Wikipedia: Useful Information or Unreliable Source?
Due to the fact that Wikipedia allows any person with internet access the ability to add or edit content, there are numerous errors in the information found on this website. The difficult part is determining what information is correct and what information is false. There have been some instances of information being added to an entry as a prank or practical joke. One specific instance is an entry on the actor/comedian "Sinbad". The Wikipedia listing says that he died of a heart attack. This is untrue. The actor/comedian is very much alive and still performing.
There is a very high instance of errors in Wikipedia. The problem with that is when an individual uses a search engine such as "Google" or "InfoSeek", very often the first few results will direct you to Wikipedia. If one is doing research and needs factual information it is advisable not to rely on Wikipedia for your information. To be sure, there are many entries that contain complete fact, with no false or erred information at all, however determining fact from fallacy can be difficult without using other sources.
The premise behind this website is grand. It's in essence an open forum to allow users to enter their knowledge on a subject for the entire world to read. Whether it is intentional sabotage, un-education, or misinformation, the error rate in the information remains high. Perhaps a more stringent registration process and a review of those allowed to make entries could prevent many false information entries. It seems, though, regardless of the steps Wikipedia takes to ensure correct information, the website is so vast it would be nearly impossible for each submission to be proofread for errors.
Should you find yourself with the need to use a search engine to receive information, you will want to double check any information you receive from Wikipedia. Use several sources to verify any information received from this web site. Never report something as fact until you have personally verified the information. Whether by intent or accident many entries contain errors.
Published by Angela Russell
Angela was born and raised in Middle Tennessee. She married her high school sweetheart and has two teenage children. Angela currently provides bookkeeping and accounting services for nearly one hundred sm... View profile
- Martin Mull: Actor, Comedian, Musician & Postmodern Artist Many of us first came to know actor and comedian Martin Mull through 1970s TV shows such as "Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman" and "Fernwood 2Nite. Although still active in his acting career, much of his time is now spent c...
-
Citing Sources and Doing Online Research for Freelance Writing to Gain S...
Citing sources as an online freelance writer is required to obey journalistic ethics and gain credibility. Here is a guide explaining how to do the best online research to incre...
- Top 5 Online Websites in 2008 Here are my top 5 online websites for 2008.
- Conservapedia: The Funniest Encyclopedia on the Internet Conservapedia bills itself as "The Trustworthy Encyclopedia". Kind of the way Fox News bills itself as fair and balanced. Let the laughter ring across the nation.
- The Best Free Online Research Libraries Free-to-use online libraries from the best universities and sources around the world.
- Wikipedia Wars: Using the Wikipedia Online Encyclopedia to Further Personal Agendas
- A Team of Researchers Are Planning to Create a Catalog of Human Genetics, Which Wi...
- Wikipedia May Face Stiff Competition from Rival Online Encyclopedia
- Reasons Why You Need and Should Get an Online Encyclopedia
- Australia to Create Online Encyclopedia of Life
- Actor/Comedian Bernie Mac Dies at Age 50. He Starred in Sitcom "The Bernie Mac Show"
- The Mafia May Be Using the Sims Online as a Chat Room To Indoctrinate Teenage Kids
|
|
- LinkedIn's 4Q revenue doubles, stock soars 8 pct (AP)
- Brazil files injunction against Twitter (AP)
- Kodak to stop making cameras, digital frames (AP)
- Just Show Me: 3 great photo apps for the iPhone (Yahoo! News)
- Origami Bots: Paper robots running on air slither and slide their way to missions (Yahoo! News)
- Wickipedia is an online encyclopedia in which internet users are able to add, edit or create entr
- The site contains information on virtually every topic imaginable
8 Comments
Post a CommentI've checked quite a lot military history wikipedia sites and found them far from reliable. I'd argue that e.g Second World War is still very much full of stalinist mytologies and fantasies.
The really annoying bit is having information that counters what is referenced as "fact". But because you got it from the horse's mouth and not some newspaper, magazine or tabloid, editors wont allow it. Even if there's an article about yourself in Wikipedia and you attempt to correct false (potentially libelous) information the editors won't allow it, citing "original research". Unreliable? Definitely, and it's thanks to the arrogance of some long-time editors who think they own the joint!
Am I to understand that Ms. Russell is a professional? If so, then we are in trouble since she does not spell correctly or use proper grammar!
That's the problem with Wikipedia: They allow rank amateurs with dreadful writing skills write and edit their articles. A better online encyclopedia would have a main repository of articles which have been thoroughly edited and fact-checked by professionals and a second section, which I would call the "wiki" section, which has articles submitted by anyone by email but still in line to be edited or fact-checked, with the disclaimer that such editing and fact-checking hasn't yet been done. This way, the information is there, but most of the articles will be checked by professionals.
x y,
There are no specific cases stated in this particular article; however, many colleges and professors alike bar Wikipedia, as an unreliable source, because there IS false information that DOES EXIST in several entries. Many educational institutions have reported non-factual information that was obtained from Wikipedia. There is a lack of gatekeepers as well as the freedom of any user to alter or input information within the entries. Perhaps a little more research will help you create an argument with logic and substance, your post is the only thing that does not contain facts. Wikipedia is a great stepping stone to citable sources, just not acceptable among most educational institutions.
There are no facts here proving Wikipedia is unreliable. People keep saying Wikipedia is unreliable, but have no facts or studies to back it up. In fact, the study linked below demonstrates otherwise, that Wikipedia is as reliable as Encyclopedia Britannica, with factual examples to back up the claim.
Most criticisms of Wikipedia simply *assume* Wikipedia must include inaccuracies, based on the authors' lack of credentials. There are two logical fallacies here: attacking the author instead of the data, and generalization without specific examples.
The real problem is anyone foolish enough to rely on any one single source. If people rely on more than one source, the reliability of Wikipedia or any other single source will be totally irrelevant. If people rely on just one source, they will be open to mistakes, no matter what source they use.
http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v438/n7070/full/438900a.html
http://kairosnews.org/wikipedia-v-britannica
http://en.wikip
Wikipedia shouldn't be used as a destination of a source, but rather a path to *References* at the bottom. I've used Wikipedia regularly and incorrect or not, it gives me another *QUICK* viewpoint to consider. I hate people, especially professors who say it's unreliable, the media itself makes mistakes all the time and is UNRELIABLE !!
I use Wikipedia a lot. Some times I get so frustrated with search engines and I go there and instantly find what I am looking for. (I do know the grammar rule about prepositions and it frustrates me endlessly, BTW) Finding the info, I now have better searchable words to find other sources to verify the accuracy. It is sad that some people will misuse the site adding false info as pranks.