Reliability of Wikipedia
Wikipedia is the free online encyclopedia created through collaborative effort of contributors from around the globe. It is one of the most popular websites and Wikipedia articles are often listed in the top search results when you conduct a general Internet search.
Anyone Wikipedia registrant can create a new article page. Anyone can edit a Wikipedia article, and registration is not required to edit existing articles.
Several studies have examined the accuracy of Wikipedia articles. Regardless of the outcomes, many educational institutions do allow students to use Wikipedia as a credible source for academic writing and research. Do you think Wikipedia is a trustworthy resource? How do you justify your opinion?
We begin with an opinion poll on the reliability of Wikipedia and invite you to annotate and comment on some articles on the topic. We invite you to apply your knowledge about evaluating online resources to using Wikipedia in the academic sphere.
Opinion Poll
Consider the following statement:
Wikipedia is a reliable source for academic study.
Log in to the course forum and indicate whether you agree with this statement. Why or why not?
Readings and Annotations
Instructions:
- Log in to Hypothes.is and post annotations and replies as appropriate to the suggested readings below. (Remember to include the course tag: lida101 in your post.)
- If there are a large number of public posts, click on the search icon and enter the course code (lida101) to filter posts for this course from the public feed.
Readings for Annotation
- Is Wikipedia a Trustworthy Academic Resource? Scientists Think So from EdTech Magazine.
- Reliability of Wikipedia article on Wikipedia.
- The Top 10 Reasons Students Cannot Cite or Rely on Wikipedia from finding Dulcinea.
- Should University Students Use Wikipedia? from The Guardian.
Optional Reading Annotations
Conduct a search for credible and reliable resources on the topic of the reliability and credibility of Wikipedia articles. Annotate and comment on the resource(s) you have found. (Remember to include the course tag: lida101 in your post, so that it can be shared via the course feed.)
Reflection
Based on your study of the reliability and credibility of online resources, what advice do you give your fellow learners about using Wikipedia for academic purposes? Post your thoughts on the course forum. For example:
- You can use Wikipedia for … because …
- You should not use Wikipedia for … because …
Note: Your comment will also be displayed in the course feed.