How many times have you heard a teacher say “Wikipedia is not a credible source?” Whether s/he’s saying it as a clever comment while reviewing the assignment sheet for your take home test or as a dangerous warning while going over requirements for your final paper, it’s safe to assume that since Wikipedia’s birth in 2001, many people are wary Wikipedia.
I am, however, a firm believer that this is not true. While I would never advise a friend or classmate to use Wikipedia as a source when writing a 25-page paper on Palestine or researching psychoanalytic theory for a psychology take home final, I think that Wikipedia often gets a bad rep. It is true that anyone can contribute to or edit content on Wikipedia pages, and I understand that raises some eyebrows in the academic world. But, there are ways that Wikipedia can be used to your advantage in some often overlooked ways. Here are a few to consider while you’re cramming for finals and staying up all night finishing papers:
- Use it for inspiration
How frequently do we collegiettes get an assignment that is about as vague as “Write about the role of women in Shakespearian plays,” or “Make an argument about Marx’s The Communist Manifesto.” Seriously, though, it happens way more often than it probably should, and you’re stuck between drafting a lame, obscure thesis or doing hours of research before you even start writing. This is another time when Wikipedia can be a great resource.
What is the first thing you do when you get asked about something you know nothing about? My best guess is you Google it, and then read the Wikipedia page about it. Wikipedia goes to great lengths to ensure their content is unbiased, balanced, and rooted in quality, third-party research. Using Wikipedia to find out what actually happened during the War of 1812 is often easier, and definitely more convenient, then spending upwards of 45 minutes reading the chapter in your textbook about it. Wikipedia allows you to get general knowledge on practically any subject matter, and can help you get a better grip on how you want to approach a topic. And while Wikipedia strives for balanced, non-opinionated content, it can lead you to scholarly arguments, statistics, newspaper articles, and so much more because you can….
- Look at the contributor’s citations
Just like you slaved over RefWorks at 1:23 AM three nights ago, contributors on Wikipedia are encouraged to reference “reliable, published sources” when writing, submitting, or editing content on a Wiki page. Those little blue numbers at the ends of sentences that look something like this– [1]– actually link to things! Clicking on one of those footnotes will bring you to the bottom of the page where you can find a list of references the other used or is quoting. I use Wikipedia all the time while writing papers and doing research because it can help when looking for scholarly journal articles and other academic findings. Just like your professors, Wikipedia’s administration wants to avoid people pulling things out of thin air and publishing it as fact on the Internet. Using Wikipedia to find credible sources is a viable and productive way of doing research.
- Check back to Wikipedia frequently
Wikipedia does have editors, just like any news source or database. While anyone can edit a Wikipedia page, users and editors can also communicate with one another, challenge one another, and work together to reach a consensus. As an open source database, any “factual error or misleading statement” is easily spotted and often addressed promptly. Users can track recent changes to any article in the Recent Changes Wiki page, and monitor what content is being altered at any given time. You can also request a review of an article by creating a username through Wikipedia, and administrators on the site can analyze any content that doesn’t appear to be backed by research or fact. Essentially, Wikipedia is always changing—but usually for the better. The key to writing is re-writing, right? So check back. Something that may not have had a citation two hours ago might have been edited 15 minutes ago, and it could be something you can use on your test!
- Use one Wikipedia source to find another
Under “Tools” on the left sidebar on Wikipedia, you can click “What Links Here” to find a list of other pages that refer to the page you’re currently on. For example, clicking on “What Links Here” on Wikipedia’s Her Campus page brings you to the MassChallenge Wikipedia page, where Her Campus is listed as a 2011 start-up MassChallenge partnered with, and pages for the three co-founders of Her Campus. Interlinking Wikipedia pages help while researching because it provides the opportunity to see how things interconnect. Are you writing an edgy feature for a class about Miley Cyrus in 2012? Clicking “What Links Here” will show you what other Wikipedia pages she’s mentioned in and might inspire you to focus on her appearance on Monday Night Football in 2007.
- Heed Wikipedia’s warnings
Wikipedia will tell you if an article is not up to its quality standards—and it will tell you why. For example, a Wikipedia page might say something like this:
or this
In cases like these, not all hope is lost. Scroll to the bottom to check out if they link to any sources, like news articles or data tables. Often times, you can use what Wikipedia considers insufficient or biased opinions or citations to find your own sources, which would be helpful in an argumentative essay, as opposed to general knowledge summaries for studying for an exam. Needless to say, if they say it isn’t good research, it’s probably not for one reason or another. Don’t try and make it something it’s not.
Most importantly, while your teachers may be right in saying Wikipedia doesn’t “count” as a scholarly resource, it is a resource. So, where applicable, cite it.
Wikipedia cautions against citing Wikipedia as a direct source, but should you be required to cite any reference materials you accessed, use the following formats:
APA 5th Edition Style:
Her Campus. (n.d.) In Wikipedia. Retrieved December 2, 2013, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Her_Campus
MLA 7th Edition Style:
“Her Campus.” Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia. Wikipedia Foundation, Inc. 25 November 2012. Web. 2 December 2013.
Chicago Style:
Wikipedia Contributors, “Her Campus,” Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Her_Campus (accessed December 2, 2013).
Overall, even the Wikipedia administrators recommend using common sense. Wikipedia can be a valuable reference tool in finding unique, hard-to-find content, so use it effectively and wisely. Happy Studying!
Photo Sources:
http://www.troll.me/2012/01/19/boromir/one-does-not-simply-do-homework-without-wikipedia/