[wiki-research] Re: Wikipedia research and/vs wiki research

[Helmut Leitner]

Dirk Riehle wrote:
> Is Wikipedia research a subset, superset, or just overlaps ... ?

I think for all practical purposes Wikipedia research can be
considered a large and important subset of wiki research.

> but I'm not sure it matters 
> practically. Wikis are so broad that all the sociological etc. research 
> that's relevant for Wikipedia in principle also works with wikis. 

What means "research ... works" ?

We probably
   ... can use the same research methods
   ... need a common language
but
   ... results may not be transferable,
       e. g. when boundary conditions are very different.

> However, Wikipedia is such a singular phenomenon that I doubt much of 
> the investigations done into it can be transfered easily to other wikis.

But this is no hinderance but just more "fodder" for science investigations:
   - what is transferable?
   - what are the reasons that some aspects are (not) transferrable?

> Because of its singularity, by some sciences Wikipedia research probably 
> wouldn't even qualify as research as it is difficult to show 
> repeatability of experiments etc.

I think that each new field of science has to define its own
methodological "state of the art" and "wiki research" in a very early
stage of development, not comparable to e. g. physics.

imho science isn't only repeatable facts and theories but starts with:
   - description of phenomena
   - development of a common consistent to-the-point language
   - description of patterns and (best) practices
   - hypothetical "cause-effect-releationships" and their investigation
   - development of empirical settings and accepted methods
   - ...

Helmut

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