13 January 2010 

How Wikipedia Works

Students often complain that teachers won’t let them use Wikipedia for a source - even though it’s filled with great information.  While I don’t disagree with other teachers, I truly believe that Wikipedia can be used to find factual and accurate information.  In fact, a study by the International Weekly Journal of Science showed the same amount of factual errors in the Encyclopedia Britannica as in Wikipedia!  I offer here some suggestions for using this wonderful resource:

Wikipedia Has Changed

    - When the website was first born in 2001, anyone with internet access could post information to pages on the site.  This is where the belief that Wikipedia is filled with errors comes from.  In order to contribute to Wikipedia today though, writers must first provide proof of their capability to add factual information to a specific topic.  For example, if I wanted to add information to the page about the American Revolution, I would have to explain to the website moderators how I am qualified.  My tip: make sure you are researching an academic topic - there are more qualified organic chemistry experts than Justin Timberlake experts!

Make Sure Your Information Has Citations

    -  Have you ever noticed those little numbers inside of parentheses after sentences on Wikipedia?  They are there for a great reason!  Those numbers are linked to the bibliography for that page, and detail the exact sources for the information on the page.  My tip: make sure the information you are using has citations!

Check Your Citations/Use Credible Sources

    -  This is the most important step!  When you find information - with citations - that you would like to use from the site, go to the source, not Wikipedia.  For example, I was researching Ernest Hemingway a few weeks ago and used Wikipedia to get a background on the famous writer.  I read some great information that was referencing a biography written by Jeffrey Meyers.  Rather than using Wikipedia for my final source, I went and referenced Hemingway: A Biography by Jeffrey Meyers at the local library.  My tip:  track down an original source; don’t rely solely on Wikipedia!

Use the “Extras” at the Bottom of Each Page

    -  Nearly every Wikipedia page has some valuable resources at the bottom of the site.  Three that are always useful are: References, Further Reading, and External Links.  I especially like the External Links section as it often has links to museums, universities, and archives from around the world.  My tip: use Wikipedia on your quest to explore the internet!

                                                                                                        - Mr. Baumann