I personally use Wikipedia for random trivia and basic knowledge. I usually find the entries unbiased and accurate, but I make sure to check around before quoting it as gospel. What I like about the site is its vastness. It has information on myriad topics, no matter how trite or obscure. What's shocking is that nowadays it is often the first entry that pops up when I use Google to search for something. That's pretty telling; I guess I'm not the only one trolling for random information!
That being said, I would monitor its use by students in my classes. I think as long as they aren't relying too heavily on Wikipedia (or using it as their sole source), they should be able to incorporate it into their research projects. I mainly worry that it will become this generation's version of Cliffs Notes. I could easily imagine the site being used as a shortcut to circumvent actual research, so I think it needs to be referenced in moderation. My policy would most likely be that students were able to use Wikipedia as a secondary source, just to ensure that the students are doing the legwork needed for their research projects.
Overall, I see the many benefits of the site. It certainly has its advantages. Yet I wouldn't want it used as a means to cut corners. We are lucky to have a source with such breadth on a number of subjects, but we need to remember the importance of cross-checking and doing further research on those topics. Wikipedia is great, but it shouldn't be the only reference used by our students.
Wow! You had some really insightful comments here! I think the fact that Wikipedia is user-drive is such a good point to make since it underlines the fact that without Wiki users like each of us, it wouldn't have the breadth of knowledge that it does. This point made me realize that other than simply considering the impact of Wikipedia on my students research alone, I should also focus on my students ability to add to that body of knowledge post-research so we can all contribute to the quality of the information there. Also, I like your comparison to Cliffs Notes. I totally hadn't considered that Cliffs were perhaps outdated now that Wiki knowledge most likely contains everything Cliffs would have had us pay for. Yay for technology! Thanks for your thoughtfulness here!
ReplyDeleteI like that you mention using Wikipedia references in moderation; that’s good advice for students and teachers. You’re right about it being a great jumping off point for research, but Wikipedia should not be the sole resource. I do think it important to recognize that many of the Wikipedia posts are backed with secondary resources and verifiable research. I get annoyed when I hear people dismiss Wikipedia as if it is worthless. For time sensitive information, there is nothing like it. Science and technology, in particular, evolve so quickly that no paper reference could ever be as accurate as an online resource like Wikipedia.
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