Citation is not needed for fact-checking general knowledge. ... In any case, you should not cite Wikipedia itself , but the source provided; you should certainly look up the source yourself before citing it. If there is no source cited, consider a different method of obtaining this information.
Is it OK to use Wikipedia as a source?
Wikipedia is not a reliable source for citations elsewhere on Wikipedia. Because it can be edited by anyone at any time, any information it contains at a particular time could be vandalism, a work in progress, or just plain wrong. ... Therefore, Wikipedia should not be considered a definitive source in and of itself .
Is it ever okay to cite Wikipedia as a reference in a paper?
However, citation of Wikipedia in research papers may be considered unacceptable , because Wikipedia is not a reliable source. ... This is because Wikipedia can be edited by anyone at any moment. Although when an error is recognized, it is usually fixed.
When should you cite Wikipedia?
The answer from Wikipedia is clear: at least in research projects, “you probably shouldn't be citing Wikipedia” . Why's that? Well, Wikipedia, like other encyclopedias and handbooks, is a tertiary source. Tertiary sources are those that take their information from other primary and secondary sources.
Should Wikipedia be used for academic research why or why not how should it be used?
Wikipedia is not considered a credible source . ... However, citation of Wikipedia in research papers may be considered unacceptable, because Wikipedia is not considered a credible or authoritative source.
Is it wrong to cite Wikipedia?
In any case, you should not cite Wikipedia itself , but the source provided; you should certainly look up the source yourself before citing it. If there is no source cited, consider a different method of obtaining this information. All encyclopedias, whether traditional paper ones or online ones, have errors.
How accurate is Wikipedia?
The paper found that Wikipedia's entries had an overall accuracy rate of 80 percent , whereas the other encyclopedias had an accuracy rate of 95 to 96 percent. ... The study found that while information in these articles tended to be accurate, the articles examined contained many errors of omission.
What is the purpose of Wikipedia?
Wikipedia's purpose is to benefit readers by acting as a widely accessible and free encyclopedia ; a comprehensive written compendium that contains information on all branches of knowledge.
Should students be allowed to use Wikipedia?
Students agree that Wikipedia may be the easiest to site to access information and it is especially helpful in history classes. ... The consensus is that students should be allowed to use the website to gather information as pages are , for the most part, fairly accurate.
How do you source Wikipedia?
When citing Wikipedia in-text, all you need is the article title . This is because Wikipedia is a collaborative website and there is no author or published date. The citation, which will be in parentheses, will have the title of the page or article in quotations.
Why do academics hate Wikipedia?
Academics discredit the website for several reasons: articles can be written by anyone, not necessarily a world expert; editing and regulation are imperfect and a reliance on Wikipedia can discourage students from engaging with genuine academic writing . Vandalism is also common.
Why is Wikipedia so good?
Wikipedia is by far the world's largest encyclopedia; it is the largest, most comprehensive, and most accessible compilation of knowledge to exist in the history of the human race. ... Wikipedia is not paper, and that is a good thing because articles are not strictly limited in size as they are with paper encyclopedias.
Why must you cite sources in research writing?
Citing or documenting the sources used in your research serves three purposes: It gives proper credit to the authors of the words or ideas that you incorporated into your paper . It allows those who are reading your work to locate your sources, in order to learn more about the ideas that you include in your paper.
Where does Wikipedia get its information?
In the English Wikipedia, verifiability means other people using the encyclopedia can check that the information comes from a reliable source. Wikipedia does not publish original research. Its content is determined by previously published information rather than the beliefs or experiences of editors.
Can Wikipedia be edited by anyone?
Wikipedia is a wiki, meaning anyone can edit nearly any page and improve articles immediately . You do not need to register to do this, and anyone who has edited is known as a Wikipedian or editor. Small edits add up, and every editor can be proud to have made Wikipedia better for all.
Is Wikipedia biased?
The authors found that “Wikipedia articles are more slanted towards Democratic views than are Britannica articles, as well as more biased”, particularly those focusing on civil rights, corporations, and government.
