Wikipedia can help resolve information inequality in the aquatic sciences

Abstract

Generation of and access to scientific information have traditionally been limited to those with privilege or power. The internet, and the development of Wikipedia, has revolutionized the way information is shared by allowing everyone connected to the internet to generate and access content. However, the scientific community has not taken full advantage of this information dissemination paradigm. This is particularly true in the aquatic sciences, as is evidenced by the scarcity and low quality of aquatic information on Wikipedia. We argue that societies, institutions, and scientists should prioritize and incentivize contributing to Wikipedia in parallel to traditional scientific outlets to increase both equity and efficiency in transferring aquatic scientific information among our community and to the public.

Publication Type
Journal Article
Authors
Dustin W. Kincaid
Whitney S. Beck
Jessica E. Brandt
Margaret Mars Brisbin
Kaitlin J. Farrell
Erin I. Larson
Arial J. Shogren
Date
Journal
Limnology and Oceanography Letters
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