From Sci-Mate Wiki

Sci-Mate > Information

---

Branch: Feedback-Wiki Type: Help Information Intention: For Publication Read/Write Permissions: Open Access

Authors : 03.02.2009 - Chris Parish  -  ANU    05.01.2009 - Christopher Dyer  -  Sci-Mate

---

Wikis are an amazing tool for building up knowledge by drawing on the collective intelligence of contributing authors. The best use and example of a Wiki, is Wikipedia.  The use of links allows authors on one hand to concisely describe highly complex issues without the need to clarify the meaning of each word within a single article. On the other hand links provide the opportunity for other specialists to contribute suplimentary information. Moreover, as Wikipedia has demonstrated, the more an Article gets read and edited from different perspectives the clearer the explanation becomes to more people. Within research, something as simple as a standard protocol, for example, can be progressively developed by a subcommunity of users as more and more conditions, exceptions and problem-based solutions are recognised. The use of an Article and discussion page helps separate what can be published, from what occurs along the way.

Wikis also give authors easy global access to documents online, built in discussions, versioning systems and a host of other proven features to assist in document preparation.  Compared to emailing documents backwards and forwards between collaborators, Wikis represent a quantum leap in collective manuscript preparation.