Wikipedia Article – from Project to Possibilities

     This week I made my first attempt at contributing to Wikipedia.  This was an exercise that touched home -- after all, I've been an avid consumer of Wikipedia's open access information for some time.  My project was to find a Wikipedia stub article in my field of study, then to revise and expand it.  Luckily, I found a stub on a topic I was personally jazzed about (namely over-the-counter weight loss dietary supplements).  As usual, researching and writing the article took some time, however the actual formatting of my contribution into Wikipedia was remarkably simple.  Similar to the experience of my classmate Alyssa, I had initial trepidation with the Wikipedia coding, but after visiting the Help Edit topics offered in Wikipedia, the coding and submission went very smoothly.  Please find following an image of my Wikipedia contribution on the topic of the dietary supplement Dexatrim.

     At the point of publishing my contribution, a mass of thoughts and ideas came flooding to me.  First was the satisfying realization that anyone in the world (with internet) can access my contribution.  I experienced a motivating sense of responsibility for being the co-contributor to such a large audience.  Next was the very cool realization that the article on Dexatrim in Wikipedia is the #2 spot on Page 1 of the Google search for Dexatrim! 

This means that people searching for information on Dexatrim, will likely read the trusted Wikipedia site as well as the more biased and faddish site provided by the manufacturer.  This can only mean a more balanced scope of information for the public!  I am charged with the possibilities of contributing to Wikipedia in the future as a tool to provide sound, scientifically-based information regarding topics of nutrition. Considering Wikipedia is the #5 site on the web and serves 422 million different people every month, this is a dream for a nutrition student with a passion for public education. 

     I'm currently in the process of submitting my Dexatrim contribution for Wikipedia Peer Review with hopes it will gain Official Article status over time and revisions.  Next on the list is deciding on a second nutritional topic for Wikipedia contribution!