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Table 1 Overview of digital networked tools for collaboration

From: Digital Tools for Bringing Evolution to Everyone

Collaboration tool

Best used for ...

Wiki

Creating a reference source drawing on the collective experience of collaborators

Mailing list

Working out the solution to a problem; planning; brainstorming; exchanging ideas requiring explanation, clarification, extended discussion; generating material for the wiki

Blog

Reporting on progress to other team members, or to the Internet at large; sharing stories, novel experiences, plans; providing coordinators with a timeline of tasks as they are completed

Microblog

Forwarding links, references; outreach; keeping track of people active in areas relevant to the project; chatting, answering simple questions; appealing to the entire group for help, for instance, with finding a reference, using a lab apparatus, locating a site

Versioning software

Cooperating on revising, writing a manuscript; merging changes of different authors, flagging conflicting revisions. Authors need not exchange drafts; all authors can work on the document simultaneously

Social networking

Learning about people and their relationships; discovering potential collaborators; recognizing skills and knowledge among individuals not associated with one another in other ways

Shared bibliography

Pooling knowledge of the literature; establishing a common intellectual, scholarly background, designating certain works as central to the project; formatting references and citations when creating manuscripts; Sharing with others outside the group