Research:How does exogenous policy affect editor work?

From Meta, a Wikimedia project coordination wiki

This question set is among the high level research priorities for the Wikimedia Summer of Research 2011. The full list is here, and this is categorized as "RQ8".

Questions[edit]

Origin of policy[edit]

Academia[edit]

(RQ8.1) Was there a large-scale ban on Wikipedia in schools in 2007-8, and how did this affect editor participation? [1]

(RQ8.2) What kinds of edits (good-faith or disruptive) were coming from school IP addresses before the ban?

Expectation[edit]

The ban on Wikipedia in schools may have had a short-term affect but ultimately did not drive the decrease in new editors that was to follow.

Professional[edit]

(RQ8.3) Has the increased use of Internet monitoring software in companies reduced the amount of editing done by editors whilst at work?

Expectation[edit]

Assuming that the predicted phenomena is real, then the question is whether or not this is sufficient to explain the drop in editing. Or more likely how much of the decline can be attributed to this?

References[edit]

  1. Collection of news stories about the ban here