Before this assignment, I was unsure what editing Wikipedia would look like, and honestly, how easy it would be. I use it all the time for quick info, like probably everyone does, but I never really thought about how the information gets there or who might be putting it all together. When I first read the instructions for this assignment, I had NO IDEA what article I would even attempt to edit. I didn’t have a single idea in mind, and honestly, the idea of contributing to something so public and structured felt a little intimidating.
I took Wikipedia’s suggestion and looked at a draft article about a professional boxer named Ray Mercer. It caught my attention because the name sounded kind of familiar, and I love learning about athletes. It was a biography with a decent amount of details, but it said it needed better structure and tone. I genuinely felt so uncomfortable changing or adding any specific facts, but I found one part about his early life and military background that felt a little awkward and worded weird, and decided to revise that.
The original sentence, under the early life section, said:
“Mercer played linebacker during high school in Hanau but did not intend to attend college. After graduating from Richmond County Academy in Augusta, Georgia, he enlisted in the United States Army the following year.”
I rewrote it to make it flow a little better and sound more official and almost encyclopedic.
“Mercer played high school football as a linebacker in Hanau, Germany, and later graduated from Richmond County Academy in Augusta, Georgia. The following year, he enlisted in the United States Army.”
It’s a really small change (and I hope a good enough one for this assignment because I am stressed), but I realized that even these small edits help make the article more readable and professional for viewers. It also helped me understand how important tone is on Wikipedia because everything needs to sound neutral and factual, not super casual or opinionated in any way.
Before making this edit, I went to the Talk page and was honestly really confused about how to use this page. I typed and explained what I planned to change and why, and I never received a reply (I honestly have no idea if my comment was even actually posted on the Talk page). After waiting a bit because I was truly confused, I just went ahead and made the edit, knowing I wasn’t actually changing any information. It was live instantly, which was kind of cool, but also made me nervous because it’s just like that? Immediately done? All I had to do was submit a comment and there it was.
What surprised me most about this whole entire experience is how accessible Wikipedia editing actually is. I kind of assumed it was something only “experts” or super techy people could do. But as long as you follow the rules, stay neutral, use reliable sources, and make thoughtful edits, really anyone can contribute and be a part of the Wikipedia team.
This DEFINITELY changed my view of Wikipedia. I honestly used to think of it as this fixed, massive site created by professionals, but edited by strangers on the internet. Now I see it more as an evolving, collaborative space that is full of real people. Those real people, not just scholars or editors, are behind every sentence and do this with a passion. And that just means that I can be one of those people, too.
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