Wikipedia
Wikipedia is a free online encyclopedia. Anyone can edit materials in Wikipedia, and there are approximately 69,000 active editors who watch and maintain content edits. Although often disparaged because of its open-edit policies, it is also celebrated for its real-time updates of global content. Supporters of Wikipedia cite a 2005 study that showed that Wikipedia's science entries were as accurate as the Encyclopaedia Britannica; detractors bring up accusations of systematic biases within the active editing community.
Teachers often caution students against using Wikipedia as a source, claiming that the open-edit platform can lead to misinformation and inaccuracies. However, many researchers believe that Wikipedia is highly reliable, and that inaccuracies and biases are often deleted by the active editing community almost as soon as they appear. Wikipedia users are able to access the edit history of each page and see what edits have occurred and by whom; in addition, they can access the "talk" page of each page, to read through the ongoing discussions that active editors are having behind the scenes of each page. The Wikipedia standard asks for evidence and citations for information on each page and flags when citations are missing or were bias might be present. However, a lack of representation of minorities in the active editing community continues to plague Wikipedia's reputation.
Most teachers now agree that, at the very least, Wikipedia is a good place to start the research process and get basic information. Students can fact check that information against other sources, and use the works cited at the bottom of the page to find primary sources for their research projects.
When citing Wikipedia as a source, there is a specific format writers should follow, so that readers of the paper know exactly what information was accessed by the writer and when.
Teachers often caution students against using Wikipedia as a source, claiming that the open-edit platform can lead to misinformation and inaccuracies. However, many researchers believe that Wikipedia is highly reliable, and that inaccuracies and biases are often deleted by the active editing community almost as soon as they appear. Wikipedia users are able to access the edit history of each page and see what edits have occurred and by whom; in addition, they can access the "talk" page of each page, to read through the ongoing discussions that active editors are having behind the scenes of each page. The Wikipedia standard asks for evidence and citations for information on each page and flags when citations are missing or were bias might be present. However, a lack of representation of minorities in the active editing community continues to plague Wikipedia's reputation.
Most teachers now agree that, at the very least, Wikipedia is a good place to start the research process and get basic information. Students can fact check that information against other sources, and use the works cited at the bottom of the page to find primary sources for their research projects.
When citing Wikipedia as a source, there is a specific format writers should follow, so that readers of the paper know exactly what information was accessed by the writer and when.
