Search (57 results, page 1 of 3)

0.0689581 = product of:
  0.1379162 = sum of:
    0.1379162 = product of:
      0.2758324 = sum of:
        0.2758324 = weight(_text_:encyclopedia in 1786) [ClassicSimilarity], result of:
          0.2758324 = score(doc=1786,freq=6.0), product of:
            0.270842 = queryWeight, product of:
              5.321862 = idf(docFreq=586, maxDocs=44218)
              0.05089233 = queryNorm
            1.0184256 = fieldWeight in 1786, product of:
              2.4494898 = tf(freq=6.0), with freq of:
                6.0 = termFreq=6.0
              5.321862 = idf(docFreq=586, maxDocs=44218)
              0.078125 = fieldNorm(doc=1786)
      0.5 = coord(1/2)
  0.5 = coord(1/2)

Abstract

Examines Britannica Online, an online version of Encyclopedia Britannica which is available from a server and has pointers to Internet resources, thus enabling searches to expand. It is searched using WorldWide Web browsers. Details its architecture and gives examples ot its use. Relates the reactions of users involved in beta testing, and outlines costs

Object

Encyclopedia Britannica

0.0689581 = product of:
  0.1379162 = sum of:
    0.1379162 = product of:
      0.2758324 = sum of:
        0.2758324 = weight(_text_:encyclopedia in 3290) [ClassicSimilarity], result of:
          0.2758324 = score(doc=3290,freq=6.0), product of:
            0.270842 = queryWeight, product of:
              5.321862 = idf(docFreq=586, maxDocs=44218)
              0.05089233 = queryNorm
            1.0184256 = fieldWeight in 3290, product of:
              2.4494898 = tf(freq=6.0), with freq of:
                6.0 = termFreq=6.0
              5.321862 = idf(docFreq=586, maxDocs=44218)
              0.078125 = fieldNorm(doc=3290)
      0.5 = coord(1/2)
  0.5 = coord(1/2)

Abstract

Grolier Educational have announced the launch of online versions of 'The New Book of Knowledge Online', designed specifically for students in grades 3 through 8 and will be sold in combination with the 'Encyclopedia America Online' and / or the 'Grolier Multimedia Encyclopedia Online'

Object

Grolier encyclopedia

0.06370076 = product of:
  0.12740152 = sum of:
    0.12740152 = product of:
      0.25480303 = sum of:
        0.25480303 = weight(_text_:encyclopedia in 546) [ClassicSimilarity], result of:
          0.25480303 = score(doc=546,freq=8.0), product of:
            0.270842 = queryWeight, product of:
              5.321862 = idf(docFreq=586, maxDocs=44218)
              0.05089233 = queryNorm
            0.9407812 = fieldWeight in 546, product of:
              2.828427 = tf(freq=8.0), with freq of:
                8.0 = termFreq=8.0
              5.321862 = idf(docFreq=586, maxDocs=44218)
              0.0625 = fieldNorm(doc=546)
      0.5 = coord(1/2)
  0.5 = coord(1/2)

Abstract

Grolier Educational's Encyclopedia Americana Online contains the full text of all 30 volumes of the printed edition of EAO, plus all the tables, charts and illustrations found in the CD-ROM encyclopedia and additional text and graphics unique to the online edition. The online database is mounted on the WWW and contains hypertext links from 30.000 of the 45.000 articles to associated Web sites

Object

Encyclopedia Americana

0.04827067 = product of:
  0.09654134 = sum of:
    0.09654134 = product of:
      0.19308268 = sum of:
        0.19308268 = weight(_text_:encyclopedia in 2920) [ClassicSimilarity], result of:
          0.19308268 = score(doc=2920,freq=6.0), product of:
            0.270842 = queryWeight, product of:
              5.321862 = idf(docFreq=586, maxDocs=44218)
              0.05089233 = queryNorm
            0.7128979 = fieldWeight in 2920, product of:
              2.4494898 = tf(freq=6.0), with freq of:
                6.0 = termFreq=6.0
              5.321862 = idf(docFreq=586, maxDocs=44218)
              0.0546875 = fieldNorm(doc=2920)
      0.5 = coord(1/2)
  0.5 = coord(1/2)

Abstract

Reviews Encyclopedia Britannica Online ($80) from Britannica, and Encarta Concise Encyclopedia (free) from Microsoft. Britannica has more than 12.000 illustrations of high quality, excellent maps, and 60 multimedia elements including sound, video, and animation. It could be improved by enabling illustrations to be used as filtering criteria for searches, and the QuickTime multimedia format is too slow for the content. Encarta has 16.000 articles, 1.678 photographs, 408 dynamic maps, and a wealth of other features. There are no audio clips, collages, virtual tours, or panoramic views, and check boxes would be more convenient than radio buttons in the interface. Includes 2 screen displays

Object

Encyclopedia Britannica

0.04777557 = product of:
  0.09555114 = sum of:
    0.09555114 = product of:
      0.19110228 = sum of:
        0.19110228 = weight(_text_:encyclopedia in 4682) [ClassicSimilarity], result of:
          0.19110228 = score(doc=4682,freq=2.0), product of:
            0.270842 = queryWeight, product of:
              5.321862 = idf(docFreq=586, maxDocs=44218)
              0.05089233 = queryNorm
            0.7055859 = fieldWeight in 4682, product of:
              1.4142135 = tf(freq=2.0), with freq of:
                2.0 = termFreq=2.0
              5.321862 = idf(docFreq=586, maxDocs=44218)
              0.09375 = fieldNorm(doc=4682)
      0.5 = coord(1/2)
  0.5 = coord(1/2)

Source

Encyclopedia of library and information science. Vol.63, [=Suppl.26]

0.04504324 = product of:
  0.09008648 = sum of:
    0.09008648 = product of:
      0.18017296 = sum of:
        0.18017296 = weight(_text_:encyclopedia in 2750) [ClassicSimilarity], result of:
          0.18017296 = score(doc=2750,freq=4.0), product of:
            0.270842 = queryWeight, product of:
              5.321862 = idf(docFreq=586, maxDocs=44218)
              0.05089233 = queryNorm
            0.6652328 = fieldWeight in 2750, product of:
              2.0 = tf(freq=4.0), with freq of:
                4.0 = termFreq=4.0
              5.321862 = idf(docFreq=586, maxDocs=44218)
              0.0625 = fieldNorm(doc=2750)
      0.5 = coord(1/2)
  0.5 = coord(1/2)

Object

Grolier encyclopedia
Compton encyclopedia

0.041803624 = product of:
  0.08360725 = sum of:
    0.08360725 = product of:
      0.1672145 = sum of:
        0.1672145 = weight(_text_:encyclopedia in 1170) [ClassicSimilarity], result of:
          0.1672145 = score(doc=1170,freq=18.0), product of:
            0.270842 = queryWeight, product of:
              5.321862 = idf(docFreq=586, maxDocs=44218)
              0.05089233 = queryNorm
            0.61738765 = fieldWeight in 1170, product of:
              4.2426405 = tf(freq=18.0), with freq of:
                18.0 = termFreq=18.0
              5.321862 = idf(docFreq=586, maxDocs=44218)
              0.02734375 = fieldNorm(doc=1170)
      0.5 = coord(1/2)
  0.5 = coord(1/2)

Abstract

The Encyclopedia of Earth (EoE) seeks to become the world's largest and most authoritative electronic source of information about the environments of Earth and their interactions with society. It is a free, fully searchable collection of articles written by scholars, professionals, educators, and experts who collaborate and review each other's work with oversight from an International Advisory Board. The articles are written in non-technical language and are available for free, with no commercial advertising to students, educators, scholars, professionals, decision makers, as well as to the general public. The scope of the Encyclopedia of Earth is the environment of the Earth broadly defined, with particular emphasis on the interaction between society and the natural spheres of the Earth. It will be built on the integrated knowledge from economists to philosophers to span all aspects of the environment. The Encyclopedia is being built bottom-up through the use of a wiki-software that allows users to freely create and edit content. New collaborations, ideas, and entries dynamically evolve in this environment. In this way, the Encyclopedia is a constantly evolving, self-organizing, expert-reviewed, and up-to-date source of environmental information. The motivation behind the Encyclopedia of Earth is simple. Go to GoogleT and type in climate change, pesticides, nuclear power, sustainable development, or any other important environmental issue. Doing so returns millions of results, some fraction of which are authoritative. The remainder is of poor or unknown quality.
This illustrates a stark reality of the Web. There are many resources for environmental content, but there is no central repository of authoritative information that meets the needs of diverse user communities. The Encyclopedia of Earth aims to fill that niche by providing content that is both free and reliable. Still in its infancy, the EoE already is an integral part of the emerging effort to increase free and open access to trusted information on the Web. It is a trusted content source for authoritative indexes such as the Online Access to Research in the Environment Initiative, the Health InterNetwork Access to Research Initiative, the Open Education Resources Commons, Scirus, DLESE, WiserEarth, among others. Our initial Content Partners include the American Institute of Physics, the University of California Museum of Paleontology, TeacherServe®, the U.S. Geological Survey, the International Arctic Science Committee, the World Wildlife Fund, Conservation International, the Biodiversity Institute of Ontario, and the United Nations Environment Programme, to name just a few. The full partner list here can be found at <http://www.eoearth.org/article/Content_Partners>. We have a diversity of article types including standard subject articles, biographies, place-based entries, country profiles, and environmental classics. We recently launched our E-Book series, full-text, fully searchable books with internal hyperlinks to EoE articles. The eBooks include new releases by distinguished scholars as well as classics such as Walden and On the Origin of Species. Because history can be an important guide to the future, we have added an Environmental Classics section that includes such historical works as Energy from Fossil Fuels by M. King Hubbert and Undersea by Rachel Carson. Our services and features will soon be expanded. The EoE will soon be available in different languages giving a wider range of users access, users will be able to search it geographically or by a well-defined, expert created taxonomy, and teachers will be able to use the EoE to create unique curriculum for their courses.

Content

The home page for the Encyclopedia of Earth is located at <http://www.eoearth.org/>.

Object

Encyclopedia of Earth

0.03560981 = product of:
  0.07121962 = sum of:
    0.07121962 = product of:
      0.14243925 = sum of:
        0.14243925 = weight(_text_:encyclopedia in 2139) [ClassicSimilarity], result of:
          0.14243925 = score(doc=2139,freq=10.0), product of:
            0.270842 = queryWeight, product of:
              5.321862 = idf(docFreq=586, maxDocs=44218)
              0.05089233 = queryNorm
            0.5259127 = fieldWeight in 2139, product of:
              3.1622777 = tf(freq=10.0), with freq of:
                10.0 = termFreq=10.0
              5.321862 = idf(docFreq=586, maxDocs=44218)
              0.03125 = fieldNorm(doc=2139)
      0.5 = coord(1/2)
  0.5 = coord(1/2)

Abstract

Google or Wikipedia? Those of us who search online -- and who doesn't? -- are getting referred more and more to Wikipedia. For the past two years, this free online "encyclopedia of the people" has been topping the lists of the world's most popular websites. But do we really know what we're using? Backlight plunges into the story behind Wikipedia and explores the wonderful world of Web 2.0. Is it a revolution, or pure hype? Director IJsbrand van Veelen goes looking for the truth behind Wikipedia. Only five people are employed by the company, and all its activities are financed by donations and subsidies. The online encyclopedia that everyone can contribute to and revise is now even bigger than the illustrious Encyclopedia Britannica. Does this spell the end for traditional institutions of knowledge such as Britannica? And should we applaud this development as progress or mourn it as a loss? How reliable is Wikipedia? Do "the people" really hold the lease on wisdom? And since when do we believe that information should be free for all? In this film, "Wikipedians," the folks who spend their days writing and editing articles, explain how the online encyclopedia works. In addition, the parties involved discuss Wikipedia's ethics and quality of content. It quickly becomes clear that there are camps of both believers and critics. Wiki's Truth introduces us to the main players in the debate: Jimmy Wales (founder and head Wikipedian), Larry Sanger (co-founder of Wikipedia, now head of Wiki spin-off Citizendium), Andrew Keen (author of The Cult of the Amateur: How Today's Internet Is Killing Our Culture and Assaulting Our Economy), Phoebe Ayers (a Wikipedian in California), Ndesanjo Macha (Swahili Wikipedia, digital activist), Tim O'Reilly (CEO of O'Reilly Media, the "inventor" of Web 2.0), Charles Leadbeater (philosopher and author of We Think, about crowdsourcing), and Robert McHenry (former editor-in-chief of Encyclopedia Britannica). Opening is a video by Chris Pirillo. The questions surrounding Wikipedia lead to a bigger discussion of Web 2.0, a phenomenon in which the user determines the content. Examples include YouTube, MySpace, Facebook, and Wikipedia. These sites would appear to provide new freedom and opportunities for undiscovered talent and unheard voices, but just where does the boundary lie between expert and amateur? Who will survive according to the laws of this new "digital Darwinism"? Are equality and truth really reconcilable ideals? And most importantly, has the Internet brought us wisdom and truth, or is it high time for a cultural counterrevolution?

0.03209561 = product of:
  0.06419122 = sum of:
    0.06419122 = sum of:
      0.03981298 = weight(_text_:encyclopedia in 2171) [ClassicSimilarity], result of:
        0.03981298 = score(doc=2171,freq=2.0), product of:
          0.270842 = queryWeight, product of:
            5.321862 = idf(docFreq=586, maxDocs=44218)
            0.05089233 = queryNorm
          0.14699706 = fieldWeight in 2171, product of:
            1.4142135 = tf(freq=2.0), with freq of:
              2.0 = termFreq=2.0
            5.321862 = idf(docFreq=586, maxDocs=44218)
            0.01953125 = fieldNorm(doc=2171)
      0.024378244 = weight(_text_:22 in 2171) [ClassicSimilarity], result of:
        0.024378244 = score(doc=2171,freq=4.0), product of:
          0.17821628 = queryWeight, product of:
            3.5018296 = idf(docFreq=3622, maxDocs=44218)
            0.05089233 = queryNorm
          0.13679022 = fieldWeight in 2171, product of:
            2.0 = tf(freq=4.0), with freq of:
              4.0 = termFreq=4.0
            3.5018296 = idf(docFreq=3622, maxDocs=44218)
            0.01953125 = fieldNorm(doc=2171)
  0.5 = coord(1/2)

Content

Der neue Herausgeber des Brockhaus, ein Tochterverlag von Bertelsmann, hat unterdessen angekündigt, zum gedruckten Lexikon zurückzukehren. Etwa Anfang 2015 soll die 22. Auflage erscheinen. In Zeiten des virtuellen Informationsoverkills gebe es einen Bedarf an Orientierung, an Relevanzvorgaben, sagt Geschäftsführer Christoph Hünermann. Ausgerechnet Bertelsmann druckte 2008 ein knapp 1 000 Seiten langes Wikipedia-Lexikon mit den 50 000 meist gesuchten Begriffen. Eine Experten-Redaktion überprüfte die Einträge sicherheitshalber zuvor - soll allerdings kaum Fehler gefunden haben."

Object

Encyclopedia Britannica

Source

Frankfurter Rundschau. Nr.76 vom 29.3.2012, S.22-23

0.027869083 = product of:
  0.055738166 = sum of:
    0.055738166 = product of:
      0.11147633 = sum of:
        0.11147633 = weight(_text_:encyclopedia in 444) [ClassicSimilarity], result of:
          0.11147633 = score(doc=444,freq=2.0), product of:
            0.270842 = queryWeight, product of:
              5.321862 = idf(docFreq=586, maxDocs=44218)
              0.05089233 = queryNorm
            0.41159177 = fieldWeight in 444, product of:
              1.4142135 = tf(freq=2.0), with freq of:
                2.0 = termFreq=2.0
              5.321862 = idf(docFreq=586, maxDocs=44218)
              0.0546875 = fieldNorm(doc=444)
      0.5 = coord(1/2)
  0.5 = coord(1/2)

Object

Encyclopedia Britannica (www.britannica.com)

0.024378244 = product of:
  0.048756488 = sum of:
    0.048756488 = product of:
      0.097512975 = sum of:
        0.097512975 = weight(_text_:22 in 183) [ClassicSimilarity], result of:
          0.097512975 = score(doc=183,freq=4.0), product of:
            0.17821628 = queryWeight, product of:
              3.5018296 = idf(docFreq=3622, maxDocs=44218)
              0.05089233 = queryNorm
            0.54716086 = fieldWeight in 183, product of:
              2.0 = tf(freq=4.0), with freq of:
                4.0 = termFreq=4.0
              3.5018296 = idf(docFreq=3622, maxDocs=44218)
              0.078125 = fieldNorm(doc=183)
      0.5 = coord(1/2)
  0.5 = coord(1/2)

Date

22. 2.1999 17:50:37

Source

Online and CD-ROM review. 22(1998) no.4, S.277-279

0.02413323 = product of:
  0.04826646 = sum of:
    0.04826646 = product of:
      0.09653292 = sum of:
        0.09653292 = weight(_text_:22 in 5666) [ClassicSimilarity], result of:
          0.09653292 = score(doc=5666,freq=2.0), product of:
            0.17821628 = queryWeight, product of:
              3.5018296 = idf(docFreq=3622, maxDocs=44218)
              0.05089233 = queryNorm
            0.5416616 = fieldWeight in 5666, product of:
              1.4142135 = tf(freq=2.0), with freq of:
                2.0 = termFreq=2.0
              3.5018296 = idf(docFreq=3622, maxDocs=44218)
              0.109375 = fieldNorm(doc=5666)
      0.5 = coord(1/2)
  0.5 = coord(1/2)

Date

22. 3.2001 11:57:52

0.02413323 = product of:
  0.04826646 = sum of:
    0.04826646 = product of:
      0.09653292 = sum of:
        0.09653292 = weight(_text_:22 in 6879) [ClassicSimilarity], result of:
          0.09653292 = score(doc=6879,freq=2.0), product of:
            0.17821628 = queryWeight, product of:
              3.5018296 = idf(docFreq=3622, maxDocs=44218)
              0.05089233 = queryNorm
            0.5416616 = fieldWeight in 6879, product of:
              1.4142135 = tf(freq=2.0), with freq of:
                2.0 = termFreq=2.0
              3.5018296 = idf(docFreq=3622, maxDocs=44218)
              0.109375 = fieldNorm(doc=6879)
      0.5 = coord(1/2)
  0.5 = coord(1/2)

Source

Online Mitteilungen. 2001, Nr.70, S.22-36 [=Mitteilungen VÖB 54(2001) H.2/3]

0.020685624 = product of:
  0.04137125 = sum of:
    0.04137125 = product of:
      0.0827425 = sum of:
        0.0827425 = weight(_text_:22 in 2360) [ClassicSimilarity], result of:
          0.0827425 = score(doc=2360,freq=2.0), product of:
            0.17821628 = queryWeight, product of:
              3.5018296 = idf(docFreq=3622, maxDocs=44218)
              0.05089233 = queryNorm
            0.46428138 = fieldWeight in 2360, product of:
              1.4142135 = tf(freq=2.0), with freq of:
                2.0 = termFreq=2.0
              3.5018296 = idf(docFreq=3622, maxDocs=44218)
              0.09375 = fieldNorm(doc=2360)
      0.5 = coord(1/2)
  0.5 = coord(1/2)

Source

Bibliothek: Forschung und Praxis. 22(1998) H.1, S.81-83

0.020685624 = product of:
  0.04137125 = sum of:
    0.04137125 = product of:
      0.0827425 = sum of:
        0.0827425 = weight(_text_:22 in 5963) [ClassicSimilarity], result of:
          0.0827425 = score(doc=5963,freq=2.0), product of:
            0.17821628 = queryWeight, product of:
              3.5018296 = idf(docFreq=3622, maxDocs=44218)
              0.05089233 = queryNorm
            0.46428138 = fieldWeight in 5963, product of:
              1.4142135 = tf(freq=2.0), with freq of:
                2.0 = termFreq=2.0
              3.5018296 = idf(docFreq=3622, maxDocs=44218)
              0.09375 = fieldNorm(doc=5963)
      0.5 = coord(1/2)
  0.5 = coord(1/2)

Date

20. 1.2002 18:22:30

0.020685624 = product of:
  0.04137125 = sum of:
    0.04137125 = product of:
      0.0827425 = sum of:
        0.0827425 = weight(_text_:22 in 6776) [ClassicSimilarity], result of:
          0.0827425 = score(doc=6776,freq=2.0), product of:
            0.17821628 = queryWeight, product of:
              3.5018296 = idf(docFreq=3622, maxDocs=44218)
              0.05089233 = queryNorm
            0.46428138 = fieldWeight in 6776, product of:
              1.4142135 = tf(freq=2.0), with freq of:
                2.0 = termFreq=2.0
              3.5018296 = idf(docFreq=3622, maxDocs=44218)
              0.09375 = fieldNorm(doc=6776)
      0.5 = coord(1/2)
  0.5 = coord(1/2)

Source

Information today. 16(1999) no.8, S.20-22

0.020685624 = product of:
  0.04137125 = sum of:
    0.04137125 = product of:
      0.0827425 = sum of:
        0.0827425 = weight(_text_:22 in 6858) [ClassicSimilarity], result of:
          0.0827425 = score(doc=6858,freq=2.0), product of:
            0.17821628 = queryWeight, product of:
              3.5018296 = idf(docFreq=3622, maxDocs=44218)
              0.05089233 = queryNorm
            0.46428138 = fieldWeight in 6858, product of:
              1.4142135 = tf(freq=2.0), with freq of:
                2.0 = termFreq=2.0
              3.5018296 = idf(docFreq=3622, maxDocs=44218)
              0.09375 = fieldNorm(doc=6858)
      0.5 = coord(1/2)
  0.5 = coord(1/2)

Date

11. 6.2004 13:22:23

0.020685624 = product of:
  0.04137125 = sum of:
    0.04137125 = product of:
      0.0827425 = sum of:
        0.0827425 = weight(_text_:22 in 3106) [ClassicSimilarity], result of:
          0.0827425 = score(doc=3106,freq=2.0), product of:
            0.17821628 = queryWeight, product of:
              3.5018296 = idf(docFreq=3622, maxDocs=44218)
              0.05089233 = queryNorm
            0.46428138 = fieldWeight in 3106, product of:
              1.4142135 = tf(freq=2.0), with freq of:
                2.0 = termFreq=2.0
              3.5018296 = idf(docFreq=3622, maxDocs=44218)
              0.09375 = fieldNorm(doc=3106)
      0.5 = coord(1/2)
  0.5 = coord(1/2)

Date

3. 5.1997 8:44:22

0.01990649 = product of:
  0.03981298 = sum of:
    0.03981298 = product of:
      0.07962596 = sum of:
        0.07962596 = weight(_text_:encyclopedia in 2138) [ClassicSimilarity], result of:
          0.07962596 = score(doc=2138,freq=2.0), product of:
            0.270842 = queryWeight, product of:
              5.321862 = idf(docFreq=586, maxDocs=44218)
              0.05089233 = queryNorm
            0.29399413 = fieldWeight in 2138, product of:
              1.4142135 = tf(freq=2.0), with freq of:
                2.0 = termFreq=2.0
              5.321862 = idf(docFreq=586, maxDocs=44218)
              0.0390625 = fieldNorm(doc=2138)
      0.5 = coord(1/2)
  0.5 = coord(1/2)

Abstract

The Wikipedia is a collaborative encyclopedia: anyone can contribute to its articles simply by clicking on an "edit'' button. The open nature of the Wikipedia has been key to its success, but has a flip side: if anyone can edit, how can readers know whether to trust its content? To help answer this question, we have developed a reputation system for Wikipedia authors, and a trust system for Wikipedia text. Authors gain reputation when their contributions are long-lived, and they lose reputation when their contributions are undone in short order. Each word in the Wikipedia is assigned a value of trust that depends on the reputation of its author, as well as on the reputation of the authors that subsequently revised the text where the word appears. To validate our algorithms, we show that reputation and trust have good predictive value: higher-reputation authors are more likely to give lasting contributions, and higher-trust text is less likely to be edited. The trust can be visualized via an intuitive coloring of the text background. The coloring provides an effective way of spotting attempts to tamper with Wikipedia information. A trust-colored version of the entire English Wikipedia can be browsed at http://trust.cse.ucsc.edu/

0.01990649 = product of:
  0.03981298 = sum of:
    0.03981298 = product of:
      0.07962596 = sum of:
        0.07962596 = weight(_text_:encyclopedia in 2846) [ClassicSimilarity], result of:
          0.07962596 = score(doc=2846,freq=2.0), product of:
            0.270842 = queryWeight, product of:
              5.321862 = idf(docFreq=586, maxDocs=44218)
              0.05089233 = queryNorm
            0.29399413 = fieldWeight in 2846, product of:
              1.4142135 = tf(freq=2.0), with freq of:
                2.0 = termFreq=2.0
              5.321862 = idf(docFreq=586, maxDocs=44218)
              0.0390625 = fieldNorm(doc=2846)
      0.5 = coord(1/2)
  0.5 = coord(1/2)

Abstract

Online collaborative projects have been utilized in a variety of ways over the past decade, such as bringing people together to build open source software or developing the world's largest free encyclopedia. Personal communication networks as a feature do not exist in all collaborative projects. It is currently unclear if a designer's decision to include a personal communication network in a collaborative project's structure affects outcome quality. In this study, I investigated Wikipedia's personal communication network and analyzed which Wikipedia editors are utilizing it and how they are connected to outcome quality. Evidence suggests that people who utilize these networks are more experienced in editing high quality articles and are more integrated in the community. Additionally, these individuals utilize the personal communication network for coordinating and perhaps mentoring editors who edit lower quality articles. The value of these networks is demonstrated by the characteristics of the users who use them. These findings indicate that designers of online collaborative projects can help improve the quality of outcomes in these projects by deciding to implement a personal communication network in their communities.