Grants:Programs/Wikimedia Community Fund/Rapid Fund/Improving computational biology Wikipedia articles and closing the knowledge gap between English and Spanish Wikipedias (ID: 22989888)/Final Report
Application type: Standard application
Part 1: Project and impact
1. Describe the implemented activities and results achieved. Additionally, share which approaches were most effective in supporting you to achieve the results. (required)
We implemented three editathons: two in-classroom events (one in the USA and one in Mexico) and one in-person editathon in Liverpool at the ISMB-ECCB 2025 conference. The in-classroom editathons enabled participants to make substantial progress in editing articles, whereas the Liverpool event primarily focused on introducing new users to editing on Wikipedia. The success of the in-classroom editathons was largely due to the structured support we provided before and after the events. Over the course of one month, we organised 4–5 hybrid preparatory sessions to familiarise participants with the editing process, followed by a final post-editathon meeting in which students from Mexico and the USA shared their experiences. During the first session, participants were introduced to Wikipedia’s Five Pillars, guided through account creation, and supported in making their first edits. Subsequently, we provided a curated list of relevant ISCB-related articles using a tool we had previously developed (https://github.com/lubianat/compbio-on-wiki ). In the next sessions, they showed their work, and we provided them with feedback and advice to improve. The Liverpool editathon had fewer participants than the in-classroom editathon, likely because it was scheduled during a busy conference and required broader promotion. Although we had access to participant emails and had organised previous sessions with them, work on editing the articles only began on the day of the conference. In addition, attendees without prior experience joined the session, which meant we were unable to complete the article edits. However, we were able to introduce participants to how Wikipedia works. For future events, in addition to offering an introductory Wikipedia workshop at the conference, which we consider valuable, we plan to follow the in-classroom editathon model by preparing and editing articles in advance of the event.
2. Documentation of your impact. Please use space below to share links that help tell your story, impact, and evaluation. (required)
Share links to:
- Project page on Meta-Wiki or any other Wikimedia project
- Dashboards and tools that you used to track contributions
- Some photos or videos from your event. Remember to share access.
You can also share links to:
- Important social media posts
- Surveys and their results
- Infographics and sound files
- Examples of content edited on Wikimedia projects
• Project page on Meta-Wiki or any other Wikimedia project Project page https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:WikiProject_Molecular_Biology/Computational_Biology/14th_ISCB_Wikipedia_competition_entries
- Dashboards and tools that you used to track contributions
Dashboard for in the classroom editathons https://outreachdashboard.wmflabs.org/courses/ISCB/2025_Computational_Biology_in_the_classroom/home
Dashboard for in the Liverpool
https://outreachdashboard.wmflabs.org/courses/ISCB/2025_Computational_Biology_(June_and_July_2025)
Articles register
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:WikiProject_Molecular_Biology/Computational_Biology/14th_ISCB_Wikipedia_competition_entries
- Some photos or videos from your event. Remember to share access
Photos https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1T3UEqw7EOmIZBZ9_x7-w7c1ra4jMeL3c?hl=es
Also, you can share links to:
- Important social media posts
https://x.com/propicee/status/1946890052774064592/photo/1
- Surveys and their results
- Infographics and sound files
- Examples of content edited on Wikimedia projects
As examples, we provide the following list
We created MAG article in Spanish https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Binning_(metagen%C3%B3mica)#MAG_(Metagenome%E2%80%91Assembled_Genome)
We improved the following articles in English
UCSC Genome Browser,https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UCSC_Genome_Browser
Minimum evolution, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minimum_evolution
MUSCLE (alignment software), https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MUSCLE_(alignment_software)
Bioinformatics Open Source Conference. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bioinformatics_Open_Source_Conference
Additionally, share the materials and resources that you used in the implementation of your project. (required)
For example:
- Training materials and guides
- Presentations and slides
- Work processes and plans
- Any other materials your team has created or adapted and can be shared with others
• Training materials and guides
Welcome Workshop presentation https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1yGWDB-SWlZ--P3bI4KIZ470ZWN1PfBMkkjQ7VKaPo6c/edit?slide=id.g3d77d97679f_0_0#slide=id.g3d77d97679f_0_0
- Presentations and slides
Winners slides
https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1Q3xv2zvWI1JgMEO1M9m3oY9kRq33gCHo/edit?usp=drive_web&ouid=112224471038090317539&rtpof=true
- Work processes and plans
Plans and time line https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1qg5ac6GJPRdNS93Na1nVjWlqgdhnRJg6XW-UXwIlPRc/edit?gid=0#gid=0 Action points from meeting https://docs.google.com/document/d/1lxUnZO65rls8dHAcSlgo6mVswAD2cUJ7BuVu5srEKmc/edit?tab=t.0 A wiki with frequently asked questions https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:WikiProject_Molecular_Biology/Computational_Biology/Editing_FAQs
- Any other materials your team has created or adapted and can be shared with others
A wiki with the needed articles https://github.com/lubianat/compbio-on-wiki
3. To what extent do you agree with the following statements regarding the work carried out with this Rapid Fund? You can choose “not applicable” if your work does not relate to these goals. Required. Select one option per question. (required)
| A. Bring in participants from underrepresented groups | Strongly agree |
| B. Create a more inclusive and connected culture in our community | Strongly agree |
| C. Develop content about underrepresented topics/groups | Strongly agree |
| D. Develop content from underrepresented perspectives | Agree |
| E. Encourage the retention of editors | Agree |
| F. Encourage the retention of organizers | Strongly agree |
| G. Increased participants' feelings of belonging and connection to the movement | Strongly agree |
| F. Other (optional) | NA |
Part 2: Learning
4. In your application, you outlined some learning questions. What did you learn from these learning questions when you implemented your project? How do you hope to use this learnings in the future? You can recall these learning questions below. (required)
You can recall these learning questions below: 1. How will participating in a Wikipedia editathon contribute to an editor’s identity as a co-creator of open education resources? 2. Will participation in targeted editing events highlight the need for (and current knowledge gap in) scientific Wikipedia articles in native (non-English) languages? 3. What subject-matter learning gains will participants report after editing relevant articles? 4. How can Wikipedia editathons act as meeting points and discussion spaces for participants from diverse backgrounds? 5. How can a Wikipedia ediathon contribute to learning and assessment activities in classroom environments?
Our previous Wikipedia editathon initiative, which included two classroom-based events in the United States and Mexico and an international in-person event in Liverpool, provided preliminary evidence that participation in editathons fosters contributors’ identities as active co-creators of open educational resources by engaging them directly in the production of publicly accessible scientific knowledge. The classroom-based activities, which involved month-long follow-up of student edits under faculty mentorship across multiple universities, suggested that targeted editing events help participants recognize substantial gaps in scientific Wikipedia content, particularly in non-English languages, and raise awareness of the need for broader multilingual scientific dissemination. Participants also reported subject-matter learning gains through the process of critically reviewing literature, synthesizing evidence, and translating complex scientific concepts into accessible educational content. Furthermore, the Liverpool event, which brought together attendees from diverse national and disciplinary backgrounds, demonstrated the value of editathons as spaces for interdisciplinary and intercultural exchange around scientific communication and knowledge equity. Finally, the return of both instructors and student editors from the classroom-based events in 2026, the following year, many of them now leading editing teams or as judges of the competitions, suggests that integrating Wikipedia editing into coursework can provide a sustainable framework for active learning and assessment, reinforcing both disciplinary understanding and science communication skills.
5. Did anything unexpected or surprising happen when implementing your activities? This can include both positive and negative situations. What did you learn from those experiences? (required)
We had more participants in the Mexico and USA classroom sessions, which was a positive surprise as the work was more intense. During the in-person Liverpool ISMB ECCB 2025 conference, UK session, we had fewer participants tahn we could anticipate, and divided in several hours, they did not stay all the time, so we have to give the welcome workshop several times which made us realize that it’s worth hosting the editathon either in class or prior to the conference to attract more participants.
6. What is your plan to share your project learnings and results with other community members? If you have already done it, describe how. (required)
We have written a journal article reflecting the outcome of the work we have completed as part of the Wikimedia Flux grant. The paper is now in with the final stage of editing to be published in Bioinformatics, OUP by the end of July 2026. This published work will be a portfolio for the community and Wikipedia enthusiasts to learn about the work we have done and take inspiration from.
Part 3: Metrics
7. Wikimedia Metrics results. (required)
In your application, you set some Wikimedia targets in numbers (Wikimedia metrics). In this section, you will describe the achieved results and provide links to the tools used.
| Target | Results | Comments and tools used | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Number of participants | 100 | 104 | In person 40 in total in the classroom and Liverpool editathons
Virtually 64 in total in the classroom and Liverpool editathons
Liverpool https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Event:Computational_Biology_ISCB_2025_Liverpool https://outreachdashboard.wmflabs.org/courses/ISCB/2025_Computational_Biology_(June_and_July_2025) 4 articles created, 23 articles edited, 86 editions, 34 editors, 11thousand words, 64 references, 21thousand visualizations, 29 commons uploads
|
| Number of editors | 45 | 63 | Tool used and comments (optional)
63 editors: 29 editors (In classroom) + 34 (Liverpool)
|
| Number of organizers | 10 | 10 | Tool used and comments (optional)
Classroom México and USA https://outreachdashboard.wmflabs.org/courses/ISCB/2025_Computational_Biology_in_the_classroom/home 8 articles, 69 editions, 29 editors, 5 thousand words, 47 references, 55thousand visualizations, 12 commons uploads
Liverpool https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Event:Computational_Biology_ISCB_2025_Liverpool https://outreachdashboard.wmflabs.org/courses/ISCB/2025_Computational_Biology_(June_and_July_2025) 4 articles created, 23 articles edited, 86 editions, 34 editors, 11thousand words, 64 references, 21thousand visualizations, 29 commons uploads
|
| Wikimedia project | Target | Result - Number of created pages | Result - Number of improved pages |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wikipedia | 30 | 4 | 31 |
| Wikimedia Commons | 30 | 41 | 0 |
| Wikidata | |||
| Wiktionary | |||
| Wikisource | |||
| Wikimedia Incubator | |||
| Translatewiki | |||
| MediaWiki | |||
| Wikiquote | |||
| Wikivoyage | |||
| Wikibooks | |||
| Wikiversity | |||
| Wikinews | |||
| Wikispecies | |||
| Wikifunctions or Abstract Wikipedia |
8. Other Metrics results.
In your proposal, you could also set Other Metrics targets. Please describe the achieved results and provide links to the tools used if you set Other Metrics in your application.
| Other Metrics name | Metrics Description | Target | Result | Tools and comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number of characters | We will provide the number of characters of the articles created and improved. We aim to add 20,000 characters in at least 10 articles. | 20000 | 16000 | According to the dashboard we edited more that 11 thousand + 5 thousand word which is much more than 20,000 characters. This was distributed in 23 + 8 articles which is more than 10 articles. Additionally some articles were edited in the context of the 14th ISCB Wikipedia competition with the help of the editathon organizers, but not all participants registered in the dashboards. |
| References in Spanish | References outside of English are difficult to find, we aim to add Computational Biology Spanish references to at least 10 articles | 10 | ||
| Number of visits | We wish to improve/ create high-impact articles in Computational Biology. We aimed to have 10 articles with a combined average of 5 views daily. | |||
| Quality rubric | We will provide judges' scores based on the quality of writing, depth of content, and quality of figures of articles that join the ISCB annual contest with our rubric form https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSc-eTiAWqOgF0M821VsXzNfHnDOybQq2ZyG-zMRNL6qqYEa4g/viewform | |||
9. Did you have any difficulties collecting data to measure your results? (required)
No
9.1. Please state what difficulties you had. How do you hope to overcome these challenges in the future? Do you have any recommendations for the Foundation to support you in addressing these challenges? (required)
Part 4: Financial reporting
[edit]10. Please state the total amount spent in your local currency. (required)
3000
11. Please state the total amount spent in US dollars. (required)
3000
12. Report the funds spent in the currency of your fund. (required)
Upload the financial report
12.2. If you have not already done so in your financial spending report, please provide information on changes in the budget in relation to your original proposal. (optional)
13. Do you have any unspent funds from the Fund?
No
13.1. Please list the amount and currency you did not use and explain why.
N/A
13.2. What are you planning to do with the underspent funds?
N/A
13.3. Please provide details of hope to spend these funds.
N/A
14.1. Are you in compliance with the terms outlined in the fund agreement?
Yes
14.2. Are you in compliance with all applicable laws and regulations as outlined in the grant agreement?
Yes
14.3. Are you in compliance with provisions of the United States Internal Revenue Code (“Code”), and with relevant tax laws and regulations restricting the use of the Funds as outlined in the grant agreement? In summary, this is to confirm that the funds were used in alignment with the WMF mission and for charitable/nonprofit/educational purposes.
Yes
15. If you have additional recommendations or reflections that don’t fit into the above sections, please write them here. (optional)