Future Climate for Africa is partnering with the Climate and Development Knowledge Network to host the first Wikipedia edit-a-thon on climate change in Africa. The aim of the event is to boost the quality and accessibility of information on climate change on the world’s largest online encyclopaedia.
With an average of 16 billion page views a month, Wikipedia provides readily accessible information to millions in the broader public, but can also boost the impact of science. Thompson and Hanley (2018) found that scientific articles referenced in Wikipedia receive more citations, suggesting that Wikipedia complements the traditional journal system by pointing researchers to key underlying scientific articles.
The edit-a-thon will bring together approximately 30 researchers, as well as veteran Wikipedia editors, to update and add content related to climate change in Africa. The three-day event will be held from 6 – 8 August 2019 at the SouthSouthNorth office in Cape Town, South Africa. All expenses will be covered for participants, including flights, transfers, accommodation, visas and meals.
The edit-a-thon will equip participants with new skills in how to edit and contribute effectively to Wikipedia, and therefore increase the global exposure and impact of their research. For more information, please refer to the concept note.
We are encouraging the following people to apply:
- Early to mid-career researchers
- Researchers of African nationality, or those whose main research focus is on Africa
To apply, please complete and submit this Google form by 24th May 2019.
