Wiki Stub Contribution!

Okay I have some exciting news....I have finally contributed something of use to the Wikipedia community! I recently edited a stub on Wikipedia about "dourine", which is a sexually transmitted disease in horses for anyone who is interested! It was not extremely complex to do, but definitely more involved than I first thought it would be as I have never contributed to a Wiki before. There are lots of little details you have to learn to work out but I thought it was so worth it! It was really rewarding to post useful information, on a topic I am interested in and know about, in a medium where people have access to it and can use it for their own purposes.

There are many different areas in life where you must ensure that the information you are presenting is accurate, but this is especially necessary when you are posting something that other people will read and possibly use. For this reason I took great care in finding and citing authentic sources, and I feel proud of what I have posted and feel comfortable with other people using the information I posted.

There are all kinds of different Wiki's, other than Wikipedia, that share many different kinds of information. As we went over in class this week, the range is highly variable; consisting of Wiki's for conservationists, Star Wars buffs, animal lovers, and book writers. Wikipedia is just the tip of the iceberg. I personally love the idea of Wiki's as it allows people from all over the world to interact and share what they know. And I can guarantee that what I bring to the table will be completely different from what someone else might be able to share. I also love that everyone takes something different away from the experience when information is shared this way. I feel that the times in my life where I have learned the most are similar to how Wiki's share information: different people interacting and sharing what they know about topics that interest them. What better way to build passion about a subject than bringing together a group of people who share a common interest? Wiki's are another great example of how social media has efficiently created positive cyber-communities and brought people together in a way that was not possible before.

On the other side of the coin, it's important to use caution when utilizing databases such as Wikipedia. Although people may be posting with the best intentions, it is never guaranteed that the information you are reading is completely accurate. Something I suggest doing when thinking about using a Wikipedia article or another source similar, is check our if they are able to support their article academically with primary papers and such. Seeing where their sources came from will help you to verify their information. Sometimes I like to find references by starting on Wikipedia and using the links listed at the bottom to locate the primary sources; it's a great way to get started on a paper!

In case anyone wanted to check out my Wiki stub, here is the link: Wiki Stub on Dourine in Horses. Everything under the headings "Bacterium" and "Treatment" are the paragraphs I contributed, as well I added references/citations to the previous paragraph, as they had only listed one reference did not have the credentials to back it up.

This is a screenshot of my Wiki Stub which can be found here. To see exactly what I edited, check out the history of the Stub and look for edits done by bradshawlauren! Photo: L. Bradshaw, personal collection (March 20, 2012)

And here is the link to a fellow student's blog, who edited a Wiki stub on CIDR (controlled internal drug release) in the agriculture industry and how they utilize this tool to synchronize things such as estrus cycles in horses and other livestock. She added/edited a large portion of the Wiki Stub and her writing is very academic and professional. I suggest you check it out!