Basics of conducting an

Edit-a-thon

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Ayokanmi

P

Part 1 - Methodology

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• Offline
• Outreach Dashboard
• Combination

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Types

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Tipu’s Tiger

(Credit :Victoria & Albert Museum, London)

Why run an edit-a-thon?

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• It helps build the encyclopedia
• It provides access to topic experts, and to offline source materials
• It builds relationships in the community
• It encourages editors to learn from each other, and by doing
• It entices people to become new Wikipedians
• It helps new Wikipedians to contribute
• It's fun!

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Before you decide to organise, required reading...

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• What Wikipedia is NOT! (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:What_Wikipedia_is_not#Wikipedia_is

_not_a_soapbox_or_means_of_promotion)

• Conflict of Interest (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Conflict_of_interest)
• Advocacy (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Advocacy)
• Neutral Point of View (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Neutral_point_of_view)
• Reliable Sources (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Reliable_sources)
• Dispute resolution policies

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Must have skills for Trainers

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• Domain knowledge of Wikipedia editing
• Use of Visual Editor, Source editor .
• Commons : licenses, how to upload & categorise images, how to use them in articles

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Planning Issues

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• Clear goals & well-defined scope
• Logistics (size, location, room, date, computers, internet access, overhead screen, refreshments, nametags, toilets, access/entry, directions, signposting)
• Recruit subject matter experts, experienced editors, newbies.
• Gather intellectual resources.
• Determine how to create user accounts (only 6 user accounts can be created from one IP in 24 hours)
• Provide a way for people to find details & sign up to attend
• Have appropriate forms or methods for data collection afterwards
• Reports to the Community & social media plan

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Conduct

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• Welcome
• Teach
• Demonstrate
• Participate
• Conclude
• Accounts
• Data & Reports

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Welcome

• Greeting people
• Nametag
• Intros, interests, linking

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Teach

• Create account & login
• Basics of editing & simple skills
• Five Pillars

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Conduct

Demonstrate

• Draft space & user sandbox
• Visual Editor / Code editor
• Comments & replies
• Simple editing

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Participate

• Using the resources
• Finding facts to add
• Adding facts, citations, images

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Conduct

• Get a list/total of all the articles edited or created, images uploaded, citations added and anything else produced at the event.
• Ensure you have contact details of participants (email, mobile numbers, usernames & which projects they are on).
• How to progress further.
• How to get help online & offline.
• Future events.
• Thank everyone.
• Send a survey to get their feedback on various issues.
• Assess what works, what is needed to improve.

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Conduct

Conclude

• Prepare & close the accounts
• Submit reports
• Return excess funds
• Meet statutory regulations
• Keep records safely

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Data & Reports

• Prepare the list of all the articles edited or created, number of participants,

edit & image statistics and anything else produced at the event.

• Upload event photos to Wikimedia Commons in "Category:Wikimedia editathons" (or a subcategory of that).
• Write a blog post, post it on Village pump & email groups.
• Statutory report to WMF/Other grant agency.

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Conduct

Accounts

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Outreach Dashboard

The Dashboard is a tool that allows for very easy sign-in to events in lieu of a meet-up page.

https://outreachdashboard.wmflabs.org

Additional Resources

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• English Wikipedia : “How to run an editathon”
• Outreach Wiki : “How to conduct a GLAM editathon”
• Information Today : “How to conduct a Wikipedia Edit-A-Thon”
• Eahil Micro- Editathon “Preparing your own editathon”

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Part 2 - Your Experiences

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Any Questions?

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THANK YOU

Keep in touch!

ayokanmi@wikimedia.org.ng