Research:Awareness of Wikipedia and its usage patterns

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Research:Projects

This page documents a completed research project.

Key personnel

• 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

Awareness of Wikipedia and its usage patterns

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

A survey was conducted to examine awareness of Wikipedia and its usage patterns.

Population

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

Margins of error:

• General Jewish sector: 4.4%
• Youth: 8.2%
• Arab sector: 10%

Results

Are you familiar with Wikipedia? If so, how often do you read Wikipedia?

	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

Who do you think writes the entries (articles) on 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.

What is your primary reason for visiting Wikipedia?

	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.

What are the primary subjects on which you search information on Wikipedia?

	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.

When searching for information on Wikipedia, how often do you find what you are looking for?

	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.

To what extent do you trust the credibility of the information that appears on Wikipedia?

	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%

To what extent do you trust the credibility of the information that appears on Wikipedia?

	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.

Have you ever tried to correct or add to information for an entry (article) that appears on Wikipedia?

	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.

Would you want to add information to 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.

Why have you never edited Wikipedia?

	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.

Does reading Wikipedia provide all of your information needs?

	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.

Benefits for the Wikimedia community

The survey results were published in the Hebrew Wikipedia: ויקיפדיה:ויקימדיה ישראל/סקר ויקיפדיה בחברה הישראלית

External links

• Panel4All, the survey company