Is Wikipedia A Reliable Source Of Health Information?

by | Last updated on January 24, 2024

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“Don't use Wikipedia for medical advice,” warns The Independent after a survey found factual errors in 9 out of 10 articles about the 10 most common medical conditions.

Why is Wikipedia a bad source of information?

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.

Which is a very reliable source of health information?

The National Institutes of Health website is a good place to start for reliable health information. As a rule, health websites sponsored by Federal Government agencies are good sources of information. You can reach all Federal websites by visiting www.usa.gov.

Is Wikipedia reliable for medical students?

The readability of articles was measured using two other instruments. ... In conclusion, despite the effort placed in creating Wikipedia respiratory articles by anonymous volunteers (wikipedians), most articles had knowledge deficiencies, were not accurate, and were not suitable for medical students as learning resources .

Is Wikipedia reliable?

The online encyclopedia does not consider itself to be a reliable source and discourages readers from using it in academic or research settings. Researchers, teachers, journalists, and public officials do not regard Wikipedia as a reliable source.

Does Wikipedia Make Money?

Wikipedia makes money via donations, investments, as well as merchandise sales . In the future, it plans to launch an API that charges enterprises a fee for access to its data. Founded in 2001, Wikipedia has grown to become one of the world's most-frequented websites.

How accurate is Wikipedia 2019?

They found that while Wikipedia articles were rated at 83.8 percent for completeness, the information published in the articles was 99.7 percent accurate .

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.

What makes a website trustworthy?

Author – Information on the internet with a listed author is one indication of a credible site. The fact that the author is willing to stand behind the information presented (and in some cases, include his or her contact information) is a good indication that the information is reliable.

What is the reliable source?

A reliable source is one that provides a thorough, well-reasoned theory, argument, discussion, etc . based on strong evidence. Scholarly, peer-reviewed articles or books -written by researchers for students and researchers. ... These sources may provide some of their articles online for free.

Is Wikipedia reliable for medicine?

The solution. Lots of studies have looked at Wikipedia's accuracy. It seems more reliable for kidney disease and mental health problems , less so for drug information (especially on how medicines interact with each other), digestive and liver diseases, and gastroenterology.

Do doctors use Wikipedia?

According to the IMS Institute for Healthcare Informatics' “Engaging patients through social media” report, Wikipedia is the top source of healthcare information for both doctors and patients . Fifty percent of physicians use Wikipedia for information, especially for specific conditions.

Is Wikipedia in trouble financially?

Wikipedia co-founder Jimmy Wales said Thursday that the free online encyclopedia is in good financial shape , although increasing mobile phone use may cut into future donations. “We are doing very well financially,” Wales told AFP ahead of Vivatech, a Paris tech fair for start-up companies.

Does Wikipedia get paid by Google?

Nothing. It's completely free of charge . In a 2018 interview with TechCrunch, Wikimedia Foundation Chief Revenue Officer Lisa Seitz-Gruwell shared that while Wikipedia's content is free to use by all, some companies were exploiting the organization by not reciprocating.

Who earns from Wikipedia?

Wikipedia operates on a donation-based revenue model where the organisation gets most of its funds in the form of donations from millions of individuals and corporations around the world .

How do you know if Wikipedia is correct?

The first thing to do is check the of the article. Wikipedia's guidelines say that any material that has been or is likely to be challenged, and any quote, should have a citation . If something has been cited, you'll see a superscript number above the sentence.

Amira Khan
Author
Amira Khan
Amira Khan is a philosopher and scholar of religion with a Ph.D. in philosophy and theology. Amira's expertise includes the history of philosophy and religion, ethics, and the philosophy of science. She is passionate about helping readers navigate complex philosophical and religious concepts in a clear and accessible way.