Wikimedia Research/Research Community Mapping
Background
editThis page is a mapping of the different initiatives led by the Wikimedia Foundation Research Team and provides information on how each of these serves our audiences. We acknowledge the diverse perspectives within the Wikimedia research community and recognize the multifaceted nature of this collaborative space. With that, we would like to emphasize that our insights and strategies, outlined in this document, represent just one perspective on achieving the mission of Wikimedia research.
Through our team’s mission, we, the Research team at the Wikimedia Foundation, commit to strengthening the Wikimedia research communities to support the technology and policy needs of the Wikimedia projects and to advance the understanding of the Wikimedia projects. In this document we describe in more detail what we mean by “strengthening the Wikimedia research communities” and what is our current strategy for doing so. We also share with you our thinking behind many of our existing initiatives.
We hope you find inspiration and ways to join us and get involved in strengthening the Wikimedia research communities.
What do we mean by “communities” and who is part of the Wikimedia Research Community?
editA community is a group of individuals working toward a common goal under a shared set of values. At the time of writing this page and to the best of our knowledge, there are no agreed upon goals and shared values for the Wikimedia research communities.
When we use the phrase “Wikimedia research communities” we are referring to a distributed network of individuals or groups engaging in Wikimedia research in various forms. Researchers who conduct research on the Wikimedia projects for the purpose of improving the projects or advancing our understanding of them are part of this network of communities. So are Wikimedia affiliates who help shape the research questions pursued by scientists, developers who leverage research to contribute to the Wikimedia projects, as well as donors who help provide the resources that make Wikimedia research possible.
We welcome anyone interested in Wikimedia research, including established and aspiring researchers, as well as research enthusiasts and advocates, to join our Wikimedia research communities.
We recognize that researchers may more readily identify with this community, while the belonging of individuals from other groups may not be as straightforward. We aim to enhance collaboration and inclusivity, enabling all who share our mission for Wikimedia Research to actively participate and collectively achieve our goals.
Why the Research Team works to strengthen Wikimedia research communities
editAs mentioned earlier, our team’s mission is to develop models and insights utilizing scientific methods, and strengthen the Wikimedia research communities to support the technology and policy needs of the Wikimedia projects and to advance the understanding of the Wikimedia projects. Below we outline how strengthening the Wikimedia research communities contributes to the impact we seek through our mission.
Supporting Technology Needs:
Research communities, by fostering collaborative efforts, unite a diverse pool of expertise to collectively address technology challenges within Wikimedia projects. This collaborative exchange serves as a catalyst for insights and solutions, directly informing the development of technological solutions tailored to the evolving needs of the Wikimedia ecosystem.
Addressing Policy Considerations:
The collaborative ethos inherent in research communities makes them instrumental in navigating the intricate interplay between policies and the Wikimedia ecosystem. Researchers within these communities contribute valuable insights, fostering informed and nuanced discussions on the societal and community implications of policies, shaping a policy landscape that aligns with the principles and objectives of Wikimedia projects.
Advancing Understanding of Wikimedia Projects:
Research communities, characterized by their collective intelligence, play a pivotal role in deepening insights into the cultural, social, and informational dynamics within Wikimedia. By providing diverse perspectives and methodologies, these communities facilitate informed decision-making and strategic planning for Wikimedia projects, contributing to a more comprehensive understanding of their intricacies.
Mapping of Existing Programming and Initiatives by the Research Team
editThe WMF research team (co-)leads several community initiatives meant to build and strengthen the Wikimedia research community. Below is an overview of our core programs and their contributions to our team’s mission of strengthening the Wikimedia research communities. While all of our initiatives are open to anyone interested in Wikimedia research, each of them is geared to serve a particular audience or set of audiences.
We continuously refine and adapt these initiatives and are eager to receive feedback from our community members.
Office Hours
editWhat is it?
Wikimedia Research Office Hours are personal consultation hours with individual team members from the Research team. They are meant to address questions regarding proposed or in-progress research work, information on how to access datasets or run an analysis, receive updates on ongoing work by the Wikimedia Research team, learn more about programming and initiatives led by the Wikimedia Research team, explore collaborations, and more.
We recommend using office hours as the “first stop” when attempting to launch a research project for which you would like to seek our team’s input or to communicate with our team in a high bandwidth synchronous way.
Who is it for?
Anyone outside of the Wikimedia Foundation. Open to all. Wikimedia Foundation colleagues are encouraged to contact us directly through internal channels and are kindly requested not to utilize these public office hours.
How does it contribute to our mission?
Office hours are a core venue for equipping community members with the information and knowledge needed in order to create fruitful research projects.
Where can I learn more?
https://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/Wikimedia_Research/Office_hours
Monthly Research Showcases
editWhat is it?
Research Showcases are monthly opportunities for (primarily Wikimedia) researchers to share their latest work. They began in 2013 and are live streamed to YouTube. Each showcase has a theme, often corresponding to global or Wikimedia happenings (e.g., pride month, women’s history month, Wikidata’s 10th birthday, etc.).
Who is it for?
The primary audience for research showcases are Wikimedia researchers, but depending on the topic, some showcases are also suited for Wikimedia Foundation staff, affiliates and developers.
How does it contribute to our mission?
Showcases offer a regular and reliable platform where researchers can engage in mutual learning and discover each other. They serve as a means to identify active participants within the community and uncover research questions that the researchers might otherwise not know about.
We also believe that Showcases have the potential to be even more impactful by facilitating interactions between researchers and other key stakeholders who can increase the impact of their work, such as practitioners and product managers.
Where can I learn more?
https://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/Wikimedia_Research/Showcase
Wiki Workshop
editWhat is it?
Wiki Workshop is the flagship event of the year for the Wikimedia research community and features a selection of the year’s most innovative research as well as opportunities for networking. This is a research event to help all of us see and feel that we are here, dynamic, aware, hopeful, and committed. It is the place where we welcome many Wikimedia research newcomers, and it’s where we create space for constructive critique and feedback.
Who is it for?
The primary audience of Wiki Workshop are Wikimedia researchers.
In addition, we’ve started experimenting with involving other audiences in the workshop in order to make the event more effective and allow for better synergies between different groups of the research community. Wiki Workshop 2023 featured a dedicated developer track and the 2024 edition will feature a session for connecting between different stakeholders, including researchers, developers, Wikimedia volunteers.
How does it contribute to our mission?
Wiki Workshop is the main place for Wikimedia research communities to connect on a personal and professional level. There is room to learn about research projects, hold discussions, and interact directly with other researchers and enthusiasts. Participants can identify or define research problems of impact on the technology or policy fronts. They may also come up with ideas for research projects that can advance the understanding of the Wikimedia projects.
Where can I learn more?
Research Fund
editWhat is it?
The Research Fund was launched in Fall 2021. It provides grants up to 50K USD to researchers who propose research or research community building projects that have a high potential for being impactful to one or more of the Wikimedia communities. The intent of the fund is to preferentially support researchers who do not have ready access to funding and are located in emerging communities.
Who is it for?
Wikimedia researchers or researchers who are interested to become Wikimedia researchers.
How does it contribute to our mission?
When we choose the fund recipients, we prioritize proposals if they are in collaboration with Wikimedia volunteer developers or affiliates and attempt to serve a specific purpose. We do this primarily because there is a higher chance of success and impact when researchers work with affiliates or developers and because we want to see the needs of developers and affiliates served.
So while developers and affiliates are not a primary audience of the Research Fund, we do our best to serve them through it. It brings us closer to our mission by allowing researchers who might otherwise not have access to funding to achieve their projects.
Where can I learn more?
Bi-Annual Research Report
editWhat is it?
The Research Report is a way for us to hold ourselves accountable as a team to what we set as goals, communicate impact, and provide entry points to existing projects for those interested to learn more and get engaged.
Who is it for?
Anyone interested.
How does it contribute to our mission?
The research report allows us to provide the global community of researchers, enthusiasts, advocates, donors, and volunteers a glimpse into the work that the research team does, a work that couldn’t be achieved without their support and contributions. It is meant to showcase how these different contributor’s work comes together to advance knowledge globally.
Where can I learn more?
https://research.wikimedia.org/report.html
WMF Research Award of the Year
editWhat is it?
The Wikimedia Foundation Research team established the Wikimedia Foundation Research Award of the Year in 2021 to recognize novel research that has the potential to have significant impact on the Wikimedia projects or research in this space.
Who is it for?
Wikimedia researchers
How does it contribute to our mission?
The award allows us to celebrate and promote research that could directly move the needle on the technology and policy needs of the Wikimedia projects, as well advancing the understanding of the Wikimedia projects.
Where can I learn more?
https://research.wikimedia.org/awards.html
Formal Collaborations
editWhat is it?
The Research Team’s formal collaborations program enables official collaboration agreements between Wikimedia Foundation researchers and external researchers. A formal collaboration typically involves support from the Research team or the Wikimedia Foundation in the form of:
- funding
- letters of endorsement
- equipment, hosting or office space
- access to non-public data or special API privileges for research purposes
- other forms of support under an agreement between researchers and the Research team.
Who is it for?
Wikimedia researchers
How does it contribute to our mission?
The formal collaborations ensure that all researchers involved in a project, be it from the Foundation or external to it, are committed and empowered to work on a mutually agreed problem. We prioritize formal collaborations for projects that have a high potential for impact on the Wikimedia projects.
Where can I learn more?
https://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/Wikimedia_Research/Formal_collaborations
Presentations and Keynotes
editWhat is it?
Members of the Research team often present at academic conferences and gatherings, as well as at Wikimedia events. These presentations are meant for raising awareness about the existence and importance of Wikimedia research, to elevate important open research questions, and to lower barriers for research contributions to the Wikimedia projects.
Who is it for?
Wikimedia researchers, and those that are potential to become Wikimedia researchers, are the primary audience for these presentations.
Wikimedia affiliates or developers are the primary audience for presentations at Wikimedia events.
How does it contribute to our mission?
Participation in major conferences and events are a primary way for us to raise awareness of Wikimedia research and connect members of the scientific community to the Wikimedia research community.
Where can I learn more?
There is a list of events we regularly attend on our website- https://research.wikimedia.org/events.html and we list these events in our bi-annual Research Report. Our team members also regularly update their individual Meta-Wiki pages with past talks and presentations.
Wiki Workshop Hall
editWhat is it?
The Hall is a novel space for researchers to connect with the Wikimedia Movement members and for the Wikimedia Movement to connect with Wikimedia researchers. Through this new track, we aim to provide a dedicated space for learning, exchange of ideas, the spark of curiosity, and community building.
Who is it for?
The Hall is open for anyone who is interested in connecting with Wikimedia Researchers to learn, gain ideas for future research, and make connections. We invite developers, affiliates, WMF staff, researchers, and members of the Wikimedia Movement to host a session and connect with researchers attending the workshop.
How does it contribute to our mission?
The Hall is a key initiative in making connections between researchers and Wikimedia movement stakeholders. We hope that this initiative will contribute to researchers’ understanding of the Movement and its needs. Additionally, we hope that it will allow us to lower barriers for non-researchers to participate in or contribute to Wikimedia research.
Where can I learn more?
https://wikiworkshop.org/call-for-hall and https://twitter.com/wikiworkshop
Other Community Initiatives
editThere are several other routes that allow anyone to join and engage with the Wikimedia research communities that are led by members of the Wikimedia research community and individual Research team members may contribute to them.
Wiki-research-l
The wiki-research-l mailing list is a venue for discussing research on Wikimedia projects, and for sharing announcements about research related events, opportunities, and positions that may interest the audience of this mailing list.
Social media (Twitter/X)
The @WikiResearch Twitter account has over 17K followers and provides updates on all-things Wikimedia research, including announcements on research team-led initiatives. It is meant as a channel for communication and discussion for anyone interested.
Wikimedia Research Newsletter
The Wikimedia Research Newsletter (WRN) covers research of relevance to the Wikimedia community. It has been appearing generally monthly since 2011, and features both academic research publications and internal research done at the Wikimedia Foundation. It is published as a section of The Signpost (titled "Recent research") and as a stand-alone article on Meta-Wiki. As of 2020, the core editorial team consists of Tilman (as the editor-in-chief) and Masssly, and around 90 bylined contributors have volunteered reviews and write ups since 2011.
Get involved!
editWe invite you to join us in strengthening the Wikimedia research communities. We welcome your participation, contributions, and feedback. You can drop us a line at research-wmf@lists.wikimedia.org or on the discussion page of this page.
To stay informed with the latest events in the Wikimedia research community, follow us on social media and subscribe to our newsletter mentioned above.