Research:Awareness of Wikipedia and its usage patterns
Key personnel
[edit]- Liron Dorfman - Involvement in the construction of the questionnaire
- The survey was conducted by Panels LTD, based on online interviewing done by Panel4All.
Project summary
[edit]
Over half the survey population enters Wikipedia at least once a week. Over half the survey population (and to a significant extent more youth than adults) knows that the writing of articles on Wikipedia is open to the public at large. The primary reason for surfing on Wikipedia is curiosity and desire the expand general knowledge. Among youth, the leading reason, the highest by a significant gap than the other samples, is information search for studies or research. The leading search subject on Wikipedia is biographies. Youth search articles in the areas of the sciences, history, biographies, and music more than adults by a large gap. Most Wikipedia surfers find what they are looking for every time or most of the time when they search the site. The research study population trusts the credibility of the information on Wikipedia to a relatively large extent, whereas among the adult Jewish sample, they trust the credibility of the information significantly more than the Arab sector. A very low percentage of respondents (about 8%) corrected an article on Wikipedia. About one third of the research population would like to edit Wikipedia. The percentage of those interested in editing the site is especially high in the Arab sector. About one third of the respondents would like to edit Wikipedia and have not done so. They responded that the reason for this is that they did not know how to do it. About one fourth of the respondents did not know they could do it. Almost three fourths of the research population responded that reading Wikipedia provides them with all the information they are looking for.
Methods
[edit]A survey was conducted to examine awareness of Wikipedia and its usage patterns.
Population
[edit]The survey was conducted among 751 respondents: 500 aged 18 and above in a representative sample of the adult Jewish population, 150 youth aged 12 to 17 from the general Jewish sector and 100 respondents aged 18 to 40 from the Arab sector.
The survey was continued by those who stated that they were familiar with Wikipedia
Data analysis
[edit]Margins of error:
- General Jewish sector: 4.4%
- Youth: 8.2%
- Arab sector: 10%
Results
[edit]| Representative sample | Youth | Arab sector | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Enter the site several times a day | 7.6% | 7.5% | 4.9% | 7.2% |
| Read the site almost every day | 21.6% | 19.7% | 27.9% | 22.0% |
| Read the site about once a week | 30.5% | 27.2% | 23.0% | 28.9% |
| Read the site at least once every few weeks | 23.2% | 27.2% | 26.2% | 24.4% |
| Read the site at least once every few months | 12.0% | 15.6% | 13.1% | 12.9% |
| Familiar with Wikipedia but never read the site | 4.4% | 2.0% | 4.9% | 4.0% |
| Haven't heard of Wikipedia | .8% | .7% | 0.0% | .7% |
| Total | 501 | 150 | 100 | 751 |
| 100.0% | 100.0% | 100.0% | 100.0% |
Over half the survey population enters Wikipedia at least once a week.
The survey was continued by those who stated that they were familiar with Wikipedia
| Representative sample | Youth | Arab sector | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Researchers from the academia | 8.9% | 6.2% | 14.8% | 9.1% |
| Students | 2.4% | 1.4% | 9.8% | 3.2% |
| Writers approved by site management | 37.0% | 28.8% | 36.1% | 35.2% |
| Whoever wants to – the public at large | 51.7% | 63.7% | 39.3% | 52.4% |
| Total | 497 | 149 | 100 | 746 |
| 100.0% | 100.0% | 100.0% | 100.0% |
Over half the survey population (and to a significant extent more youth than adults) knows that the writing of articles on Wikipedia is open to the public at large.
| Representative sample | Youth | Arab sector | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Information search for studies or research | 14.1% | 54.1% | 26.2% | 23.7% |
| Due to monthly event | 2.8% | .7% | 4.9% | 2.7% |
| Friends on social networks share links to articles on site. | .6% | 0.0% | 1.6% | .6% |
| Curiosity, desire to expand general knowledge | 59.0% | 27.4% | 34.4% | 49.4% |
| Information search in framework of work / professional occupation | 15.7% | 9.6% | 24.6% | 15.7% |
| Other reason | 5.2% | 6.8% | 6.6% | 5.7% |
| Do not visit Wikipedia | 2.6% | 1.4% | 1.6% | 2.2% |
| Total | 497 | 149 | 100 | 746 |
| 100.0% | 100.0% | 100.0% | 100.0% |
The primary reason for surfing on Wikipedia is curiosity and desire to expand general knowledge. Among youth, the leading reason, the highest by a significant gap than the other samples, is information search for studies or research.
| Representative sample | Youth | Arab sector | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The sciences (physics, technology, biology, chemistry, medicine, etc.) | 36.2% | 52.7% | 41.0% | 40.2% |
| The social sciences, economics and political science | 29.6% | 29.5% | 36.1% | 30.4% |
| History of Israel or general history | 38.8% | 47.9% | 27.9% | 39.2% |
| Biographies | 50.1% | 55.5% | 39.3% | 49.7% |
| Religion | 13.1% | 17.8% | 18.0% | 14.7% |
| Music | 21.5% | 30.8% | 14.8% | 22.5% |
| Literature and art | 21.3% | 21.2% | 24.6% | 21.7% |
| Pop culture | 23.5% | 23.3% | 13.1% | 22.1% |
| Countries and cities in Israel and the world | 38.8% | 47.3% | 42.6% | 41.0% |
| Sports | 9.7% | 13.0% | 11.5% | 10.6% |
| Other | 9.3% | 14.4% | 11.5% | 10.6% |
| No specific area | 29.2% | 26.0% | 16.4% | 26.8% |
| Total | 497 | 149 | 100 | 746 |
| 321.1% | 379.5% | 296.7% | 329.5% |
The leading search subject on Wikipedia is biographies. Youth search articles in the areas of the sciences, history, biographies, and music more than adults by a large gap.
| Representative sample | Youth | Arab sector | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Every time | 23.3% | 19.9% | 9.8% | 20.8% |
| Most of the time | 63.2% | 67.8% | 70.5% | 65.1% |
| Sometimes yes, sometimes no | 10.3% | 11.0% | 16.4% | 11.2% |
| Seldom | .4% | 0.0% | 0.0% | .3% |
| Never | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| I never search for information on Wikipedia | 2.8% | 1.4% | 3.3% | 2.6% |
| Total | 497 | 149 | 100 | 746 |
| 100.0% | 100.0% | 100.0% | 100.0% |
Most Wikipedia surfers find what they are looking for every time or most of the time when they search the site.
| Representative sample | Youth | Arab sector | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Don't trust 1 - 25 | 1.0% | 1.4% | 1.6% | 1.2% |
| 26-50 | 13.7% | 17.1% | 21.3% | 15.4% |
| 51-75 | 31.4% | 26.0% | 32.8% | 30.5% |
| Trust 76 - 100 | 53.9% | 55.5% | 44.3% | 52.9% |
| Total | 497 | 149 | 100 | 746 |
| 100.0% | 100.0% | 100.0% | 100.0% |
| Representative sample | Youth | Arab sector | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mean | 73.5 | 73.2 | 68.2 | 72.7 |
| Standard deviation | 18.7 | 21.0 | 21.5 | 19.6 |
| Valid N | 497 | 149 | 100 | 746 |
The research study population trusts the credibility of the information on Wikipedia to a relatively large extent, whereas among the adult Jewish sample, they trust the credibility of the information significantly more than the Arab sector.
| Representative sample | Youth | Arab sector | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Never encountered an item of information requiring correction or improvement | 43.9% | 33.6% | 31.1% | 40.1% |
| Encountered information requiring correction, but did not know I could correct it | 17.7% | 17.8% | 26.2% | 18.9% |
| Encountered information requiring correction, but decided not to do anything. I have no time and it doesn’t… | 15.7% | 16.4% | 23.0% | 16.8% |
| Encountered information requiring correction, but didn't manage to correct it, because I didn't know how | 12.7% | 11.6% | 11.5% | 12.3% |
| Encountered information requiring correction, but didn't manage to correct it because of a technical difficulty I encountered | 4.6% | 4.8% | 1.6% | 4.3% |
| Encountered information requiring correction and managed to correct it | 5.4% | 15.8% | 6.6% | 7.6% |
| Total | 497 | 149 | 100 | 746 |
| 100.0% | 100.0% | 100.0% | 100.0% |
A very low percentage of respondents (about 8%) corrected an article on Wikipedia.
| Representative sample | Youth | Arab sector | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Already edit Wikipedia | 2.2% | 5.5% | 8.2% | 3.7% |
| Would like to edit Wikipedia | 33.0% | 32.2% | 54.1% | 35.7% |
| Wouldn't like to edit Wikipedia | 64.8% | 62.3% | 37.7% | 60.7% |
| Total | 497 | 149 | 100 | 746 |
| 100.0% | 100.0% | 100.0% | 100.0% |
About one third of the research population would like to edit Wikipedia. The percentage of those interested in editing the site is especially high in the Arab sector.
| Representative sample | Youth | Arab sector | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Didn't know that I could write and correct articles on it | 22.6% | 12.8% | 33.3% | 23.0% |
| Don't know how to write and correct articles on it | 36.0% | 40.4% | 33.3% | 36.2% |
| Don't think I have the knowledge to write articles | 17.7% | 25.5% | 18.2% | 19.2% |
| Don't have time for that | 23.8% | 21.3% | 15.2% | 21.6% |
| Total | 164 | 48 | 54 | 266 |
| 100.0% | 100.0% | 100.0% | 100.0% |
About one third of the respondents would like to edit Wikipedia and have not done so. They responded that the reason for this is that they did not know how to do it. About one fourth of the respondents did not know they could do it.
| Representative sample | Youth | Arab sector | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yes, always | 6.2% | 7.5% | 4.9% | 6.3% |
| Yes, in most cases | 67.4% | 72.6% | 63.9% | 68.0% |
| Usually not, but I supplement what is lacking through links in the article to the source | 13.3% | 8.9% | 18.0% | 13.0% |
| Usually not, but I supplement what is lacking through sources not on the Internet | 1.6% | 2.7% | 6.6% | 2.5% |
| Usually not, but I also read other Internet sites and sources not on the Internet | 8.0% | 6.2% | 0.0% | 6.6% |
| Don't at all trust the content on Wikipedia | 3.4% | 2.1% | 6.6% | 3.6% |
| Total | 497 | 149 | 100 | 746 |
| 100.0% | 100.0% | 100.0% | 100.0% |
Almost three fourths of the research population responded that reading Wikipedia provides them with all the information they are looking for.
Dissemination
[edit]Wikimedia policies, ethics, and human subjects protection
[edit]Benefits for the Wikimedia community
[edit]The survey results were published in the Hebrew Wikipedia: ויקיפדיה:ויקימדיה ישראל/סקר ויקיפדיה בחברה הישראלית
Timeline
[edit]Funding
[edit]References
[edit]External links
[edit]- Panel4All, the survey company