Talk:Wikimedia as a public engagement tool for scientists

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This topic is probably more relevant to educational uses than this context, and might be too much detail for this promotional brochure.

Publishing via a restricted wiki

For groups that are wary of adding content directly to Wikimedia projects, there is the possibility to create a wiki for an invitation-only group, developing text within that group, then copying over to Wikipedia, Wikibooks or Wikiversity once the group is happy with it. There are commercial services allowing you to create suitable wikis without charge for educational purposes. Since Wikimedia can only accept freely reusable content, it is vital to make sure your own content qualifies. All participants need to consent to their contributions being shared under the Creative Commons licence that is linked from the foot of every Wikipedia page.

While this approaches has advantages in terms of usability, it is best thought of as a stepping-stone towards full involvement. Some of the most fulfilling aspects of getting involved with Wikimedia, including recognition and appreciation from the existing community, require you to get involved directly.