Wikipedia Workshop, Cambridge
During 2017-2018, NHSF is running a series of workshops in partnership with Wikimedia UK to develop the skills to work with Wikimedia platforms and the heritage science content on those platforms.
On 28th September 2017, NHSF and Wikimedia UK held their first ‘How To Edit’ workshop at the Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge. This focused on giving participants the skills and confidence to add their knowledge to Wikipedia, with a view to enhancing heritage science contributions.
After a short overview of Wikimedia UK and Wikipedia, the session began with an introduction to style, including encyclopaedic tone and Neutral Point of View. Basic writing and editing tools were covered: adding content, linking, referencing, and discussion with other users. Referencing was described as the most important skill – if you can reference well, you can write Wikipedia!
This new knowledge was put to the test in a ‘free for all’ editing session. Participants selected topics from the GLAM/NHSF Project page and Wikimedia’s own Project page, Wikipedia:GLAM. Editing Wikipedia covers a range of activities – adding citations, expanding content, correcting biased viewpoints; and many more. As such, the session was rounded off with one particular focus: adding images to Wikipedia articles.
If you would like to get involved, please check out our project page for topics that need improving. Alternatively, if you see a heritage science page on Wikipedia that needs work, add it to our list.
Our next session will be held at the National Galleries of Scotland, Edinburgh, in November.