Why use the UGWiki?

From GSLISWiki

There are several advantages of using the UGWiki over other forms of communication available in GSLIS:

1. Capture tacit knowledge held by people in the department, that could only be elicited by asking people the right questions.
   • UIUC Goodies for free resources offered to UIUC students by the university.
   • Tricks for Searching the Web
   • Random Tips
2. Help new students become oriented in the department by informing them of resources which they might not ordinarily be aware of:
   • New Student Orientation for all the things that current students know, but new students would have to think to ask them about.
3. Provide easier access to information. On the BB, in order to figure out if information has already been posted, you either have to remember reading a post that deals with your query, or you have to scan through all 1000 messages to find what you are looking for, and the subject lines are not all that helpful. While the UGWiki is not perfect either, we are trying to create some useful resources and references.
   • Resources on the UGWiki
4. Introduce people to Urbana and Champaign, and let them know about groups and social events they might be interested in joining:
   • Restaurants and Bars
   • Other Unofficial GSLIS Stuff
   • Libraries
5. To share and socialize over recreational material:
   • Library Aficionado
   • Cat page.
   • Essays
6. Get to know their professors and fellow students better, not only by how individual present themselves (on the LEEP bio pages), but also by how others in the department know them and perceive them.
   • See all People in or associated with the department.
   • See all Faculty in or associated with the department.
   • See all Students in or associated with the department.
   • See all Staff in or associated with the department.
   • See all Post Docs in or associated with the department.
   • See all Alumni in or associated with the department.
7. Provide a mechanims by which students can leave feedback about classes, whether anonymous or not, which can help other students figure out which classes they want to take.
   • See All Classes (courses)
8. Provide more information about research methods or topics for students who are interested in exploring new domains:
   • Research Methods
   • Academic Publications
   • Components of Research
   • Research Topics
   • Thesis

The UGWiki is not meant to replace any of the other media we have in the department. It is meant to be a reference for people in the department, to be a collective knowledge base that can capture the tacit knowledge held in people's minds, but not expressed anywhere else, especially through formal channels.