Academic vs. Wikipedia Text-- Circulation Comparison

• How do they get shared?

Wikipedia: 

             - It has free access for people globally.

             - Has its information transmits online-- only on the Wikipedia website, even the hyperlinks all direct people to other Wikipedia webpages.
           
- For its (formal--as audiences can trace for reliable sources, and indirect--doesn't send audiences to the other text by one click like hyperlinks) interaction with other texts, Wikipedia articles only have a "References" corner (some pages call it "Notes") at the bottom of the article, which lists out all of the sources used in the text. 

Academic: 

             -Some academic articles are free, but others need an account or special identity (membership, etc.)

             -Information presents in online database, journals, university (.edu) webpage; physical books, journals as well.
             - For its interaction with other texts, academic articles have both a "References" part and a "Citation" part, which the "Citation" part can be used to trace who else has used this as his source, and where does its information transfer to and re-produce/contributes to other authors(usually are linked to other articles). Audiences can also follow these linked articles to look for more recent update knowledge relevant to the text.

(academic online database & "Citation")

("References")

• How do people find them and why might they be looking for them? 

Wikipedia: 
             - Just type in the word in google and it will show up in the very front pages. Wikipedia text is usually one term to one page, with all its information included.
             - Anyone can look for it and most of the time for general/simple purposes-- just want some background knowledge when they are not familiar with the term.

             - People can follow in-text hyperlinks going to other pages just by one click. Keywords are more interactive and easier (more accessible) for the public to use.

(All the blue words underlined by sky blue are hyperlinks→→→click on it→→→audiences go to another Wikipedia term's page.)


Academic: 

             - Finding an academic article usually needs to type in its entire title and sometimes through a database.
             - People who would look for these articles usually have already obtained some background knowledge and are pretty familiar with the subject, such as researchers working in the same fields and other professional scholars. Moreover, they have a more specific reason.

             - Does not have hyperlinks. Most have "keywords" listed out of the text's space, based upon or within that specific article.

• In what ways does the process of circulation affect the ways people write or compose these two types of texts?

             - A big difference between Wikipedia and Academic text to me is the language and geographical blocks.

       

         Most Wikipedia terms have multiple languages which make them more convenient for people from different places. But the context is also varied in the different language pages. For example, looking at the term “Camel” in its English page and in Chinese page will give you different information and not in an equal amount. Moreover, not every term has many different languages.
VS.






(this is just a very less amount compare to languages among the world.)

Academic text usually published in English since English is the most used language in the world or just show in a few languages. This makes it more difficult for foreign people to read. (like me:( )

      (←click on this picture!)

          Some countries such as regionally block other foreign websites, Wikipedia is one of those blocked websites but some academic databases, university websites and journals are able to access there. This happened a lot when I went back to China over the summer.