Submissions:2018/Wikipedia Collaboration of Dental Schools
- Title
- Theme (optional)
- Wikipedia in the University Setting
- Type of submission
- Presentation
- Author
- Nour Geres (Presenter)
- E-mail address
- nzgeres@dundee.ac.uk
- Wikimedia username
- EditingDentist
- Affiliation(s) (optional)
- Wikipedia Collaboration of Dental Schools, Cochrane, University of Dundee
- Abstract
Background Wikipedia is the fifth most frequently accessed website on the internet.1 Yet, the majority of dental articles on the site are poorly developed and insufficiently cited. For many topics, articles are non-existent altogether. In 2016, with the support of the Cochrane Collaboration, Dundee Dental School launched the Wikipedia Editing Project in an effort to improve dental content on the online Encyclopaedia. Shortly after, numerous other Dental Schools from across the globe joined the initiative and formed the Wikipedia Collaboration of Dental Schools, an international initiative with the goal of applying high quality, evidence-based dental information onto Wikipedia.
Methods The Wikimedia-trained Dundee team leads and co-ordinates all Schools involved in the Collaboration. At the beginning of each editing cycle, a committee at every participating Dental School is trained to edit Wikipedia and run their own Editing Group. These committees then recruit dental students, post-graduates and faculty members from their individual dental schools. Thereafter, deficient Wikipedia articles are identified, relevant research is studied, evaluated, paraphrased and applied to Wikipedia.
Results To date, the Collaboration includes participants from the UK, USA, Canada, Egypt and Malaysia. At present, the Wikipedia Collaboration of Dental Schools consists of 130 editors who have completed approximately 2,000 edits in two languages. The articles have been viewed 8 million times.2 While striving to improve as many articles as possible, we realize the importance of producing high quality information. For this reason we are continually working to ensure edits made by participants are completed to the highest standard.
Conclusions Despite the significant efforts invested in this Project, dental editor are still in high demand. Our vision is to create a substantially large community of active dental users who will constantly monitor and update articles with the most recently published evidence. We invite dental schools across the world to join the initiative and contribute their time and skills to this worthwhile cause.
References 1. Alexa.com. (2018). Alexa Top 500 Global Sites. [online] Available at: https://www.alexa.com/topsites [Accessed 25 Apr. 2018]. 2. Outreachdashboard.wmflabs.org. (2018). Wikipedia Collaboration of Dental Schools 2017-2018 — Programs & Events Dashboard. [online] Available at: https://outreachdashboard.wmflabs.org/courses/Cochrane/Wikipedia_Collaboration_of_Dental_Schools_2017-2018/home [Accessed 25 Apr. 2018].
- Length of presentation
15 minutes
- Special requests
It would be greatly appreciated if I can have access to internet in order to present using an online Prezi slideshow.
- Preferred room size
No preference
- Have you presented on this topic previously? If yes, where/when?
Yes I have presented in person at New York University Dental School, the University of Toronto and numerous times at Dundee Dental School. I have presented on this topic via video streaming as an introductory presentation to all participating schools in the Collaboration.
- If you will be incorporating a slidedeck during your presentation, do you agree to upload it to Commons before your session, with a CC-BY-SA 4.0 license, including suitable attribution in the slidedeck for any images used?
- Yes
- Will you attend WikiConference North America if your submission is not accepted?
Yes
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