SCIENTIFIC INFORMATION SEEKING ON GOOGLE AND WIKIPEDIA
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© All Rights Reserved – A PRE-PRINT VERSION OF:
Segev, E., & Sharon, A. J. (2016). Temporal Patterns of Scientific Information-Seeking on Google and
Wikipedia. Public Understanding of Science. doi:10.1177/0963662516648565
Temporal Patterns of Scientific Information-Seeking on Google and Wikipedia
Elad Segev
Tel Aviv University
Aviv J. Sharon
Technion - Israeli Institute of Technology
Abstract
In response to the news coverage of scientific events and to science education, people
increasingly go online to get more information. This study investigates how patterns of science and
technology (S&T) information seeking on Google and Wikipedia change over time, in ways that differ
between "ad hoc" terms that correspond to news coverage, and "cyclic" terms that correspond to the
academic period.
Findings show that the S&T activity in Google and Wikipedia was significantly associated with
ad hoc and cyclic patterns. While the peak activity in Google and Wikipedia largely overlapped for ad
hoc terms, it mismatched for cyclic terms. The findings indicate the importance of external cues such as
news media and education, but also of the online engagement process, and particularly the crucial but
different role played by Google and Wikipedia in gaining S&T knowledge. Educators and policy makers
could benefit from taking into account those different patterns.
Keywords: public interest in science, engagement, information seeking behavior, Google,
Wikipedia