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WikiConference Yerevan 2013/Presentations & Workshops

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Presentations

Starting an education program for small chapters 1.0

My proposal is meant to be a guide for Wikimedians from all those small communities, explaining the most important steps in the way toward a representative, yet organizationally simple education programs. Hundreds of Czech University students have had a “different” homework during the past two years. Instead of writing essays that end up in the teacher’s drawer (or worse, garbage bin), they took part in the Czech program “Students Write Wikipedia” and made a Wikipedia entry which will last and serve as a source for thousands of Internet users.

My key pieces of advice are: Be modest in the beginning, Learn to be a teacher of Wikipedia, Tell the community about your work, Create a platform rather than a company, No bureaucracy, Advertise your results.

― Speaker: Vojtěch Dostál

(Semi-)automatic editing, How does it work?

Wikipedia automated editing tools let you create and edit articles ensuring information integrity and similarity. Advantages of such projects are dominated by disadvantages. In reality tools are simple and understandable, any person, if he/she knows how to use office applications, can also use these tools. However, this process requires attention and responsibility, as well as cooperation with other experienced users.

― Speakers: Hayk Avetisyan & Mher Bekaryan

Spelling-converter extension

Instigate company has created and imported to the Armenian Wikipedia an automatic converter which allows to convert the Armenian Soviet Encyclopedia content to the Armenian Mesropian orthography with 90% accuracy.

― Speaker: Satenik Mnatsakanyan

Working and Volunteering at Wikimedia Foundation

In this presentation Yuri will tell about his own involvement with Wikipedia, from his initial contributions as a bot author (~3 million changes), to writing MediaWiki API, followed by being employed by Wikimedia Foundation and taking part in Wikipedia Zero project - providing mobile access to Wikipedia for free without data charges for the entire world. There will be some video materials from across the globe.

― Speaker: Yuri Astrakhan

One of the presentations of WikiConference 2012

Wiki-Algebra

How can the Wikipedia content development be measured? Referring to Wikipedia journalists often stress the quantity of the articles comparing them with those of the other Wikipedias. Almost everyone thinks that having fewer articles means that we are falling behind and having more articles means that we are running ahead.

The number of the Armenian Wikipedia articles was tripled in the last 2 years. But does it mean that the Armenian Wikipedia was developed somehow? With the help of a number of tools we'll look through the statistics reflecting the real growth and the development of the Wikipedia.

The presentation is meant for everyone who are interested in Wiki statistics and especially for journalists.

― Speaker: Vachagan Gratian

Standardization of Terminology in Armenian Wikipedia

Terms and transcribing principles in Wikipedia are often different. A disputable list of words should be created (irrespective of Wiki) and after coming to an agreement the words of that list should be used. While translating a word we should take into account how that word is translated in competent sources. We should also discuss which variants are preferable. For instance, if the word has already been translated then it is preferable to use the translation rather than its loan. If the word has many translations than to try to find out which of the translations are more correct linguistically and if all of them are correct then to use the most popular one.

— Speaker: Ruben Tarumyan

Aremanian Wikipedia: A socio-cultural phenomenon?

Presentation slides: Aremanian Wikipedia: A socio-cultural phenomenon?

Many people think that most of the Wikipedia articles aren't reliable but such opinion is wrong because Wikipedia articles have a lot of references proving their reliability. Each Wikipedia has its own peculiarities. What is the Armenian Wikipedia unique for and what is its role in the life of all Armenians? Which articles do Armenian society want to read and how well written and informative articles become demandable? What achievements have Armenian Wikipedia gained during the last year.

— Speaker: Arman Musikyan

Why not let the people pay for Wikipedia?

Presentation slides: Why not let the people pay for Wikipedia?

How can a huge project like the Wikipedia run without letting the customers pay?

— Speaker: Sebastian Wallroth


Wikimedia France 2013

During the year 2013 the French association has supported many technical projects like Afripedia (offline WiFi system in areas where internet is not accessible) or SemancPedia (french DBPedia for Semantic Web). Several Wikimedia-GLAM collaborations were also conducted including partnerships with Museum of quai Branly, Manufacture of Sèvres, Natural History Museum of Toulouse and with institutions located at Lyon. In France there is no freedom of panorama also the association try to raise public awareness of FOP.

A recent local groups initiative called "Wikipermanence" consists in welcome and help new contributors in the real life. "Wikipermanence" occur regularly in major cities such as Paris, Rennes and Strasbourg.

— Speaker: Prieur Benoît

Workshops

MediaWiki API

MediaWiki API has had a very significant growth in the recent years as it addresses the needs of a very wide audience - JavaScript code for AJAXy behavior, mobile clients for customized experience, external web sites to replicate Wikipedia's data, bots to automate tedious editing tasks, and researchers working on their PhDs and gathering statistics. The API tries to be everything for everyone, and despite showing some signs of aging, it is the best way to get to data directly.

This workshop aims show the best way to use API in a number of short hands-on exercises, where participants will learn how to write short queries to retrieve data. Participants will also be shown API calls that explain more advanced API concepts such as multiple queries in one and generators.

― Facilitator: Yuri Astrakhan

First steps in Editing

I edit Wikipedia. If you also want to edit it but don't know how, you can join this workshop and learn about various editing tools: first of all we'll help you to register in the online encyclopedia, then you'll learn to make small and large edits, corrections, you can create articles and wikify already existing ones. You'll also learn what kind of articles you can write in Wikipedia and which ones aren't desirable. During this workshop you will find interesting and pleasant editorial atmosphere. We'll make the first editorial steps together and you'll join the Wikipedia editors' big family.

― Facilitators: Lilit Tarkhanyan and Arman Musikyan

(Semi-)automatic edits: Try it yourself!

What can be done with an automated tools? "Botulizme" as a correct option to work. AWB, Excel, wkpython tools and their use. Practical working skills and how to achieve a quick success. Common mistakes and how to avoid them. Where to find information, how to check it and how to get the article you desire.

― Facilitators: Mher Bekaryan and Hayk Avetisyan

Formulas in Wikipedia articles: Introduction

During this workshop you'll learn how to use/write mathematical formulas and other related issues in Wikipedia, in particular, how to upload pictures, graphics, etc

― Facilitators: David Manasyan with students of Anania shirakatsi Lyceum

Armenian Bibliography in Wikipedia

― Facilitator: Merujan Karapetyan