Can wiki encyclopaedias work better with the guidance of scientists? Citizendium, a next-generation wiki encyclopaedia, hosted Biology Week last week (22–28 September) — an online open house for biologists and biology students to explore contributing to this 'citizens' compendium' (see http://tinyurl.com/4bfwml).

During the week, biologists tested the Citizendium system by writing and editing content about their subject. Editors and authors from the project's Biology Workgroup 'met' new online visitors to show them the ropes. Gareth Leng, a physiologist at the University of Edinburgh, UK, and a Citizendium author and editor, described the project: “Our role will not be to tell readers what opinions they should hold, but to give them the means to decide, rationally, for themselves. The role of experts is critical — not to impose opinions, but to support accuracy in reporting and citing information.”

Unlike Wikipedia, Citizendium requires contributors to provide their real names and asks them to sign a 'social contract' to ensure the quality of the content and to prevent vandalism.