Editing Wikipedia is probably the best way for historians of science to spend their working hours....
When I entered grad school, it was a great letdown to realize just how small a part of academic life involves reaching beyond the walls of academe....
Wikipedia is only beginning to realize its potential for embiggening the role of humanistic knowledge and bridging the ever-widening gaps between the islands of specialized knowledge....
A Wikipedia article is a sort of billboard in the marketplace of ideas. High-quality content, based on the best scholarly sources, has the power to increase dramatically the demand for our intellectual goods and services. For too long, the noncommercial culture of the academy has shackled itself to the system of inaccessible journal publications. (Spontaneous Generations, only the second open access history and philosophy of science journal so far as I know, is an overdue step in the right direction.) Our field in particular has plenty of mind share to gain; so much of what we do is highly relevant to, yet under-read by, other humanists. With a stronger Wikipedia presence, garden-variety historians and other scholars will be able to engage with our work more often....
Posted by
Peter Suber at 12/09/2007 10:13:00 AM.
The open access movement:
Putting peer-reviewed scientific and scholarly literature
on the internet. Making it available free of charge and
free of most copyright and licensing restrictions.
Removing the barriers to serious research.
I recommend the OA tracking project (OATP) as the best way to stay on top of new OA developments. You can read the OATP feed on a blog-like web page or subscribe to it by RSS, email, or Twitter. You can also help build the feed by tagging new developments you encounter.
