to use Wikipedia as a source, there are citation format nuances to be aware of. The MLA format for citing Wikipedia includes the following elements: the title of the entry (same as on-page headline), container name, publisher, last updated date, and permalink.
Since there are multiple users that have contributed to the page, omit the author element that would usually start a standard MLA citation. Instead, begin the entry on your works cited page with the Wikipedia page name in quotation marks.
For the container name, use Wikipedias full name. Heres what a Wikipedia citation looks like in MLA format:
Page name.
Example:
The Fellowship of the Ring.
The last updated date can be found at the bottom of all Wikipedia entries. MLA format doesnt require the https:// as part of the permanent link.
Typically, an in-text and parenthetical citation using MLA format includes the author and page number elements. However, Wikipedia entries dont name a single author and dont have page numbers.
When incorporating an in-text citation in your research paper, use an abbreviated version of the Wikipedia entry title in quotation marks. Below is an example of how an in-text citation might look for the same Wikipedia source
In-text citation example:
(Fellowship)
If youre citing a Wikipedia entry as a part of a written sentence, simply use the shortened entry name in quotations without the parentheses. For example:
As demonstrated in Fellowship, the dynamic between Middle-earth and . . .