This document discusses using Wikipedia for academic writing. It notes that Wikipedia is the free encyclopedia that anyone can edit. However, students sometimes plagiarize from Wikipedia due to a lack of writing skills and mixed messages about sources. The document recommends that lecturers encourage students to edit and improve Wikipedia as a way to better learn about academic writing. It outlines some projects at NUI Galway that incorporate Wikipedia to help students develop writing and research abilities.

1. Academic Writing and Wikipedia
EdTech 2015
Dr Sharon Flynn
Centre for Excellence in Learning and Teaching, NUI Galway
Wikimedia Community Ireland
Twitter: @sharonlflynn
User:Sharonlflynn

2. On Wikipedia
• The free encylopedia that anyone can
edit
• Launched 15th January 2001
• Consistently in 10 most popular websites
(www.alexa.com)

3. Wikipedia and student plagiarism

4. Wikipedia and student plagiarism

5. Academic Writing in Higher Education
Students’ lack of skills and awareness (S.1)
- Unintentional plagiarism
- Different expectations
- Lack of skills (basic writing, study, information literacy)
- Mixed messages

6. Staff Concerns (Group 2, 2013)
Centre for Excellence in Learning and Teaching
Staff Concerns (Group 2, 2013)

7. Times Higher Education
10 February 2015
“Lecturers should be encouraging their classes to edit and
improve Wikipedia pages. At the very least, more academics
should become Wikipedia editors – writing on their areas of
expertise.”
– Neil Selwyn, professor in the Faculty of Education at Monash University

8. The 5 Pillars (WP:5P)

18. Beyond Wikipedia

19. Projects at NUI Galway
Acadamh na hOllscolaíochta Gaillimh
• Editathon on Vicipéid and Wikipedia
Academic Writing Centre
• Women in History Editathon
BA Journalism
• Wikinews projects
Insight Centre for Data Analytics
• Vicipéid in schools
Wikimedia Community Ireland
• Wiki Loves Monuments

20. Wikipedia Education Programme

21. With thanks to…
Wikimedia Community Ireland, especially Shannon Eichelberger, Rebecca
O’Neill and Eugene Eichelberger
(https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wikimedia_Community_Ireland)
Toni Sant, Education Organiser, Wikimedia UK
Martin Poulter, Wikimedian in Residence at Bodleian Libraries, Oxford

22. References
Turnitin White Paper. Plagiarism and the Web: Myths and Realities Retrieved 27 May, 2015,
from https://turnitin.com
Parr, C. (2015, 10 February). Wikipedia should be 'better integrated' into teaching. Times Higher
Education. Retrieved 27 May, 2015, from http://www.timeshighereducation.co.uk
Flynn, S. (2013). Teaching staff concerns about academic integrity and their implications for
staff development. Proceedings of the International Conference Plagiarism across Europe and
Beyond. Retrieved 27 May, 2015, from https://plagiarism.pefka.mendelu.cz/