User:Zjopiniano/Report

Wikipedia Reflection Essay
In my opinion, the Wikipedia community and Wikimedia Foundation could make this platform a more interactive, personable, and communicative environment by reaching a broader audience—specifically, today’s society of young adults. As a first time Wiki user, it was very complicated trying to understand how the community works—for example, interacting with the “talk” tab, understanding the workings of sandboxes, translating my knowledge of citing sources from a school setting to the standards upheld by Wikipedia, etc. Although the trainings and workshops on the WikiEdu page were very helpful, they were also time consuming; individuals my age (young adults in their 20’s) may not be as inclined to watch videos, take quizzes, or make other efforts in trying to understand how the site works and functions. Unless there is an incentive behind the act of using WikiEdu, I do not believe this audience would take part in trying to be an active member on this site. People want simplicity, people want easy, people want straight to the point. I feel as if the format of the Wikipedia site can be overwhelming and chaotic at times, which could draw attention away from people wanting to participate and interact on the site. Whether it be the quantity of words displayed, the multiple links and highlighted tabs, limited spacing within sections, lack of color etc. it is a lot of information and not a lot of imagery appeal. I would suggest changing the format of the website—likewise to when social media platforms update the looks of their site—to be more inviting. People get bored with stagnancy, and I think in trying to appeal to a younger crowd, making those slight changes of incorporating more colors, hiding unnecessary side tabs, switching the font that is used, etc. could make young adults want to engage. When a platform intentionally makes changes for the appeal of their audience, it establishes a bonds-based commitment—users feel as if their relationship with a site is prioritized, and the changes being made are personable. Moreover, I think Wikipedia should promote its platform on other social media sites. For example, it is common on Facebook to see content from Twitter posted, likewise it is typical that people post on Instagram with images or videos they take on Snapchat—it is very evident to users that these platforms interconnect and interact with one another. I suggest Wikipedia do the same and create mutual posts on other platforms—as this not only reaches a broader, more diversified audience but helps establish supportive relationships with other sites. In turn, these relationships could be beneficial in future needs for advertisements, monetary stability, etc.

My experience in Wikipedia was super insightful and I really enjoyed my time participating in this online community. I completed weekly learning course objectives within the WikiEdu page—reading notes, watching videos, and taking quizzes—peer-edited my classmate’s work, and picked an article to create edits on. The goal of editing my chosen article, “Kubota Garden”, was to move it up in class. The first edit I made was adding information to the history description—I included a story about how Fujitaro Kubota could not originally purchase the property because he was of Japanese descent and talked about a book that was recently written in 2020 about his legacy. The next edit I made was creating an infobox where I added more detailed, specified information that users can click on quickly (the garden’s address for directions, a link to the websites URL, shortened facts about the establishment, etc.) The next edit I made was rearranging the formatting and structure of pre-existing sections; the purpose behind this was to create a more organized layout and increase the fluidity of the way in which the descriptions are read. I then added three new sections— “Trees and Plants”, “Amenities and Events”, and a “Photo Gallery”—where more in-depth information is provided, and users can learn more about the ins and outs of the property. During these edits and my time spent on WikiEdu, I learned how to create and work within sandboxes—this was very helpful in the process of research and editing and allowed me to organize my work without it being exposed on a public level. I really appreciated this, as I could receive feedback and constructive criticism without it being exposed in a live manner –therefore preventing any disagreements or uncertainties with experienced Wikipedians! Moreover, learning about the rules, guidelines and structure of the Wikipedia site was extremely informative, as I have always been familiar with the site, but never understood how it functioned. It is a very structuralized, monitored platform and I respect the effort that goes in to making it an interactive yet safe community. Again, I really enjoyed my experience on this site, and I see why Wikipedians are so devoted and excited about their work.

As I connect my experience in Wikipedia explicitly to the concepts in the course material, I want to further emphasize the bonds-based commitment I touched on earlier. I think that when you are trying to connect with a certain audience, there is a specific strategy and intentionality that comes along with doing so. You want to make your users feel important so that they feel a sense of belonging on your site, so that they continue to come back and make contributions, so that they advertise to others why they should join too, and so on. The domino effect that occurs in response to focusing on the bonds that are established on your site becomes the motivation for wanting to make consistent improvements and updates. As we talked about through multiple case studies in class, many people join these online communities seeking a sense of belongingness and wanting to make connections with people through a virtual experience. I think that once you understand the foundation of your users—their wants, needs, motivations, incentives, etc.—then you get a feel for how your platform can tend to them. In return, their loyalty to your site not only benefits their need for bonds but benefits the success of your company.

Based on my experience within Wikipedia, there is nothing grandiose that I would change. I think incorporating the suggestions I have mentioned would draw in the younger adult crowd, but there are plenty of admirable, persuasive things already on the site that would make people want to join and participate. Wikipedia is a unique platform—as people can contribute to any given subject of their choice and communicate with a range of writers, thinkers, etc.—and I think it is amazing that there is an interconnectedness of freedom to express, yet protection from misinformation, disinformation, or any other unreliable action. This platform is successful for a reason, and I think consistency, safety, acceptance, and creativity all attribute to that. I am very grateful for the opportunity to have contributed to this site and I will definitely be spending more time on Wikipedia!