Wikipedia Projects

For those who do not know, Wikipedia is an open-source online encyclopaedia, free and freely editable by all. Controversy about this bold approach abounds, but a recent study in Nature has shown that Wikipedia is nearly as accurate as the Encyclopaedia Britannica on scientific issues. Wikipedia works, and is going to be used as one of the main secondary sources of information for an awful lot of people.

Now, the Wikipedia's information on fossil creatures, namely fossil vertebrates, are generally in a patchy, inaccurate state, and is sorely in need of new articles, illustrations, and editing. The moderators would encourage anyone who has an interest in making their knowledge of palaeontology useful to humanity to get involved in the Wikipedia. There are several things you could do, not necessarily involving a lot of work. Most genera are not covered at all, and even very short articles are better than nothing. In general, the articles are poorly illustrated, so uploading artwork would be a very valuable contribution. Even minor editing and  proof-reading is sorely needed. The readability of Wikipedia's articles can be lacking.

So here are a few areas that you could help palaeontology-wise:

WikiProjects Proper

  WikiProject Dinosaurs.
  WikiProject Pterosaurs.
  WikiProject Sea Monsters.
  WikiProject Amphibians and Reptiles.
  WikiProject Birds.
  WikiProject Birds.
  WikiProject Mammals.

Genera lists

  List of dinosaurs.
  List of pterosaurs.
  List of plesiosaurs.
  List of ichthyosaurs.
  List of crurotarsans.
  Fossil birds.

Paleoartists at Wikipedia

Dinoguy2
John.Conway
Dracontes
Sphenacodon

If you do join, or are already have an account, comment on this journal with leaving your Wikipedia username, so we all know who we're dealing with.