{"id":280,"date":"2021-12-07T11:28:44","date_gmt":"2021-12-07T16:28:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pressbooks.library.ryerson.ca\/digitaldisabilitystudies\/?post_type=chapter&p=280"},"modified":"2022-02-28T16:42:20","modified_gmt":"2022-02-28T21:42:20","slug":"the-wikipedia-game","status":"publish","type":"chapter","link":"https:\/\/pressbooks.library.torontomu.ca\/digitaldisabilitystudies\/chapter\/the-wikipedia-game\/","title":{"raw":"8.8 The Wikipedia Game","rendered":"8.8 The Wikipedia Game"},"content":{"raw":"

\"Background\"<\/h1>\r\nIn this section we will learn about, play and create our own Wikipedia Game. For those who aren\u2019t familiar, the game works by choosing two or more seemingly unrelated topics, objects, or people. The goal is to start on the Wikipedia page for the first word, and, by clicking on links within Wikipedia, eventually find your way to the page for the second word. Winning often means either getting to the second page first or using the fewest number of links. There are obvious limitations to this game\u2014for example, the cultural policing of who or what does or does not have a Wikipedia page, which limits our choices.\r\n\r\nWhat are we doing when we play this game? Rather than simply a form of entertainment, this game showcases the structure of the Wikipedia archive as a network of associated knowledge. Our ability to play the game ultimately demonstrates a certain amount of mastery in the performance of digital archival research. Playing in the archive is a form of active knowledge practice, in which we hone our skills in constructing links between data and in retrieving information<\/strong>. Different players employ different strategies in the game\u2014some prefer to click semi-randomly, hoping to discover\/uncover hidden connections in the archive. Others read the entire Wikipedia page looking for close connections and employ their previous knowledge of the cultural objects in order to plan a pathway before clicking. In the first instance, the player is exploring the archive and discovering links between two seemingly unrelated objects\/events. In the second, players are retracing collective memories that are likely shared culturally. There is no right or wrong strategy to use when playing the game.\r\n

\"Activity\"<\/h1>\r\nIn this first game, we are going to draw a connection line between Disability Justice<\/strong> and Beyonc\u00e9<\/strong>.\r\n
    \r\n \t
  1. Navigate to the Wikipedia page for disability justice: https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Disability_justice<\/a><\/li>\r\n \t
  2. Next, following links in Wikipedia, try to find your way to Beyonc\u00e9.<\/li>\r\n \t
  3. Try to keep track of the links you followed, or go back when you\u2019re finished and write them down.<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n \r\n
    Take 5 minutes to play the game!<\/div>\r\n \r\n\r\nInstructor\u2019s Path<\/strong>\r\n\r\nFirst Playthrough:\r\n\r\n[video width=\"1366\" height=\"728\" mp4=\"http:\/\/pressbooks.library.ryerson.ca\/digitaldisabilitystudies\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/300\/2021\/12\/Wikipedia-game_DJ-Beyonce.mp4\"][\/video]\r\n\r\n(See Appendix 2 for the copyright statement for this video<\/a>)\r\n
      \r\n \t
    1. Disability justice<\/li>\r\n \t
    2. Mia Mingus<\/li>\r\n \t
    3. Barack Obama<\/li>\r\n \t
    4. List of Barack Obama 2012 presidential campaign endorsements<\/li>\r\n \t
    5. Beyonc\u00e9<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\nSecond Playthrough:\r\n
        \r\n \t
      1. Disability justice<\/li>\r\n \t
      2. Audre Lorde<\/li>\r\n \t
      3. Black feminism<\/li>\r\n \t
      4. Misogyny in rap music<\/li>\r\n \t
      5. Beyonc\u00e9<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\nFor those of you finished with the first pathway, or simply want to try a different story, we\u2019re going to play the game again. This time, we\u2019re going to start with coltan<\/strong>, and we\u2019ll end with Taylor Swift<\/strong>. Here is the link to the Wikipedia page for coltan to start: https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Coltan<\/a>\r\n

        \"Reflection\"<\/h1>\r\nTake a few minutes and reflect on both or either of your paths in the Wikipedia Game. Go back and make a list of the links you followed. Let the questions below guide your analysis.\r\n