ASA-Wikipedia Initiative

The ASA Wikipedia Initiative (ASAWI) is part of a study currently conducted by Robert Kraut at Carnegie Mellon University.

The goals of this study are to a) evaluate the ASAWI, b) to improve understanding of recruitment and socialization of volunteers in online production communities like Wikipedia, and c) to build tools to assist volunteers as they participate in Wikipedia.

Procedures
The ASAWI is recruiting sociological scientists and sociology students to improve the sociology articles in Wikipedia, the online encyclopedia. We have developed a portal to help members of the initiative edit Wikipedia articles. The portal provides information about sociology articles that need improvement and guidelines on how best to improve these articles. We will ask you some questions to assess your areas of interest and expertise and then suggest articles that could benefit from your expertise. You can work on these articles at any time you wish.

Participant Requirements
Although anyone can edit Wikipedia, participation in this research evaluating ASA's Wikipedia Initiative is limited to people age 18 and older with at least basic knowledge in the domain of sociology.

Risks
The risks and discomfort associated with participation in this study are no greater than those ordinarily encountered in daily life or during other online activities. The experiences you will have in this research are very similar to those you have in any other social website and online community.

Benefits
You can benefit from participating in this research by becoming more knowledgeable about sociology concepts, the Wikipedia encyclopedia, and the Wikipedia community. This knowledge should make you more helpful and influential in the community. In addition, through your volunteer efforts, you will be improving a source of knowledge about sociology that thousands of people use daily and contributing to knowledge about how to help volunteers be more effective in online communities.

Compensation & Costs There is no compensation for participation in this study, and there will be no cost to you if you participate in this study.

Confidentiality The data captured for the research does not include any personally identifiable information about you. All information will be linked to your Wikipedia username. Your real name or IP address will not be captured.

Confidentiality of your data will be maintained in the following manner:

Your data and consent form will be kept separate. Your consent form will not be disclosed to third parties. By participating, you understand and agree that the data and information gathered during this study may be used by Carnegie Mellon and published and/or disclosed by Carnegie Mellon to others outside of Carnegie Mellon. However, no personal identifiers will be mentioned in any such publication or dissemination of the research data and/or results by Carnegie Mellon. Data from the research will be shared with the American Sociological Association.

By participating in this research, you understand and agree that Carnegie Mellon may be required to disclose your consent form and data as required by law, regulation, subpoena or court order.

Right to Ask Questions & Contact Information
If you have any questions about this study, you should feel free to ask them by contacting the Principal Investigator, Robert Kraut, Herbert A. Simon Professor, Human Computer Interaction Institute, 5000 Forbes Ave, Pittsburgh, PA, 15213, (412) 268-7694, robert.kraut@cmu.edu.

The Carnegie Mellon University Institutional Review Board (IRB) has approved the use of human participants for this research. If you have questions pertaining to your rights as a research participant; or to report objections to this study, you should contact the Research Regulatory Compliance Office at Carnegie Mellon University. Email: irb-review@andrew.cmu.edu . Phone: 412-268-1901 or 412-268-5460.

Voluntary Participation
Your participation in this research is voluntary. You may discontinue participation at any time during the research activity.

Hide

To create your ASAWI account, enter your Wikipedia Username. This offers you a smooth entry into the process of creating and editing Wikipedia articles. The portal provides tutorial materials, tools to match articles with your interest and expertise, and communication facilities. This portal also allows ASA to evaluate the progress and success of this initiative and recognize individual contributions.

I am age 18 or older.	Yes	No
I have read and understand the information above.	Yes	No
I want to participate in this research and continue with the ASA Wikipedia Initiative.	Yes	No

Wikipedia Username
First name
Last name
Email
Password The password can be different from your Wikipedia password
Security question