Friday, August 3, 2007

Wikipedia wants your help

Well...history blogger Ralph Luker notes that since Wikipedia plays such an important role in history education, some historians are working to improve it, playing important roles in Wikiprojects in particular fields of history. It turns out, there are also Wikipedia projects in law that seek to improve Wikipedia's law-related listings.

Some of the difficulties in the writing/editing process have been noted elsewhere. And I am not departing from my views about judges and legal scholars citing to Wikipedia in published works.

But those having an interest in improving law and legal history-related Wikipedia entries would be doing a service.

Here's where you're needed:

WikiProject Law

WikiProject International Law

Wikiproject Australian Law
(This is the only Wikiproject related to the law of a particular nation. Perhaps others are needed?)

Also, I've noticed that Thurgood Marshall's Wikipedia entry begins with this note:
"This article does not cite any references or sources. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. (help, get involved!) Unverifiable material may be challenged and removed. This article has been tagged since May 2007."

There are many terrific, easy to find, sources on Marshall -- some linked to from this blog (just do a search) -- but some on-line bios are inaccurate.

If you know of other specific law/legal-history related Wiki-entries in need of help, please post a comment.