Bringing Science to the Public: The Role of Wikipedia in Scientific Communication
Puyu Yang

Abstract:
Wikipedia has become a central venue for the public consumption of scientific knowledge. As an open, collaboratively edited encyclopedia, it not only reflects the broader information ecosystem but also shapes how science is accessed, interpreted, and debated by millions of users worldwide. In this thesis, I investigate how scientific knowledge is disseminated and contested on Wikipedia, with a particular focus on the role of open access (OA) publications. Drawing on large-scale datasets and combining quantitative analysis with network modeling, I examine the structural and epistemic dynamics that underpin the use of scientific literature on the platform.

The thesis consists of two main parts. In the first part, I examine how Wikipedia integrates and structures scientific knowledge by analyzing large-scale citation patterns from Wikipedia to scientific publications. I show that Wikipedia heavily relies on journal articles from STEM fields, especially biology and medicine, and that biographical articles serve as important bridges between scientific and humanistic domains. I also explore the political and epistemic dimensions of citation practices by examining the selection of news media sources on Wikipedia, revealing a consistent but moderate liberal bias in source selection, even after accounting for differences in factual reliability.

The second part focuses on the impact of open access publishing on the dissemination and contestation of science within Wikipedia. Using article-level citation data, I find that OA publications are significantly more likely to be cited in Wikipedia than paywalled ones, even after accounting for factors such as citation count and publication age. This effect is especially pronounced for highly cited and more recent articles, highlighting the amplifying role of OA in public knowledge infrastructures. In the final chapter, I study how scientific sources are mobilized in Wikipedia’s editorial disputes. I find that OA publications are not only more likely to be cited, but also more likely to be contested in disputes, particularly in socially sensitive fields. These findings suggest that accessibility increases both visibility and engagement, but may also heighten exposure to scrutiny and disagreement.

Taken together, this thesis offers a multifaceted view of how Wikipedia serves as a public interface for scientific communication. By analyzing citation dynamics, editorial practices, and access models, it contributes to our understanding of how science is translated into public knowledge and how digital platforms shape the boundaries of scientific authority.