User:St3ffsK/Report

Wikipedia was launched in 2001 and ever since, communities ranging from students to professionals all contributed to the goal of educating topics. Wikipedia became the foundation for free knowledge on the internet, as it relies on incorporating a community that grows and evolves through education. As a student who has never heavily relied on Wikipedia for educational purposes, this was the first time I dived thoroughly into the features of how to edit/browse a Wikipedia page. My journey as a newcomer revealed several areas that could significantly improve Wikipedia's user experience and content quality.

One of the initial challenges I encountered was the time-consuming process of selecting a suitable article from the vast amount of stubs. To select a stub, there is a collection of titles that is overwhelming and inefficient for users. The inefficiency delays the editing process and doesn't include any form of engagement. Wikipedia could implement a more guided approach to article selection such as a step-by-step Q&A system that leads users through a series of specific questions that narrow down the choices and directs them to topics that align with their interests or expertise. Having a feature of advanced filters (topic popularity based on views, need for citations, most requested articles to be edited, length of an article, etc.) could refine the user experience.

Being a student in a class that specifically displayed instructions on how to properly execute professional Wikipedia language, I believe that it would be difficult to adjust if individuals on their own time were to edit an article. Being a student enrolled in a Wiki Edu class that instructs how to edit a Wikipedia page significantly impacted my user experience and that was because I was actively in a classroom with peers who were achieving the same assignment as I was. I sensed the feeling of a community just because I could interact with peers through the Talk page as we edited each other's articles. However, if it was just a newcomer with no experience and no guidance (teacher/step-by-step instruction dashboard,) it would be a challenge because there is no interaction from someone with experience.

An interactive Q&A platform with a Discord-style chatroom, designed specifically for real-time interaction and immediate feedback could enhance the engagement aspect. Each chatroom could be organized into different channels focused on specific editing challenges like "Citing Sources," "Article Formatting," or "Ethical Editing." Experienced editors, who will be users with verified moderators, could guide discussions and provide instant help, creating a welcome atmosphere and a less daunting experience for newcomers. A Yelp-style question board allows questions to be posted and categorized by topic with the ability to push them to higher visibility. This will be an organized and user-friendly system, featuring an intuitive interface that allows new editors to navigate through questions and answers quickly, filter topics of interest, and follow threads relevant to their needs. My hope to change is for individuals who use Wikipedia for personal use to also be as engaged as a student enrolled in a dashboard such as Wiki Edu.

In my chosen article topic, House of CB, a women's fashion retailer based in London, one of the main challenges I had was to stay within a neutral tone. Writing a page on a fashion brand that was heavily marketed, and having a promotional tone, similar to a PR analysis was a direction I leaned towards. I had to adjust and sensitize the word choices to have an encyclopedic language. In that case, I think Wikipedia could benefit from several specific enhancements. A powerful tool could be an AI-assisted editing feature that actively scans for promotional phrases and suggests neutral alternatives in real time. Specific word choice and descriptive adjectives could be filtered in replace of more educational/neutral words. Additionally, a guideline dashboard could be established focused on providing direct access to examples of neutral writing and interactive tutorials that could further educate editors.

To foster a collaborative editing environment, a feedback system could be integrated that is specifically tailored for "Neutrality Patrol." In that system, a checklist for editors to use before submitting their articles could be helpful. A checklist that reminds editors to deter from promotional phrases, and subjective statements without citation, could encourage improving neutrality. With a feedback system, the amount of engagement and participation could drastically increase since there is a gain in both parties.

Based on the material we have discussed, there will always be flaws in a platform like Wikipedia due to its open nature of the public having access to edit any article published. Implementing structured editorial guidance, advanced technological aids for neutrality and accuracy, and an interactive support system, will strengthen Wikipedia as a trusted platform for the exchange of knowledge in an evolving digital space.