Writing for the World: Wikipedia as an introduction to Academic Writing

         Academic writing is the higher level of writing so it seems too difficult for students who just begin. When students move from writing personal essays to writing academic in English, they will meet many new challenges.  How teachers can be support the students being good as writhing academic. Using the Wikipedia is the one choice for teacher to use with the students. It is the interesting way that can attractive students’ interest for writing.

         Wikipedia is a collaborative wed-based space that con be modified by any user. It is the online encyclopedia that includes 262 different languages. Moreover, it very popular website includes many information. Most of articles can be edited by anyone who accesses the Internet and they can add information, cross-reference or citations. Wikipedia offers an excellent way for students to being confronting the challenges of academic writing such as research, citation, generic conversation and style. So students can use Wikipedia to add the information by writing on it. The information that students should write is about their place or interesting tourist attraction.

         In the assignment, Students must set their own Wikipedia articles with the goal of publishing them on website and making the articles to the worldwide audience. The first step, before students start writing, they need to develop a good understanding of the website itself. Student should know what kind of commonly information and how to use the Wikipedia correctly. Next step is gathering information. Students can being to identify topic for their old article and find the associate information. After that, Students start writing by begins with the outline and then write draft that should have all the necessary content of the article. Next, Students check their work and edit and some of it need to revise. After everything is clear and perfect, the article is ready to publish on Wikipedia for the global audience.   

         To sum up, Academic writing is difficult for students who just start to write it. Students can develop academic writing by write in the Wikipedia. It allows students to use various skills and they will have the global audience. That is very interesting way for students.

Tardy Christine M. Writing for the World: Wikipedia as an introduction to Academic Writing. English teaching Forum. 2010, Number 1 : 8-18.