Editing a Wikipedia page to create a public resource was a challenging, but worthwhile experience. This project involved providing information that can be viewed by anyone. My approach to the assignment was influenced by the knowledge that the stuff I supplied could benefit actual clients. I wanted to confirm that the data was accurate, understandable, and indeed helpful. It may seem easy to provide information like De Lorenzo’s being closed on Mondays, providing salads, and listing their toppings, but I feel that those are the kinds of useful facts that customers really consider when choosing a restaurant.
During the research process I learned that even minor details must be carefully presented. It increased my awareness of the significance of accuracy in public resources. While some information, such as menu options, can occasionally be accessed online, it is necessary to verify accurate information, such as hours, by checking up to date sources. For example, I noticed a lot of the references were from 2008 and 2009. This made me realize how knowledge can become out of date and how crucial it is that public resources like Wikipedia be updated on a regular basis.
I learned a lot during the editing process. Although I found it challenging, editing Wikipedia forced me to follow Wikipedia’s rules and to keep a neutral tone. I had to make sure that my updates blended in with the page and concentrate on providing facts rather than opinions. I was nervous at first to make my edits live, but in the end it increased my confidence in my ability to contribute to shared knowledge spaces.
I decided to work alone on this project so I would be able to work at my own pace and make my own decisions. While collaboration can be helpful, especially for brainstorming or dividing tasks, working alone gave me full responsibility for the final product. I was glad that I was able to edit an article about De Lorenzo’s because it is a piece of history where I am from.
I would say that the easiest part of this project was finding the information that would be helpful to add. It was easy to provide information like menu options and hours because I know what people usually want to know about a restaurant. For me the most challenging aspect was to complete the bulk of this project outside of the classroom due to an injury. I felt a little overwhelmed and felt like I had to figure this out on my own, but I asked questions and eventually figured it out.
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