A multimethod study of information quality in wiki collaboration

Abstract

In this article, the author presents the results of a two-phase, multimethod study of wiki-based collaboration in an attempt to better understand how peer-produced collaboration is done well in wiki environments. Phase 1 involves an in-depth case study of the collaborative processes surrounding the development of the Wikipedia article on the 2007 Virginia Tech massacre. The rich data collected are used to develop an initial set of testable hypotheses of factors that enhance the quality of peer-produced information in wiki environments. Phase 2 tests these theories through a quantitative analysis of the collaborative features associated with 188 similar articles that Wikipedia considered for recognition as their best (i.e., the top 0.1%). Four collaborative features are examined for their effects on quality: volume of contributor activity, type of contributor activity, number of anonymous contributors, and top contributor experience. Volume of contributor activity is the only feature that is unsupported, a particularly interesting result because previous literature connects that factor most clearly to success in wiki-based collaboration. Implications are discussed.