www.the-actuary.org.ukreview mechanism has proved very robust, with some researchers claiming it to be more accurate than Encyclopaedia Britannica.How does it work?The wiki pages are created in a simple mark-up language using a web browser. If there is a particular topic that you feel passionate about, you simply register, use the search facility to locate any existing content, click on the 8216edit8217 tab above the heading and start editing away in the text box that appears. If there is no existing content on your particular topic, you will be given the opportunity to create a new page. Clicking on the 8216create this page8217 hyperlink will again take you to a page where you can edit text. 8216Wiki8217 is the Hawaiian word for fast, and it8217s very appropriate in this case: it couldn8217t be simpler or faster to make your contribution to our collective knowledge, so get started now!Each article also has a discussion page for further exchange of ideas on an article. There are plenty of areas that can be openly discussed to make sure we are consistent in our approach. As an example, the terms 8216excess8217 and 8216deductible8217 have different definitions in the general insurance glossary. I know this because I was actually asked what the difference was in a general insurance fellowship exam. I was, therefore, surprised to find them used in the health insurance glossary as interchangeable 8212 apparently 8216deductible8217 is simply the term used more often in the United States. This is but one simple example of how the wiki could help us to be more consistent in our approach and communication.How do we get started?ActuarialWiki.org is already under way. The Actuarial Profession has given permission for the Core Reading Glossaries for each of its fellowship exams to be uploaded into the wiki to provide a basis from which it can grow. This in itself should be a valuable reference to all students and those new to the Profession. The glossaries are just the start though. ActuarialWiki.org depends on the actuarial community to keep it updated and relevant. If you have something to add or amend, you will receive worldwide publicity 8212 it8217s a great way for universities, researchers and those passionate about actuarial subjects to get their views aired.If you would like to get involved, simply register online at www.actuarialwiki.org or contact Johan Strydom at johan@PrimeResource.co.uk for more information.Walking in a wiki wonderlandJohan Strydom explains the rationale behind the new actuarial 8216wiki8217 and its benefits for the Profession187 Since anybody can edit a page, anybody who spots inaccuracies is free to correct them. The experience of Wikipedia has shown that this review mechanism has proved very robust 171TechnologyActuarial wiki March 2008 31 Most of you will be familiar with Wikipedia, the online encyclopaedia written by the public, for the public. Wikipedia has grown bigger than many had ever imagined and now includes more than two million articles in English alone, providing a comprehensive knowledge resource featuring nearly every subject you could care to name. Now imagine that a similar resource existed for our profession 8212 an encyclopaedia written by actuarial professionals for actuarial professionals. ActuarialWiki.org aims to be exactly that.Why do we need a wiki?The roles of actuaries are diversifying and are fast becoming increasingly specialised. This makes it difficult to keep up with developments in a wide range of areas, not to mention bewildering for people new to the profession or outside it. A central knowledge bank therefore becomes more useful by the day. ActuarialWiki.org8217s aims are to:n Keep the actuarial community updated on the latest developments in their specialist areas n Offer a consistent approach in communication with each other and with those outside the Professionn Engage actuaries in debate through a shared feeling of ownership of the material.What exactly is a wiki? A wiki is, in essence, a collection of articles that forms an encyclopaedia. A single page in a wiki is referred to as a 8216wiki page8217, while the entire body of pages, which is usually highly interconnected via hyperlinks, is 8216the wiki8217. The defining characteristic of the wiki is that anybody can create and edit pages 8212 you and I are the authors. The obvious concern then relates to the quality of the content but since anybody can edit a page, anybody who spots inaccuracies is free to correct them. The experience of Wikipedia has shown that this 187 Health insurance 187 Life insurance 187 General insurance 187 Pensions 187 Finance 187 Investments 187 Self-development for actuaries Main menu categories on ActuarialWiki.orgJohan Strydom is the founder of ActuarialWiki.org031_Actuary_strydom_0308.indd 3119/2/08 16:40:34
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