
The Information Behavior of Wikipedia Fan Editors
A Digital (Auto)Ethnography
Paul A. Thomas(Author)
Lexington Books (Publisher)
Published on 30. July 2024
Book
Hardback
272 pages
978-1-6669-4193-7 (ISBN)
Description
Situated at the intersection of library and information science (LIS), Wikipedia studies, and fandom studies, this book is a digital (auto)ethnography that documents the information behavior of Wikipedia "fan editors"-that is, individuals who edit articles about pop culture media. Given Wikipedia's prominence in LIS and fan studies scholarship, both as one of the world's most heavily used reference sources and as an important archive for fan communities, fan editors are a crucial component of this ecosystem as some of Wikipedia's most active contributors. Through a combination of fieldwork observations, insight from key informants, and the author's own experiences as a Wikipedia editor, this monograph provides a rich articulation of fan editor information behavior and offers a significant contribution to scholarship in a number of fields. Scholars of library and information science, media studies, fandom studies, and popular culture will find this book of particular interest.
Reviews / Votes
The Information Behavior of Wikipedia Fan Editors: A Digital (Auto)Ethnography is a must read for all information behavior researchers and those who teach information behavior. Paul A. Thomas very successfully weaves the almost-mysterious experiences of Wikipedia fan editors with the theoretical insights reported in information behavior studies. This book opens the way for innovative combinations of research methods by skillfully combining autoethnography with more conventional research methods. I would certainly make students and educators aware of this book to encourage innovative thinking on information behavior research and how to relate experiences to the theories of information behavior. -- Ina Fourie, University of PretoriaMore details
Series
Language
English
Place of publication
United States
Publishing group
Bloomsbury Publishing Plc
Target group
Professional and scholarly
Illustrations
16 BW Illustrations, 2 Tables
Dimensions
Height: 235 mm
Width: 157 mm
Thickness: 21 mm
Weight
596 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-6669-4193-7 (9781666941937)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions

E-Book
07/2024
1st Edition
Lexington Books
€100.99
Available for download
Person
Paul A. Thomas is a library specialist at the University of Kansas.
Content
Part 1: The Information Behavior of Fan Editors
Chapter 1: Information Needs
Chapter 2: Seeking Information
Chapter 3: Evaluating Sources
Chapter 4: Producing Encyclopedic Content
Chapter 5: Reviewing and Showcasing Encyclopedic Content
Chapter 6: Protecting and Debating Encyclopedic Content
Part 2: Fan Editor Information Behavior in Perspective
Chapter 7: Fan Editor Information Behavior as Serious Leisure
Chapter 8: Fan Editing and the Price Model of Fan Information Behavior
Chapter 9: Wikipedia and Fan Wikis as Contrasting Informational Environments
Chapter 10: Fan Editors and the Question of Motivation
Chapter 1: Information Needs
Chapter 2: Seeking Information
Chapter 3: Evaluating Sources
Chapter 4: Producing Encyclopedic Content
Chapter 5: Reviewing and Showcasing Encyclopedic Content
Chapter 6: Protecting and Debating Encyclopedic Content
Part 2: Fan Editor Information Behavior in Perspective
Chapter 7: Fan Editor Information Behavior as Serious Leisure
Chapter 8: Fan Editing and the Price Model of Fan Information Behavior
Chapter 9: Wikipedia and Fan Wikis as Contrasting Informational Environments
Chapter 10: Fan Editors and the Question of Motivation