User:Jaditol/Report

Introduction
“Please don’t cite Wikipedia as your reference!” I have heard this many times, as have other students. However, the opportunity of being a student editor, and actually contributing efforts to Wikipedia, has changed my mind. This project has taught me a more effective method of studying the field of interest while doing research. Wikipedia is more than a free encyclopedia, it is an online community that invites collaboration of knowledge.

The Process & My Learnings
I chose my article based on my interest in promoting Chinese food culture. I found that Beef Noodle Soup is a Stub article, missing a gap in the noodle style of the Lanzhou noodle soup variation. Gathering information sufficient to explain and polish the article, I included an explicit lead. With approval, I published my contribution to the Beef Noodle Soup Wiki page. However, a Wiki editor reverted the article and commented that this article should be kept as a “general Beef Noodle Soup article.”

The learning process of this project is spontaneous and inspiring. I learned how to use many of the Wiki features. Examples include the sandbox for practicing before publishing and the Talk page for collaboration. I also learned about Wiki language, such as putting “~” at the end to tell other users I commented. Additionally, editing requires a fully neutral tone and unbiased language. I learned critically select notable sources as they justify the facts. Moreover, I learned to think as a reader and an editor. Readers desire a concise and informational lead and the page design determines how long a reader will stay attentive. An editor must show respect to other editors when holding different opinions, a key to collaboration.

#1 Improvement On User Editor Experience
Wikipedia should improve user experience by increasing the ease of citing images. During the polishing stage of editing, the inability to add images from the internet due to the licensing issue hindered progression. To improve this, I suggest Wikipedia negotiates and gains copyright permissions such that editors can directly use internet pictures and cite appropriately.

The concepts that apply here are motivation and incentives. Better user experience is an external motivation that encourages hobbyists and partners to contribute based on their interests. Ease in adding images contributes to a more intrinsically interesting process, therefore increasing the possibility of normal users becoming default members. Adding images incentivizes editors to not only provide better content in writing, but also draws users to the page through visual aid related to the topic.

#2 Expose And Enforce Rules And Regulations
Wikipedia should better enforce their rules and regulations. It is necessary to include these rules and apply strategies to expose these rules to the general users. Wikipedia team can make an infographics with DOs and DON’Ts. This can be sent to user’s emails after registration or showing on the page while someone reading or editing will be a good idea to remind them of the norms.

The theory of encouraging voluntary compliance applies here. Just like how concise the Ruby Code of Conduct is, which is explained by the textbook saying, “explicit rules and guidelines increase the ability for community members to know the norms, especially when it is less clear what others think is acceptable.” This requires members to first know about the norms and voluntarily follow them. However, without being exposed to the norms, there will be no voluntary compliance per se.

#3 Continue Fostering A Welcoming Environment
Wikipedia should continue fostering a welcoming environment. Wikipedia not only does a great job in web engine searches of academic words, but also welcomes editors by generating different values. However, when it comes to contradiction and disagreement, it is necessary for the Wikipedia Community to have a user report center to avoid unproductive environments when receiving feedback.

The concept applied there is that a welcoming environment encourages commitment. At first, joining this project is a continuous commitment that I must complete in order to get credits, or is based on an incentive structure in the group according to the textbook. However, this is not helpful to the growth of the community since this type of commitment always requires benefits in exchange. Later on, as I found the article based on my interest while knowing there is a lack of information that I can do research on and contribute, it became a normative commitment that I ought to help the community. This is still not the best commitment type to become a default member. Ideally, users should have a feeling of closeness and attachment to the community, and this is also called affective commitment. A welcoming environment is essential to foster affective commitment and this is the ultimate goal to enhance motivation and enlarge the community.

Additional reflection on theories and concepts
Wikipedia is unique in its purpose “to benefit readers by acting as a widely accessible and free encyclopedia,” and this is the reason why they are successful. This community is content-driven, thus its credibility is essential to see whether or not the page is being viewed first. Wikipedia has a similar entering cost with Open Human which highlights the benefits of early members to attract new members, including setting the expectation and early adopter benefit. Based on my experience, I want to change the entering requirement of being a user editor. Instead of registering an account by email, the Wiki community can require proof of higher education. This is more likely to ensure the contribution of the user editor is helpful to the growth of the community. With a higher barrier of entry, the Wikipedia community can effectively allocate their human capital while ensuring high quality contents which fulfills the purpose of the community.

Conclusion
This reflection suggests Wikipedians who encountered disagreements or were passionate about the thinking process from a newcomer’s perspective. This project attracted my attention in the Wikipedia community and I hope I will try to make more contributions as finding self-fulfillment in helping others. "Word Count: 997"