Once upon a time...
on a browser far, far away (January 15, 2001 to be exact)...
Wikipedia opened its virtual doors for its online encyclopedia to the collaborating writers of the world.
While Wikipedia has shifted rules and evolved significantly over the years, one thing remains constant...the materials, wording, and content on any given topic page are not linked directly to a credible author. Even though--if you get lucky--a page in Wikipedia may be rather reliable, it is not credible. For academic papers, you must only use sources that meet BOTH the reliable and credible standards for a source.
Because Wikipedia is not credible, it cannot be used as a source in ANY academic writing. If you are visiting this page from another institution, you can assume that your instructor will not allow use of Wikipedia in your papers, either. (However, feel free to double check with your instructor.)
I do encourage students to begin their research journey on a topic at Wikipedia. Wikipedia can be used to gather ideas, identify word choices on the topic, view resource listings posted on the page--to research and review for possible use later--and to get an idea of the possible controversies surrounding the topic (on the discussion section of the page on Wikipedia). Wikipedia is a great springboard for getting a feel for the topic before performing searches on library databases and online sources.
Please watch the video below to fully understand the composition of Wikipedia, how it is managed, compiled, and used.
REMINDER: You are only allowed to use Wikipedia pages to gather key terms and ideas to research through more reliable and credible avenues. You WILL NOT ever use content from Wikipedia in an academic paper.
on a browser far, far away (January 15, 2001 to be exact)...
Wikipedia opened its virtual doors for its online encyclopedia to the collaborating writers of the world.
While Wikipedia has shifted rules and evolved significantly over the years, one thing remains constant...the materials, wording, and content on any given topic page are not linked directly to a credible author. Even though--if you get lucky--a page in Wikipedia may be rather reliable, it is not credible. For academic papers, you must only use sources that meet BOTH the reliable and credible standards for a source.
Because Wikipedia is not credible, it cannot be used as a source in ANY academic writing. If you are visiting this page from another institution, you can assume that your instructor will not allow use of Wikipedia in your papers, either. (However, feel free to double check with your instructor.)
I do encourage students to begin their research journey on a topic at Wikipedia. Wikipedia can be used to gather ideas, identify word choices on the topic, view resource listings posted on the page--to research and review for possible use later--and to get an idea of the possible controversies surrounding the topic (on the discussion section of the page on Wikipedia). Wikipedia is a great springboard for getting a feel for the topic before performing searches on library databases and online sources.
Please watch the video below to fully understand the composition of Wikipedia, how it is managed, compiled, and used.
REMINDER: You are only allowed to use Wikipedia pages to gather key terms and ideas to research through more reliable and credible avenues. You WILL NOT ever use content from Wikipedia in an academic paper.
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