Wikipedia:Statistics on WikiProject creation


 * Note: This is not a WikiProject, it is a page discussing trends in the creation of WikiProjects.

WikiProjects (see WikiProject) are coordinated efforts on the part of a group of editors to improve a specific section of Wikipedia, be it a topic area or some cross-topic quality matter (such as spell checking). They therefore reflect the existence and activity of particular interest groups or communities of practice among Wikipedians. In principle, examination of trends in WikiProject creation and retirement can provide insight into the evolution of Wikipedia as an information resource, particularly when combined with a statistical examination of topic area content.

As a first step down the path toward using WikiProject-related meta-data as a window on Wikipedia evolution, a small standardized set of meta-data has been added to the List of WikiProjects consisting of: This meta-data supplements the information embedded in the topic hierarchy used to organize the WikiProject list.
 * creation date
 * inactivity flag

The main data document for this effort has been uploaded to Wikimedia Commons, residing at Image:Wikiproject stats.xls.

Charts
The charts that follow are based on a partial analysis encompasing the following topic areas (as listed at List of WikiProjects):
 * Biology
 * Entertainment
 * Wikipedia:Quality
 * Economics
 * Literature