An Internet search for almost anything these days will likely lead you straight to Wikipedia, the worldwide online encyclopedia.

But unlike conventional encyclopedias whose entries are written by acknowledged academics and editors, those in Wikipedia are open to contributions from anyone at all. Even as you read this, you can be sure that Wikipedia's cyberspace font of knowledge and information will be being added to by someone in Paris, Texas, Rochdale in Lancashire, Johannesburg or Kyoto. That's because -- precisely in line with its mission to create a freely licensed encyclopedia for everyone in the world -- Wikipedia relies for its entire content on volunteers all over the world who are keen to contribute to the cause.

To add information to an entry, individuals must follow some basic guidelines, such as being neutral and only including information that is verifiable through cited references. At Wikipedia's heart, a select group of volunteers serve as "administrators" who ensure that such core principles are adhered to. In the event of disputes, these administrators open debate on discussion pages linked to the entry in question, and try to sort things out from there.