Convergences of Information Design and Digital Curation in the Use of Plain Language on Wikipedia: Digital-Virtual Narratives of Women's Health

• Grant number: 24/09210-2
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Master
• Start date: May 01, 2025
• End date: March 31, 2026
• Field of knowledge: Applied Social Sciences - Information Science
• Principal Investigator: Maria José Vicentini Jorente
• Grantee: Isabela Correa Macena
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Filosofia e Ciências (FFC). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Marília. Marília , SP, Brazil

Abstract

The intersection between Information Design and Digital Curation plays a crucial role in the organization and presentation of content in the digital-virtual realm. In this context, Simple Language, as a resource of Information Design, aims to make articles more understandable for all audiences. Since its launch, Wikipedia has become one of the main sources of online information, with 326 language versions in operation, among which Simple English Wikipedia stands out, consisting of over 250,000 entries written in simple language. In the field of Information Science, when addressing the search for information through a social lens, it is important to highlight that from an early age, girls and women are placed in a central role in complex health issues. Thus, this research project aims to analyze the entries related to women's health present on Wikipedia. Additionally, as specific objectives: identify the convergences between Information Design and Digital Curation, aiming to understand how they can influence the representation of information related to women's health; explore the differences between aspects of Information Design in English Wikipedia and its Simple English version; and compare articles related to women's health on English, Simple English, and Portuguese Wikipedia. The methodology employed will be qualitative, with a descriptive-exploratory typology, using Design Thinking as the methodological approach. The relevance of simplifying Wikipedia's content becomes prominent in the face of equitable access issues, especially in the context of health, where specific reading difficulties can pose a substantial barrier to understanding essential information.