User:Daniel Mietchen/Talks/SOL 2012/Overview

About Start What is Wikipedia? Registering an account Editing Formatting Links Citing Discussion Statistics Practical example Partnerships

Why Wikipedia is important

• Try typing the following scientific terms into Google:

Term	Google.com rank
Solanaceae	1
Solanum	1
Heterosis	1
Botany	1
Cloning	1
Taxonomy	1
Genome Wide Association	1
Solanum tuberosum	1
Svalbard Global Seed Vault	1
Potato leafroll virus	1
Nicotiana attenuata	1
Manduca sexta	1
Spider mite	1
DNA	1
Electron Microscopy	1
Solanum fortunense	1

• Anyone in the world interested in science will be guided to Wikipedia first!
• Therefore as scientists we have a responsibility to make sure Wikipedia is:

1) Scientifically accurate

2) Up to date

• It is the greatest ever opportunity for public engagement!

• We now have one place where we can be sure the whole world will read about a science topic... and we can edit it!

• If you are ever asked in a grant how you engage with the public, this is the perfect way to do it.

Next: So, what is Wikipedia? →

These pages were created for an interactive Introduction to Wikipedia workshop held at the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute on 30 July 2010.

They are maintained here as reference for those workshop attendees. Please don't hesitate to direct any questions to the organizers:

• Rockpocket (talk · contribs)
• Ppgardne (talk · contribs)
• Magnus Manske (talk · contribs)
• Alexbateman (talk · contribs)