LINGUIST List 33.2577
Tue Aug 23 2022
FYI: How contributing to Wikipedia can affect the field of Linguistics
Editor for this issue: Everett Green <everettlinguistlist.org>
Date: 18-Aug-2022
From: Helaine Blumenthal <helaine
wikiedu.org>
Subject: How contributing to Wikipedia can affect the field of Linguistics
E-mail this message to a friend AT Wiki Education, we've long known the myriad benefits of running a Wikipedia assignment. Students develop critical digital literacy skills while improving the world's go-to source for reliable and accessible information. That the Wikipedia assignment has real world impact is evident, but research is confirming just how impactful Wikipedia is in shaping future research and in influencing real-world decisions.
In 2019, researchers at MIT concluded that Wikipedia was influencing the language used in recently published chemistry papers, and the same team has now demonstrated that Wikipedia seems to be influencing the language used in Irish court cases. Both studies strongly suggest that Wikipedia is shaping the way subject-matter experts and professionals think about and approach their respective fields.
What does this mean for you and your students?
In guiding your students to contribute to Wikipedia, they're not just simply providing the world with information previously unavailable, but they are potentially influencing how future research is conducted and discussed in your field. We are learning that Wikipedia is not just simply a repository for information, but a dynamic part of our information landscape.
I hope you'll consider running a Wikipedia assignment and join in this exciting work. To find out more, visit
https://teach.wikiedu.org or email Helaine Blumenthal directly at helaine
wikiedu.org. There's still time to sign up for the Fall 2022 term.
Linguistic Field(s): General Linguistics
Page Updated: 23-Aug-2022