Project grants/Oxford: Improving endangered language content

Basic information

Project Title (If applicable)

Improving endangered language content

Proposed by

Charlotte Hemmings, Toby Lowther

Are you currently a member of Wikimedia UK?

Yes

Project description

Briefly describe the issue or problem that motivates this application. What needs are you meeting?

We want to improve the quality of information about endangered languages and linguistics on Wikipedia.

There are many languages in the world, and thanks to the work of the Languages WikiProject and Endangered Languages WikiProject there are now pages for many of the world's languages containing basic information. What we need to do now is to start populating these with quality information, including links to further resources such as archival deposits. We want to see more pages like Wagiman and Greenlandic, and fewer stubs. Here is a list of current endangered languages stubs.

We also hope to contribute to improving the quality of general linguistics articles across Wikipedia. Here is the list of current linguistics stubs.

Describe project activities. What will you use the funding to do?

The plan is to meet twice a term to run Wikipedia editathons in the Faculty of Linguistics, Philology and Phonetics at the University of Oxford. We plan to advertise these events to graduate students and staff with an interest in linguistics and endangered languages.

We will provide some resources and guidance on editing Wikipedia.

The funding will cover refreshments for editathon participants in order to encourage greater participation.

Describe your plan for evaluating this project. How will you measure success? What types of things will you measure (e.g. content, participants)?

Based on previous experience, we expect 5-10 participants per session. Over the course of the project, we hope to encourage participants to become regular editors as well as attracting new editors who have no previous experience. We will measure the number of participants and track edits made during the sessions. These may include deep edits to a single page over a number of sessions or smaller edits to a range of pages.

Identify key people involved in this project. How will or could the wider Wikimedian community be involved?

Key people are Charlotte and Toby. These are internal events at the University of Oxford so it will be challenging to involve the wider Wikimedian community.

If applicable, identify partnering organisations for this project (not essential)

The Faculty of Linguistics, Philology and Phonetics, University of Oxford.

What targets have you set? What will you measure?

Based on previous experience, we expect 5-10 participants per session. Over the course of the project, we hope to encourage participants to become regular editors as well as attracting new editors who have no previous experience. We will measure the number of participants and track edits made during the sessions. These may include deep edits to a single page over a number of sessions or smaller edits to a range of pages.

What contribution will the project make to our strategic goals?

Contributes to developing Open Knowledge by improving subject matter on Wikipedia.

Aims to train new editors and produce high quality content.

Strengthens relationships with Oxford.

Who will be recording/measuring the project metrics, and writing up a project report?

Charlotte and Toby.

Estimated cost?

£600 - £50 per meeting.

What staff support is being requested?

None, some basic support with processing expenses.

How can you get other volunteers involved? What roles could they have?

As above, this will be an internal project in Oxford.

What meeting or other space is needed?

All provided by University of Oxford.

Are other resources needed (such as computers, books, camera equipment, food, contacts, infrastructure)? How will they be sourced?

All provided by University of Oxford and/or editathon participants.

If any partner organisations have been identified, have they been contacted and are they committed?

Charlotte and Toby are both affiliated with the University of Oxford.

Does this project require more extensive funding? What would any WMUK funds be used for?

No

Are external funds needed that we can apply for? If so where will they be sought?

No

Are there any resources that you can contribute? Such as equipment.

The University of Oxford is providing space and equipment.