The aim of this study to find out the student’s evaluation and motivations for searching for information’s in wikipedia. Furthermore, to gain an understanding of college students' information usage regarding Wikipedia.
This paper is divided into first explaining the public goods in science. Followed by the definition of wikipedia the public good itself and then consequently to that the role of public good provision of knowledge. Further topics are followed by explaining the behaviour of college students and their perception of information out of wikipedia and also the reason why the students are using wikipedia. The main risk exists by evaluating the information found on the articles in the encyclopaedia. Is it reliable or not? Since Wikipedia was not trusted by academics, students were not recommended to use it.
Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)
- 1. Introduction
- 2. Definition of terms...
- 2.1 Public goods in science.
- 2.2 What is Wikipedia.
- 2.3 Role of public good provision of knowledge....
- 3. Is Wikipedia as an open good a reliable source?.
- 4. Why do college students use Wikipedia?...........
- 5. Do the students evaluate the information quality of wikipedia?
- 6. Discussion......
- 7. Conclusion.
- 8. References .....
Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)
The primary objective of this study is to investigate college students' evaluation and motivations for utilizing Wikipedia as a source of information. Furthermore, the study aims to understand students' information usage patterns regarding Wikipedia.
- The nature of public goods in science and their characteristics.
- The definition of Wikipedia as a public good and its role in knowledge provision.
- The reliability of Wikipedia as an open-source information platform.
- The reasons college students use Wikipedia and their evaluation of its information quality.
- The potential impact of Wikipedia on scientific knowledge dissemination and education.
Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)
- Introduction: This chapter introduces the study by exploring the potential of Wikipedia to evolve into a comprehensive and reliable reference source. It highlights the concerns surrounding the reliability of information from anonymous contributors and examines the potential for bias and inadequate citations within Wikipedia.
- Definition of terms: This chapter delves into the concept of public goods in science, emphasizing the characteristics of non-rivalrous consumption and non-excludability. It examines the challenges of underprovision in public goods, particularly in the context of scientific research dissemination, where paywalled journals create barriers to access. Wikipedia is presented as a potential solution to this issue, offering free and open access to scientific information.
- What is Wikipedia: This chapter provides a detailed overview of Wikipedia's structure and functionality, emphasizing its status as the world's most extensive dictionary. It discusses Wikipedia's growth, global reach, and the diverse community of volunteer editors who contribute to its content.
Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)
The primary keywords and focus topics of this paper include public goods, scientific knowledge, Wikipedia, open access, information quality, college students, information usage, reliability, and scientific dissemination.
- Quote paper
- Ali Yavuncu (Author), 2021, Science is shaped by Wikipedia. As a public good, is Wikipedia already more influential for students than science in our digital world?, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/1193188
