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| When and Where | |
|---|---|
| When: | Tuesday April 27, 2021 |
| Time | 2:00PM - 3:15PM EST |
| Where: | Online! |
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The very concept of an encyclopedia is fundamentally colonial. There is, for example, great disparity between the voices who narrate the world and the diversity of the world community. There is also a great disparity between the knowledge disseminated by encyclopedias, and the actual wealth of world knowledge. Today’s Wikipedia has inherited these gaps and biases, as it continues to disseminate selective knowledge from perspectives of power. But we can interrupt this cycle of encyclopedic disempowerment! Wikipedia can be edited. It can be transformed. Its contributors can reflect the world community and the breadth of world knowledge. It has the potential to provide equitable access to unbiased information, and we can help to change its narrative today for the sake of our present and future!
Please join St. John's University for a Live Virtual Wikipedia Edit-a-thon facilitated by Wikimedia NYC, and supported by experienced editors and Writing Center consultants/guides. The editing goals will address inequities in the representation of women, the diversity of gender and sexuality identities, and people of color. We are offering it during Research Week to capitalize on that energy and to provide students who may not have been involved in Research Week to have an opportunity to make their own impacts.
All attendees are subject to Wikimedia NYC's Code of Conduct.
How to join us
edit- Create a Wikipedia account and join our team! When creating an account, we recommend choosing a username that is personal to you, but doesn't personally identify you, as edits are publicly tied to your username. If you already have an account, please sign-up via the Dashboard. This helps us track everyone who edits with us and see how many pages we add to and create!
Lists of suggested articles to create or edit
editFor many new and aspiring Wikipedians, the most difficult aspect to editing is knowing where to start! If you are creating a new article, we recommend starting with at least 3 - 5 reliable sources you can use as citations.
Core policies
editContent policies
- WP:NPOV All encyclopedic content on Wikipedia must be written from a neutral point of view, which means representing fairly, proportionately, and, as far as possible, without editorial bias, all the significant view that have been published by reliable sources on a topic.
- WP:RS Wikipedia articles should be based on published, reliable sources, making sure that all majority and significant minority views that have appeared in those sources are covered. If no reliable sources can be found on a topic, Wikipedia should not have an article on it. (See: Wikipedia's notability policies)
- WP:V On Wikipedia, verifiability means other people using the encyclopedia can check that the information comes from a reliable source. Wikipedia does not publish original research. Even if you're sure something is true, it must be verifiable before you can add it. If reliable sources disagree, then present what the various sources say, giving each side its due weight.
Community policies
- WP:AGF Assuming good faith is a fundamental principle on Wikipedia. It is the assumption that editors' edits and comments are made in good faith. Most people try to help the project, not hurt it. If this were untrue, a project like Wikipedia would be doomed from the beginning. . . When disagreement occurs, try as best you can to explain and resolve the problem, not cause more conflict, and so give others the opportunity to reply in kind. Consider whether a dispute stems from different perspectives, and look for ways to reach consensus.
- WP:BB Go for it. The Wikipedia community encourages users to be bold when updating the encyclopedia. Wikis like ours develop faster when everybody helps to fix problems, correct grammar, add facts, make sure wording is accurate, etc. . . Fix it yourself instead of just talking about it. . . Don't be upset if your bold edits get reverted. . . Though the boldness of contributors like you is one of Wikipedia's greatest assets, it is important that you take care of the common good and not edit disruptively or recklessly.