This study is about the use of Wikipedia by research scholars (registered at six different Indian colleges) during their doctoral program. Most of the samples selected used Wikipedia for the collection of material needed for research,than they used other information resources, such as reference books and search engines.Computer Science,Commerce and Management research scholars used Wikipedia more for research than respondents in other domains. The findings suggest Wikipedia is used along with other sources of information by the researchers. Wikipedia meets the needs of research students because it offers a combination of knowledge coverage, convenience in an era of research where scholars expect more credibility for the information they collect and present.

 

Contents

 

Introduction

Methods

Results

Conclusion

 

Introduction

 

Wikipedia, the online encyclopedia, is one of the most used among researchers today. But at the same time scholars raise some doubts about the reliability, completeness, accuracy of Wikipedia and whether research scholars should, or should not, use it for academic research. Not much information is available about the use of Wikipedia during the research process by an academic research scholar.

 

In this paper, I present findings from a survey of Indian research Scholars in tamilnadu located on six academic campuses during the academic year 2010-2011.

 

This study investigated the use of Wikipedia for research in five related areas:

 

1. The frequency of use of Wikipedia by research scholars.

2. The motivation for using Wikipedia for research purposes.

3. Stages at which research scholars use Wikipedia.

4. Wikipedia Vs other sources of information.

5. Type of scholars more likely to use Wikipedia.

 

Methods

 

The study about Wikipedia usage among research scholars was conducted during 2010 and 2011. The study was conducted with 10 research students’ sample groups on six campuses in India between June and August 2010.On an average, each session was 60 minutes long. The research scholar sample groups were provided with a questionnaire containing questions about the research scholars’ research habits, experience, and the limitations that they might have faced during the research process. The academic research is defined in broader terms as and when it starts from the moment research scholars choose and decide a research topic and finding materials and ends up with the writing up of the final thesis. In total, 100 students participated in the session.More females (74 percent) than males participated in the sample groups. The participants age group was between 24 to 34 years old. Research Scholars were full–time, part-time from government, aided, self-financing colleges and universities, who had completed at least one year at their institution. The sample consisted primarily of research scholars in variety of domains. The selected sample research scholars were likely to use secondary data collection for research. The questionnaire was distributed to 1512 research scholars on six campuses in India between April and May 2010. The study sample was 151 responses. The overall response rate was ten percent. A questionnaire containing 30 items were also made available online, using survey software provided through the Green Valley Research Foundation. The purpose of the questionnaire was to collect data about the different sources research scholars may use while collecting data or materilas for their research.The various information needs and behaviors of samples during collection of materilas were also proposed to be studied. Research scholars pursuing research studies in different domains were included in the study.

 

Results

 

Major findings from this study are as follows:

 

1. Majority of research scholars were found using Wikipedia. Wikipedia was used in combination with other information resources at the earlier stages of the research.

 

2. Wikipedia helped research scholars with a summary of a topic, meaning of terms, and also it offered a usable interface for the research scholars.

 

3. Respondents who were likely to use secondary data collection tend to use Wikipedia more than respondents who depend on primary data collection.

 

Importance of Wikipedia

 

Research scholars use Wikipedia for a number of reasons. Wikipedia is a clear source of valuable information for collecting research related materials. As one research scholar in our sessions remarked, “Wikipedia projects a true picture of the information I need.”

 

Respondents for this study answered that they used Wikipedia because it:

 

(1) helped them at the earlier stages of research in getting acquainted with the topic. (86 percent);

 

(2)Some respondents reflected that Wikipedia is an easy to use interface (79 percent); and,

 

(3)Some others expressed that it helped them to find the meaning of difficult terms in certain topics (77 percent).

 

Wikipedia’s greatest value to research scholars may be its ability to clear doubts regarding terminologies used in different subject areas. Research scholars were of the opininon that they did not get an idea about where to begin their research and what they are going to write as a thesis.They were rather hesitating to discuss their research guides about their topics less if the guides think that the scholars do not have sufficient knowledge in the topic. The study reveals that the research scholars used Wikipedia for its summaries and to begin their research because of its simplicity and credibility.

 

 

 

 

 Figure 1 : Use of Wikipedia by Research Scholars Role of Wikipedia in research process

 

Majority of the respondents (70 percent) where of the opinion that they were using Wikipedia at the earlier stages of their research. (see Figure 2).It is found that only very few research scholars were in the habit of using Wikipedia near or at the end of their research process. (two percent).

 

 

 

Figure 2 : Use of Wikipedia by Research Scholars at Various Stages of Research

 

Conclusion

 

This study was conducted to find the role of Wikipedia in research and also to study the use of Wikipedia when compared to other sources of information by research scholars.

 

Findings:

 

1. Research scholars tend to use Wikipedia for collecting materials in the beginning stages of research.

 

2. Research scholars use Wikipedia, along with other information sources.

 

3. In our study, we find that the information provided in Wikipedia is as dependable as any other source of information available in the internet.

 

4. Research Scholars use Wikipedia fully understanding its limitations as a quick reference source.

 

Future Scope of the Study

 

This study will help Researchers, educators, and information resource vendors. At times research scholars will be in urgent need of materials which are essential for the completion of their research. Time being the factor this is a very critical period. The finding of this study shows that research scholars depend not only on one source for materials but more than one source considering dependency of the facts as a criterion. Whether these findings will hold good in the case of research scholars from different campus is not clear from this study.Future research about the use of Wikipedia by researchers with different populations as a continuation of this study will definitely contribute to develop this study. More research about the use of Wikipedia for domain–related research and its output would contribute towards an in depth understanding of the use of Wikipedia for research purposes by scholars.

 

About the author

 

Dr.Subramonian Principal Dr.R.V.Arts and Science College Karamadai Coimbatore 641104 Tamilnadu India Dean – Research Indian Programs University of Azteca, Mexico.

Guinness World Record Holder Online Teaching National Record Holder in Continuous Teaching for 61 hrs 35 mts.

E–mail: dean [at] greenvalley [dot] edu [dot ]in

Web site is located at http://www[dot]greenvalley [dot] edu[dot]in

 

References

 

1. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/4530930.stm

2. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Researching_with_Wikipedia

3. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DBbKDcu_wfg

4. http://teachinghistory.org/digital-classroom/ask-a-digital-historian/23863

5. http://pewinternet.org/Reports/2011/Wikipedia.aspx

6. https://academicskills.anu.edu.au/resources/handouts/research-skills-should-i-use-wikipedia

7. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/08/09/teaching-research-through_n_922105.html

8. http://digitalliteracy.cornell.edu/tutorial/dpl3222.html

9. http://pewresearch.org/pubs/460/wikipedia

10. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NeO0p42puXY

 

 

 

 

 

Role of wikipedia in academic research