When students search for online resources, a Wikipedia article commonly ranks high on the search index. Wikipedia is an online encyclopedia that provides information on a broad array of topics. Their pages are reviewed internally and externally on a regular basis to ensure reliable content, “Thomas Chesney’s empirical research, find that as many as 13 percent of its pages contain errors.”1 Wikipedia’s content is provided by users who can upload, edit, or add content. Wikipedia argues the more individuals who contribute information the more accurate the information will become.2
Despite its reputation, Wikipedia displays poor website ethos. If thirteen percent of their estimated two million articles have errors, then 260,000 contain errors. That is one in eight articles.3 Despite this claim, its popularity cannot be denied. Many students make it their first stop when conducting research. “According to Alexa, a web information company, Wikipedia is the 12th most visited site in the US with almost 11 million visitors per day.”4 Instead of teachers and professors restricting the use of Wikipedia because of these errors, they should encourage students to use it intelligently. Each article has footnotes listed at the end. The citations contain references and external links. These citations can follow the trail of information to a credible source.5
1 Tammy Andrew, “Wikipedia’s Credibility,” Suite 101, http://www.suite101.com/content/wikipedias-credibility-a57257 (accessed April 27, 2011).
2 Tammy Andrew, “Wikipedia’s Credibility.”
3 Tammy Andrew, “Wikipedia’s Credibility.”
4 Tammy Andrew, “Wikipedia’s Credibility.”
5 Tammy Andrew, “Wikipedia’s Credibility.”
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