Today Special : Wikipedia Day
Wikipedia Day on January 15 is an occasion that celebrates the birth and formation of the site. Almost every single person in the world knows what Wikipedia is. When we search for something, a Wikipedia link is the first thing that pops up on our search engines. It is also a popular site since it provides in-depth information and presents everything in a user-friendly way. So without further ado, let’s dedicate this day to the information provider that has been feeding us with knowledge since day one. Happy Wikipedia Day!
HISTORY OF WIKIPEDIA DAY
There was a time when students and researchers would need to go through tons of books in a library to attain information regarding a certain topic. This was the time when the internet had not reached the heights of innovation it has today. However, the world as we know it, completely evolved when this search engine was formed, and numerous websites were created to provide people with information regarding several topics. One of these famous websites is Wikipedia — also known as the free internet encyclopaedia. Overseen by the nonprofit Wikimedia Foundation, the website is recognized for facilitating the creation and development of articles.
Here’s a bit more on the history of Wikipedia. It all started when Jimmy Wales established Bomis, Inc., a web portal company, in 1996. By March 2000, Wales had introduced “Nupedia” to the world. This was a free online encyclopaedia that had an editor in chief, and a team of individuals who were reviewing the information published. In 2001, Nupedia was supplemented with a wiki software, and Wikipedia was launched as a feature of Nupedia.com. However, after several discussions, Wikipedia was relaunched as an independent website, and managed to publish over 20,000 articles in its first year! This included work in 18 different languages such as French, German, Polish, Dutch, Hebrew, Chinese, and Esperanto.
Today, it has become one of the most visited sites in the globe and has information regarding almost every single topic of interest. However, schools and universities do not permit the use of Wikipedia in term papers due to a lack of proper references used by the site.
HOW TO CELEBRATE WIKIPEDIA DAY
- Form a Wikipedia page : Interested in knowing how Wikipedia works? Create a page of your own regarding a book, a movie, or a celebrity you are unable to find a Wiki page for.
- Write an article : To celebrate the day, search a bit on the advantages and disadvantages of Wikipedia for students and write an article for publishing.
- Do a study on its use : Find out how Wikipedia is used in assignments and whether it is the right source to quote, by conducting an online survey of school-going kids.
5 FUN FACTS YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT WIKIPEDIA
- Incorrect information : Not all users provide accurate information on Wikipedia.
- Fact-checking is not on point : In 2005, American journalist John L. Seigenthaler, Jr.’s biography falsely labeled him as a conspirator in the assassinations of John F. Kennedy and Robert Kennedy.
- Fixing information : Wikipedia relies on users to fix the articles.
- Blocking IP addresses : The administrators of the page can block people.
- Wikipedia’s pornographic images : In 2010 Wiki Commons showed illegal depictions of sexual acts involving children.
WHY WIKIPEDIA DAY IS IMPORTANT
- Its highlights the importance of Wikipedia : The day highlights the importance of Wikipedia, how it helps people, and why it is so famous throughout the world.
- It also highlights its issues : The day also looks at the issues of the site. Since the pages can be edited by users, they are not considered reliable sources in the world of academia.
- It promotes ideation : The day serves the purpose of encouraging people to come up with unique website ideas of their own. Anything we once considered odd, can make it big if presented correctly.
