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. ... Wikipedia generally uses reliable secondary sources , which vet data from primary sources.
Can you trust Wikipedia?
We do not expect you to trust us
Also, since Wikipedia can be edited by anyone at any time, articles may be prone to errors, including vandalism, so Wikipedia is not a reliable source. So please do not use Wikipedia to make critical decisions.
What is Wikipedia useful for when doing research?
Wikipedia can provide up with relevant language and terminology to help you brainstorm terms associated with your topic so you can begin your research . Of course, it's probably a good idea to look up the same topic in a more reliable encyclopedia or reference source.
Is Wikipedia a reliable source for APA?
Is it a good idea to cite Wikipedia in your research paper? Generally speaking, no . In fact, if you're writing a paper as a class assignment, your teacher may specifically prohibit citing Wikipedia.
Should you trust a wiki for academic research?
No, you should not use wikipedia as a source for academic papers . Generally speaking, the scientific articles are quite accurate(of course there is always change and new discoveries), but there is reason to distrust any other type of article.
Why Wikipedia is bad for research?
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.
What are 3 reliable sources for research?
Types of Credible Sources for Research
Credible sources for research include: science.gov, The World Factbook, US Census Bureau, UK Statistics, and Encyclopedia Britannica .
Is Britannica better than Wikipedia?
Wikipedia scored highest on all criteria except readability, and the authors concluded that Wikipedia is as good as or better than Britannica and a standard textbook.
Is information on Wikipedia accurate?
“The study did reveal inaccuracies in eight of the nine entries and exposed major flaws in at least two of the nine Wikipedia articles. Overall, Wikipedia's accuracy rate was 80 percent compared with 95-96 percent accuracy within the other sources.”
Is it illegal to edit a Wikipedia page?
On Wikipedia, vandalism is editing the project in an intentionally disruptive or malicious manner. ... It is not a criminal act to vandalise Wikipedia. However, it is against the site's terms of use to vandalise or otherwise cause disruption.
What is the main problem of Wikipedia?
There have been documented problems caused by open, anonymous gatherings of people in Wikipedia, such as the writing of vitriol (noted in 2003) or wiki-gangs (noted in July 2005). Another problem is that anyone can edit articles at any time , so people can vandalize articles, as long as they have an account.
Is Wikipedia the best website?
Today, Wikipedia is the eighth-most-visited site in the world . The English-language version recently surpassed 6 million articles and 3.5 billion words; edits materialize at a rate of 1.8 per second. But perhaps more remarkable than Wikipedia's success is how little its reputation has changed.
Why is Wikipedia a good place to begin?
Finding Sources
One great thing about Wikipedia that's definitely relevant to academic research is the sources listed at the bottom of each article . These links can give you access to more generally trusted sources, like academic papers, magazine articles, and independent research on a topic.
What is the most reliable source of information?
Academic journal articles are probably the most reliable source of current thinking in your field. To be the most reliable they need to be peer reviewed. This means that other academics have read them before publication and checked that they are making claims that are backed up by their evidence.
Can we use Wikipedia as reference?
The answer from Wikipedia is clear: at least in research projects, “ you probably shouldn't be citing Wikipedia” . ... 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.
Does Wikipedia use APA?
The proper citation of Wikipedia, the site, as referenced in APA 5th Edition Style is: Wikipedia: The free encyclopedia .
