Task force/Community Health/Survey

These are the interim (and very very preliminary) responses to the survey that was distributed. We're posting this in their unanalyzed and incomplete form in an attempt to share the information as quickly as possible. Final numbers may vary greatly.

Updated: 2010-01-29

Full Results and Analysis: Spring 2010

Question 1

When did you start editing?

Answer	Count	Percentage
2001	26	2.43
2002	20	1.87
2003	36	3.37
2004	77	7.20
2005	137	12.82
2006	178	16.65
2007	167	15.62
2008	173	16.18
2009	186	17.40
No answer	69	6.45

Question 2

When did you make your last edit?

Answer	Count	Percentage
2001	2	0.19
2002	1	0.09
2003	0	0
2004	2	0.19
2005	7	0.65
2006	12	1.12
2007	41	3.84
2008	166	15.53
2009	772	72.22
No answer	66	6.17

Question 3

During your time as an active editor, roughly how many edits did you make in a typical month?

Answer	Count	Percentage
1	444	41.53
2-9	444	41.53
10-99	113	10.57
100-999	18	1.68
1000+	4	0.37
No answer	46	4.30

Question 4

Why did you start contributing to Wikipedia?

Answer	Count	Percentage
I saw a typo or small error and wanted to fix it	624	38.37%
There was information that I wanted to add	852	79.70%
I like the idea of volunteering to share knowledge	500	46.77%
I enjoy researching and writing	246	23.01%
I was assigned to do it (e.g., by work or school)	46	4.30%
I wanted to test Wikipedia to see if it was really open for anyone to edit	66	6.17%
Friends of mine were doing it	22	2.06%
No answer	96	8.98%

Question 5

Why did you stop contributing to Wikipedia?

Answer	Count	Percentage
I had other commitments (e.g. new job, new hobbies, started a family)	361	33.77%
I contributed enough information to improve the articles I was interested in.	215	20.11%
Writing an encyclopedic article is difficult and/or time consuming.	143	13.38%
Editing and maintaining articles takes too much time for me.	137	12.82%
Wikipedia is too confusing.	97	9.07%
I felt that I was often working alone, with little feedback or support.	62	5.80%
I found the atmosphere unpleasant.	129	12.07%
Some editors made Wikipedia a difficult place to work.	268	25.07%
I haven't stopped contributing.	386	36.11%
No answer	259	24.23%

Question 6

At the time of your last edit, did you personally feel like you still had a lot to add to the Wikipedia?
1 = Not much more that I could have contributed; 5 = A lot more I could have contributed)

Answer	Count	Percentage
1	102	9.93%
2	152	14.80%
3	255	24.83%
4	227	22.10%
5	291	28.33%
No answer	42	3.93%

Question 7

When did you start editing?

Answer	Count	Percentage
2001	26	2.43
2002	20	1.87
2003	36	3.37
2004	77	7.20
2005	137	12.82
2006	178	16.65
2007	167	15.62
2008	173	16.18
2009	186	17.40
No answer	69	6.45

Question 8

When did you make your last edit?

Answer	Count	Percentage
2001	2	0.19
2002	1	0.09
2003	0	0
2004	2	0.19
2005	7	0.65
2006	12	1.12
2007	41	3.84
2008	166	15.53
2009	772	72.22
No answer	66	6.17

Question 9

Did the difficulty of the work have an impact on your decision to stop contributing?

Answer	Count	Percentage
Yes. Writing an article is too difficult, or too much work.	100	9.35%
Yes. I had difficulties with the editing interface.	168	15.72%
Yes. I had difficulties with the discussion interface.	56	5.24%
Yes. Watching and maintaining multiple articles was difficult/took too much time.	80	7.48%
Yes. I had trouble understanding the rules about Wikipedia content.	129	12.07%
Yes. I had trouble understanding the rules about volunteer behavior.	64	5.99%
No. Complexity was not a major reason in my decision to leave.	414	38.73%
No. I haven’t stopped contributing.	459	42.94%
Other	88	8.23%

Question 10

Did the community have an impact on your decision stop contributing?

Answer	Count	Percentage
Yes. I asked for help, but did not receive the help that I needed.	45	4.21%
Yes. I did not receive much feedback or appreciation for my work.	60	5.61%
Yes. I was warned or sanctioned and decided to leave.	43	4.02%
Yes. It took too much time to discuss content and build support for changes.	73	6.83%
Yes. Several editors were rude to either me or my peers.	120	11.23%
Yes. Several editors were too stubborn and/or difficult to work with.	167	15.62%
Yes. My work kept on being undone.	187	17.49%
No. The community was not a major reason in my decision to leave.	326	30.50%
No. I haven’t stopped contributing.	470	43.97%
Other	69	6.45%

Question 11

On a scale of 1-5, how likely are you to start contributing again?
(1=Never, 5=Definitely, it's just a matter of time)

Answer	Count	Percentage
1	48	4.49%
2	152	14.22%
3	220	20.58%
4	225	21.05%
5	424	39.66%

Question 12

Please read the following statements and select all that you believe are TRUE.

Answer	Count	Percentage
I stopped contributing because of something that happened in my life: it had nothing much to do with Wikipedia.	273	25.54%
I regret that I had to stop editing Wikipedia.	247	23.11%
When I think back on my time editing Wikipedia, I feel anger, frustration, or other unpleasant emotions.	166	15.53%
I would (or do) tell my friends to consider editing Wikipedia.	427	39.94%
I think I am very different from the typical Wikipedia editor.	197	18.43%
I will never edit Wikipedia again.	18	1.68%
I hope one day to edit again, if changes in my personal or work circumstances make that possible for me.	441	41.25%
I hope one day to edit again, if changes at Wikipedia make that possible for me.	302	28.25%