Bringing science to the public The role of Wikipedia in scientific communication

Wikipedia is a major platform for the public consumption of scientific knowledge and plays an important role in shaping how science is accessed, interpreted, and debated. As an open and collaboratively edited encyclopedia, it reflects and structures the broader information environment. This dissertation examines how scientific knowledge is disseminated and contested on Wikipedia, with a particular focus on open access publishing.
Using large scale datasets and quantitative and network analytic methods, the dissertation is organized into two parts. The first part analyzes citation patterns from Wikipedia to scientific publications and shows that Wikipedia relies heavily on journal articles from STEM fields, especially biology and medicine. It also finds that biographical articles play an important role in connecting scientific and humanistic domains. In addition, this part examines news media sourcing practices and identifies a consistent but moderate liberal bias after accounting for differences in factual reliability.
The second part examines the effects of open access on the dissemination and contestation of science on Wikipedia. The analyses show that open access publications are more likely to be cited than paywalled articles, even after controlling for citation impact and publication age. This effect is strongest for highly cited and recent research. The final chapter shows that open access sources are also more likely to be involved in editorial disputes, particularly in socially sensitive fields.
Overall, this dissertation highlights how access regimes shape visibility, engagement, and scientific authority in public knowledge platforms.