Wikimedia Ethics/List of questions/JWSchmidt answers

My main focus: I'm trying to educate myself about the some problems on biographical articles.

1. What is the purpose of this learning project?

There are multiple participants who each have their own interests and goals (see). I think the original purpose was mainly centered on problems with biased biographical articles.

2. What are the goals of this learning project? 3. What are the aims of this learning project?

I don't know what would be different between "goals" and aims". Wikipedia has biased biographical articles. We need to find ways to improve the quality of Wikipedia articles.

10. What does this learning project hope to accomplish?

I think the goal is to improve the quality of Wikipedia articles.

4. What assumptions or prior knowledge is assumed about the learners of this learning project?

They want to improve the quality of Wikipedia articles.

5. What issues or problems is this learning project trying to address? What concerns sparked this learning project? 6. What is the subject or subjects of this learning project's research?

See Ethical Management of the English Language Wikipedia/Case Studies for introductions to some specific examples of "when things when wrong at Wikipedia". They include biased biographies, mis-guided actions taken by Wikipedia administrators, poorly-justified blocks and bans of editors who were trying to improve the encyclopedia, fights over the release of personal information, etc.

7. What initial assumptions are the researchers making?

Wikipedia has some institutional defects that create problems, poor articles and administrators who abuse editors who are trying to help the project. Wikipedia has less-than-efficient processes for getting rid of bad administrators and preventing the creation of biased articles. Study and understanding of these problems might lead to correction of the problems.

8. What are the foundations being used for the research? 9. What criteria are being used for the research? See Wikiversity:Scholarly ethics.