This space is for documentation on an A/B test with 28bytes' 28bot.
Hypothesis
Based on what we've seen through qualitative coding of new user contributions, the majority of first edits to Wikipedia are simple tests – tinkering with formatting, adding or removing random text, inserting [[File:Example]] into articles, etc. Some of these users probably don't even know their edits are visible to everyone until they receive a template warning, like the ones issued by 28bot. We'd like to test whether a few specific changes to the content of the message might increase retention of future good editors and decrease the likelihood that malicious test editors become persistent vandals. Specifically, we want to test for the effects of:
- personalization - a message written in the active rather than passive voice, with more friendly, welcoming, and encouraging language
- directives - a more detailed explanation of why their edit was reverted, where they can edit safely, where they can ask for help, and where/why to register an account (for anonymous editors)
- length - a much shorter message that only includes the most important links
Templates
Current
{{uw-test1}}
Welcome and thank you for your contributions. This is a notice that your test has been reverted or removed. If you would like to experiment further, please use the sandbox instead. Please take a look at the welcome page to learn more about contributing to this encyclopedia. This is an automated message from 28bot. False positive? Please report it.
New draft(s)
- General
Hello, and thank you for editing Wikipedia! I just wanted to let you know that I undid your recent change, since it seemed to either be a test or simple mistake. Don't worry, it's great that you were bold and edited a page. If you'd like to experiment more with editing, the
sandbox is a good place to try. Thank you!
Congratulations – you just edited Wikipedia! I undid your test, but don't worry, you didn't do any harm. If you'd like to experiment more with editing, the
sandbox is a good place to practice. If you ever have questions or need help, feel free to leave a message at the
help desk. I hope you'll stick around and help us improve the quality of our articles. Thank you!
New to Wikipedia? Use the
sandbox to experiment with editing. If you need help, leave a message at the
help desk. Thanks!
- Registered only
Hello and thank you for editing Wikipedia! I just wanted to let you know that I undid your recent change, since it seemed to be a test or a simple mistake. It's great that you were bold and edited a page. If you'd like to experiment more with editing, you can make more test edits in your own
personal sandbox. Thank you!
Congratulations – you just edited Wikipedia! I undid your test, but don't worry, you didn't do any harm. If you'd like to experiment more with editing, your
personal sandbox is a good place to practice. If you ever have questions or need help, feel free to leave a message at the
help desk. I hope you'll stick around and help us improve the quality of our articles. Thank you!
New to Wikipedia? You can create your own
personal sandbox to experiment with editing. If you need help, leave a message at the
help desk. Thanks!
- Anonymous only
Hello, and thank you for editing Wikipedia! I just wanted to let you know that I undid your recent change, since it seemed to either be a test or simple mistake. Don't worry, it's great that you were bold and edited a page. If you'd like to experiment more with editing, the
sandbox is a good place to try. If you
create an account, you'll have access to your own personal sandbox, as well as
some other benefits. Thank you!
Congratulations – you just edited Wikipedia! I undid your test, but don't worry, you didn't do any harm. If you'd like to experiment more with editing, the
sandbox is a good place to practice. If you
create an account, you'll have access to your own personal sandbox, as well as
some other benefits. If you ever have questions or need help, feel free to leave a message at the
help desk. I hope you'll stick around and help us improve the quality of our articles. Thank you!
Outcomes we will want to measure include...
- Retention: how many editors edit after receiving the warning? 30 days after? 60 days after?
- Contact: how many editors (IP or registered) contact the bot or warning user? Is this contact constructive or not?
- Improvement: how many editors receive further warnings (from any user or bot) or are blocked?
- Registrations: how many IP editors go on to register accounts after being warned vs. those not given the warning? (Tentative, would require us to log extra data on our end. Steven Walling (WMF) • talk 20:28, 20 December 2011 (UTC))[reply]
- Should/can we alter the bot to send different templates to IPs and registered editors?
