UW COM 481 FAQs

Problems Creating a Wikipedia Account

Q: I got a "Account Creation Error" or "You are currently unable to edit Wikipedia due to a block affecting this IP address" when I tried to create my Wikipedia account.

A: If you are able to use the UW VPN, give that a try. Access to VPN can be subject to international law, so please be aware of the restrictions that may apply to you if you are accessing the course from a country other than the US. Use the 'all internet traffic' option. If you are unable to use the VPN, please contact the teaching team so that we can work on getting you a whitelisted account.

Unfamiliar Terms, Jargon, and Concepts

sunk cost

This is a shortened version of the "sunk cost fallacy." Wikipedia has a good explanation of this general phenomenon. The idea here is that after we've bought something or put energy into it, we might decide to continue because of what we already spent, not because we really enjoy or want it any more. We might want to leave but feel that we can't or shouldn't. Examples that relate to this class include continuing to participate in a group after we stop enjoying it because of how much work it was to join in the first place, how much we already spent, how long we've already been a member, and so on. We might even continue to invest even though we simultaneously feel as if we are wasting our effort. Another fun idiom along this line is "throwing good money after bad".

Questions During the Wikipedia Assignment

Q: Many of the important sources I want to use are not in English. Can I still use them?

A: Non-English sources are allowed in Wikipedia but there are caveats -- here is the policy. Please note also that English Wikipedia rules on notability apply -- inclusion in another language edition of Wikipedia is not a guarantee of meeting the standards for English Wikipedia because each community has its own rules.