If you can’t trust Wikipedia, correct its mistakes. That’s what some teachers at the University of Sydney have decided, according to Times Higher Education. Instead of simply telling students not to use Wikipedia as so many teachers around the world do, they have integrated learning how to create a Wikipedia page into their coursework. Instead of having students take exams or write essays, some lecturers at the university in Sydney are assigning them the tasks of making Wikipedia edits and writing entries. According to these teachers, this helps teach students the digital literacy they need. Traditional academic is “unimaginative” and growing “unappealing.” They noticed when they graded essays many students didn’t even pick them up, not wanting to even wish to know what the teachers thought of their essays. It didn’t seem worth their time to give feedback students didn’t value enough to pick up. However, they decided, if the students knew other people would read what they wrote, and it would continue to live online, maybe they would put substantial, time, effort and thought into their efforts.
In one course on magazine studies, students worked on entries for women’s magazines in Australia and their editors. In another course, students did Wikipedia page creation on contemporary issues. The experience helped teach them how to research and to cite, and they got feedback from Wikipedia editors.
Wikipedia has enormous influence online, despite all errors and omissions. Because so many people use it to look up information, there’s a common perception that Wikipedia is only for famous and historical people, not for yourself or somebody you might want to know. If you want to learn about somebody you’re thinking of doing business with, you look at their Facebook or LinkedIn page. When you Google their name, you don’t expect to see a Wikipedia entry unless they are “famous.” Therefore, when you do see a Wikipedia page on them or their business, you’re favorably impressed. It’s not easy to have a Wikipedia entry because because the online encyclopedia doesn’t want people spamming them with hype about their businesses. It’s not easy to write yourself or your business in a way that’s factual and objective which is why hiring Wiki writers from a professional service may be the best move for your company. Either you hold back too much, or indulge in sales language, which is not allowed. That’s why the Wikipedia writing company Get Your Wiki specializes in writing and monitoring your entry. Wikipedia editors for hire are trained in Wikipedia’s guidelines. They can set up a page on you and your business that will pass inspection by the editors at Get Your Wiki.