Wikipedia: Requested Articles
Wikipedia, the world’s largest free online encyclopedia, is built on the collective efforts of volunteers who create and edit articles on an immense range of topics. The platform thrives on ensuring that knowledge spanning across disciplines, cultures, and time periods is freely accessible to all. One of the vital components supporting this extensive coverage is the concept of “Requested Articles,” a mechanism dedicated to identifying and addressing gaps in Wikipedia’s content. This essay explores the notion of Wikipedia: Requested Articles, its significance, how it functions within the Wikipedia community, and its broader impact on knowledge dissemination.
Understanding Requested Articles
Requested Articles refer to a systematic process within Wikipedia where topics, subjects, or entities lacking comprehensive or any representation on the site are formally proposed for article creation. This process is a reflection of Wikipedia’s commitment to neutrality and comprehensiveness, encouraging contributors to pinpoint areas where information currently falls short. Essentially, requested articles serve as a catalog of content needs, maintained and updated by the Wikipedia community.
The Importance of Requested Articles
The cataloging of topics requiring coverage serves multiple purposes. First, it ensures the encyclopedia continuously expands in both breadth and depth. Given the vast universe of human knowledge, no individual editor or group can cover every topic comprehensively. Requested articles democratize the identification of knowledge gaps by allowing users, editors, and readers worldwide to highlight subjects they find important or underrepresented.
Second, the process helps improve Wikipedia’s reliability and authority. By explicitly acknowledging content requests, Wikipedia acknowledges where the encyclopedia can improve, guiding experienced editors or subject experts to fill those voids. This ongoing refinement solidifies Wikipedia’s role as a trustworthy resource for users seeking verified and extensive information.
Third, requested articles reflect Wikipedia’s inclusive nature. They enable the representation of diverse cultures, histories, scientific fields, and commentary which might otherwise be overlooked. Minoritized or specialized topics gain visibility and legitimacy through this mechanism, further aligning Wikipedia with its ethos of providing knowledge “from around the world and from all viewpoints.”
How Requested Articles Work
The workflow of requested articles generally involves several key steps, coordinated primarily through dedicated pages within Wikipedia, such as “Wikipedia:Requested articles” or specialized request pages linked to specific topic areas.
- Submission of Requests: Any Wikipedia user, whether a casual reader or a seasoned editor, can request an article by adding it to the relevant requests page. The submission usually includes a brief explanation or justification for the article’s importance, possible sources, and occasionally scope suggestions.
- Community Review: Once submitted, requests become visible to the Wikimedia community. Editors with knowledge or interest in the subject may take up the challenge to research and create the article. These pages sometimes feature discussions about the feasibility or notability of the topic.
- Article Creation: Interested contributors draft and publish new articles, often tagged as a response to the request. Upon review and community consensus, these articles are improved, expanded, and integrated into Wikipedia’s main namespace.
- Tracking and Updating Requests: The requested articles list is dynamic. Completed requests are marked accordingly, and repetitive or outdated requests may be removed or merged. Editors periodically review the list to maintain relevance and ensure diversity in topics.
Challenges and Considerations
While the requested articles mechanism is valuable, it is not without challenges. Not all requested topics may meet Wikipedia’s stringent notability or verifiability standards, resulting in some requests remaining unfulfilled. Additionally, the quality of newly created articles varies depending on contributors’ expertise and available sources, necessitating ongoing editorial oversight.
Another consideration is balancing the open request system with editorial priorities. With thousands of requests, prioritization can become difficult. Moreover, there is the challenge of ensuring equitable attention to topics spanning different languages, cultures, and disciplines to avoid systemic bias.
The Broader Impact of Requested Articles
Requested articles contribute significantly to Wikipedia’s evolving role as a global knowledge repository. They empower the community to direct content expansion consciously, making the encyclopedia more comprehensive, relevant, and reflective of global perspectives. For researchers, educators, and learners, this mechanism ensures that Wikipedia continually adapts to new developments in knowledge and public interest.
Furthermore, the requested articles process exemplifies the collaborative ethos of Wikipedia. It fosters participation not only in content creation but in content planning, turning users into active agents in shaping the encyclopedia’s future. This inclusivity strengthens community cohesion and nurtures the skills and knowledge of contributors.
Wikipedia: Requested Articles – Creating Articles
Wikipedia stands as one of the largest and most widely accessed repositories of human knowledge on the internet. It is a free, collaborative encyclopedia created and maintained by volunteers worldwide. Given the vast scope of human knowledge, not every topic has an article yet, and Wikipedia continuously evolves as new entries are added. One of the key processes that help expand Wikipedia’s coverage is the creation of new articles based on user requests. This essay delves into the concept of requested articles, the procedures and guidelines for creating them, and the important role they play in enriching Wikipedia’s content.
Understanding Requested Articles
Requested articles are topics for which no article currently exists on Wikipedia but are considered notable enough to warrant one. Members of the Wikipedia community or casual readers can request new articles related to subjects that are missing, underrepresented, or inadequately covered. These requests can appear on specific Wikipedia pages designed to track and facilitate the creation of articles, such as the “Requested articles” page or relevant WikiProjects that focus on particular categories of knowledge.
The rationale behind requested articles is to ensure that Wikipedia remains comprehensive and current. By allowing users to suggest areas needing attention, Wikipedia empowers its community to direct efforts towards balancing gaps in coverage and addressing areas of emerging interest or importance that may have been overlooked.
Locating Requested Articles
For editors interested in contributing new content, requested articles serve as a helpful guide to areas where contributions are both needed and welcome. Wikipedia maintains a “Requested Articles/Top 100” list, often based on user interest, search analytics, and observed gaps. Additionally, various WikiProjects maintain their own sections for requested articles within their scope, further facilitating targeted contributions.
The article request pages typically provide a brief description of the desired topic, any relevant context or links, and sometimes mentions of the article’s importance or significance. This aids editors in understanding what the subject entails and how it fits within Wikipedia’s notability criteria.
Guidelines for Creating Requested Articles
Creating articles on Wikipedia, especially those requested by the community, requires adherence to strict guidelines to maintain Wikipedia’s standards of reliability, neutrality, and verifiability.
- Notability Criteria
Before writing a new article, editors must confirm that the topic meets Wikipedia’s notability standards. Notability refers to the topic’s significance as documented by reliable, secondary sources independent of the subject. This prevents the creation of articles about trivial subjects or self-promotion.
- Reliable Sources and Verifiability
Articles must be based on verifiable information from credible sources such as books, academic journals, reputable news outlets, and official publications. Original research or unverifiable claims are not allowed. Citations should be provided for all factual statements to ensure transparency and trustworthiness.
- Neutral Point of View
All content must be written objectively, representing all significant viewpoints fairly without bias. This helps Wikipedia remain an impartial encyclopedia and avoid promotional or opinionated content.
- Avoidance of Conflicts of Interest
Editors are encouraged to avoid creating articles about themselves, their businesses, or personal connections to ensure neutrality and reduce bias.
- Article Structure and Style
New articles should follow Wikipedia’s style guidelines, including an introductory lead section summarizing the topic, well-structured headings, appropriate categorization, and links to related Wikipedia articles. The language should be clear, concise, and accessible to a general audience.
Steps to Creating a Requested Article
The process of creating a requested article generally follows these steps:
- Selecting a Requested Topic
An editor identifies a requested article that aligns with their interests and expertise.
- Conducting Research
They gather reliable source material to support the creation of the article.
- Drafting the Article
Editors often create drafts in the “Draft:” namespace or a personal user subpage to allow peer review before publishing. This step helps refine the article and ensure it meets quality and style standards.
- Peer Review and Feedback
Other Wikipedia editors can review the draft, provide feedback, suggest improvements, and check for compliance with guidelines.
- Publishing the Article
Once the article is deemed ready and meets all criteria, it is moved to the main article namespace and made publicly accessible.
- Ongoing Maintenance
After publication, the new article may continue to be edited and updated by the community to improve accuracy and comprehensiveness.
Benefits of Creating Requested Articles
The creation of requested articles offers several benefits to Wikipedia and its users:
- Improved Coverage: Filling gaps enhances the encyclopedia’s comprehensiveness and utility.
- Community Engagement: Soliciting requests encourages collaborative participation and allows editors to contribute in areas they find meaningful.
- Quality Assurance: The review process ensures new articles adhere to high standards.
- Addressing Emerging Topics: Requested articles facilitate the timely addition of information on newly relevant or previously under-documented subjects.
Challenges and Considerations
Despite the advantages, creating requested articles can pose challenges:
- Ensuring Notability: Some requested topics may lack sufficient reliable sources for article creation.
- Balancing Quality and Speed: The desire to rapidly fulfill requests needs to be balanced against the need for thorough research and review.
- Managing Conflicts of Interest: Vigilance is required to prevent biased content or promotional articles.
Conclusion
Wikipedia: Requested Articles represents a vital facet of the encyclopedia’s ongoing commitment to comprehensive and inclusive knowledge dissemination. By providing a structured way for users to identify content gaps and spur article creation, it enhances Wikipedia’s scope, credibility, and cultural representation. While challenges remain, the mechanism illustrates the power of collective effort in building and refining one of the world’s most significant repositories of human knowledge. Ultimately, the requested articles process underscores Wikipedia’s foundational principles — that knowledge should be free, accessible, and continually expanded through collaborative endeavor.