Wikiracing is a game using the online encyclopedia Wikipedia which focuses on traversing links from one page to another.[1][2][3][4][5] It has many different variations and names, including The Wikipedia Game, Wikipedia Maze, Wikispeedia, Wikiwars, Wikipedia Ball, and Litner Ball.[6] External websites have been created to facilitate the game.[7]

The Seattle Times has recommended it as a good educational pastime for children[8] and the Larchmont Gazette has said, "While I don't know any teenagers who would curl up with an encyclopedia for a good read, I hear that a lot are reading it in the process of playing the Wikipedia Game".[9]

The Amazing Wiki Race has been an event at the TechOlympics[10] and the Yale Freshman Olympics.[11]

The average number of links separating any Wikipedia page from the United Kingdom page is 3.67. Other common houserules such as not using the United States page increase the difficulty of the game.[12]

References

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  1. ^ Aubrey Whelan. "'Wikiracing' picking up speed among college students". The Philadelphia Inquirer, 7/21/2010.
  2. ^ Ben Jones. "Latest game for bored students? Wikiracing". Star Tribune, 6/20/2010.
  3. ^ Ariel Doctoroff. "Want To Waste An Hour (Or Three)? Go On A Wikirace". Huffington Post, 7/22/10.
  4. ^ Colin Hepke (2008). "On Your Mark, Get Set, Wikipedia"! Cornerstone 2(3), 8.
  5. ^ Ben Jones. "Students glued to computers turn Wikipedia into a game". College Times, 7/8/2010.
  6. ^ Stefan Thaler, Katharina Siorpaes, Elena Simperl and Christian Hofe (2011). "A Survey on Games for Knowledge Acquisition". Semantic Technology Institute International. pgs 14-17.
  7. ^ John Walker. "Searching For Fun: Wikipedia Game". Rock, Paper, Shotgun, 6/10/2010.
  8. ^ Heidi Stevens. "Zero in on your child's lack of focus". Seattle Times, 8/14/2011.
  9. ^ Jacqueline Hornor Plumez. "The Career Doctor". Larchmont Gazette, 9/25/2008.
  10. ^ Denise Smith Amos . "500 teens converge for TechOlympics". Cincinnati Enquirer, 3/5/2010
  11. ^ Alison Griswold. "Saybrook frosh win". Yale Daily News, 4/11/2011.
  12. ^ Brock Read. "6 Degrees of Wikipedia". The Chronicle of Higher Education, 5/28/2008.
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