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Do you trust Wikipedia?

Discussion in 'Chit Chat' started by Techno Kid, Jun 1, 2014.

  1. Techno Kid

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    I trust it for stuff like science, demographics, geography, and history. Since subjects like that are heavily moderated. I would not trust it for celeb info though.
     
  2. QueerTransEnby

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    It's kind of funny because when I started college in 2002, it was a joke. When I graduated in 2007, several professors let us use it as a source(not a primary, but secondary). So, yes.
     
  3. kem

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    I try to check the references. I trust the English Wikipedia most of the time, because it is so heavily monitored. I mostly use Wikipedia for definitions of terms, filmographies, discographies and links to reviews.

    While we're on the topic of Wikipedia, I can proudly say I helped keep Wikipedia ad-free ^_^
     
  4. Browncoat

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    Generally yes, academically no.
     
  5. Kasey

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    If I'm too lazy to calculate molecular weight or look up melting points and stuff yea. Always. My students enjoy submitting Wikipedia articles as their own work though sometimes... :tantrum:
     
  6. RedDev84

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    Yeah definitely.

    Most things have citations, I'd never quote Wikipedia as a recourse on a piece of coursework for example, but if the info I needed had a citation, I'd use it to check the original source of the info and quote that if it's reliable.

    In general though, about celebrities. I'd probably say yes (unless its blatantly fake) although I perhaps shouldn't.
     
  7. IG88

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    My high school teachers condemned it, but college profs allowed it. I was shocked when they let us know we could use it as a source. I trust Wikipedia for the most part, but if I'm building an argument, the main facts are not going to be based on Wikipedia. I think that site is good for a general overview of a person/event and you can get the dates right away and cut through the nonsense. I do follow their listed sources however.
     
  8. Kabuki

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    Most of the time I go there to get a general idea of the subject. After, I look on other sources and compare what I found on wikipedia and on the other sites. If they have the same info then I'll trust it, if not, then I'll obviously trust the other sites.

    Anyway, I never put wikipedia as a source for my works. I guess you could call it as an introductory to the subject, basic stuff to later, if interested, I can look on a more specific site.
     
  9. Mike92

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    I trust Wikipedia for basic stuff that I just want to know.

    But I never use it for anything academics related, though we can't use it as a source, anyway.
     
  10. sam the man

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    For general knowledge and an outline of what I'm studying, I definitely use wiki. However I don't use it as a source in academic stuff. Basically it's great for finding things out but I draw the line at actually using it to support my arguments in academic pieces.
     
  11. newfish

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    Agreed. I'll look it up for quick facts, but never schoolwork. Very rarely, I will use it to find sources.
     
  12. stormborn

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    yes! i don't cite it in anything and i don't use it to actually gain much information, but i use it a lot for getting a brief overview. simple english wikipedia is my bitch :lol:

    i have one teacher who absolutely despises wikipedia. so much that when we have research projects, she will look into your browsing history to make sure you didn't go on it, and if you did, she will make you redo it. if she catches you on it, she'll take away your computer for the assignment. i think it's pretty stupid :rolle:
     
  13. Kreiger

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    Its reliable, but not always right. For papers I usually follow the citations and use those as sources.
     
  14. Hexagon

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    I wouldn't trust it to source in an essay. But the information tends to be largely accurate. It is useful for essays, though, as it's simple enough to follow the citations to primary sources.
     
  15. Aussie792

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    It's useless to cite, and I've picked up small bits of information I know to be incorrect on it, usually dates or something relatively small. It's good for reading to get a general overview of a situation, but specialised textbooks are definitely more reliable.

    It's good to introduce yourself to a subject on Wikipedia, then actually do the real research.
     
  16. Pret Allez

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    Yes, I trust it for all topics. It's basically a peer-reviewed journal.

    Wikipedia is best thought of as tertiary source that a aggregates secondary sources. And almost universally, it's effective at doing that. Using Wikipedia is real research, but it's a starting point for research, not an ending point.
     
  17. Kat 5

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    With my life.
     
  18. Hexagon

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    It distressed me terribly when an article is locked, so I'm unable to change all the BCs to BCEs.
     
  19. Andrew99

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  20. photoguy93

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    I do. I'll read about it on wiki, and if I find my answer, I'll be done. If it's for a paper, I take my knowledge and find something else. :slight_smile: