 UseWikipedia
Table of ContentsHow Can I Find Information On Wikipedia: Is it Appropriate for College Research?NOTE Some Oakton Community College instructors do not allow Wikipedia to be used as a valid source in research papers, or they have placed other limitations on its use, so remember to always check with your instructor. Ask a reference librarian for suggestions about reliable research resources on the web. Wikipedia as an Information Source: Advantages for College Students • Convenience and ease of use • Good place to start research for overview and potential search terms on the subject (like any general encyclopedia) • Valuable bibliographies/links pointing to peer-reviewed research • Up-to-date coverage of current events and new technology Wikipedia as an Information Source: Problems for College Students • Lack of reliability (errors, vandalism, lack of documentation) and instability due to open editing and frequent changes (hard to cite) • Uneven quality in writing, in coverage, and in objectivity • Bad place to end research -- you need research skills beyond using general encyclopedias (including Wikipedia) so consult with your instructor and librarian as you are doing your research • Serious researchers do not cite general knowledge encyclopedias (including Wikipedia) When doing research, it is best to compare and use information from multiple, unrelated resources. Web sites to help you decide how best to use Wikipedia...Five Criteria for Evaluating the Web:Use these five simple criteria to evaluate the reliability of a Wikipedia entry as well as information on other webpages http://www.oakton.edu/~weaver/247/evalchart.htm Selected Articles on the Wikipedia Controversy 03/06 Fatally flawed 04/06 I want my Wikipedia! 06/06 Can history be open source? Wikipedia and the future of the past 06/06 Wikipedia founder discourages academic use of his creation 02/07 A history department bans citing Wikipedia as a research source 02/07 Middlebury College History Department limits students’ use of Wikipedia 04/07 10 Questions: Jimmy Wales 05/07 Quality still matters 06/07 Can we make peace with Wikipedia? 06/07 Online encyclopedia earns passing marks 10/07 Wikipedia begets Veropedia 10/07 When Wikipedia is the assignment 02/08 Wikipedia idiots: The edit wars of San Francisco 03/08 The charms of Wikipedia 03/08 What to do with Wikipedia 03/08 Revenge of the experts 03/08 Open source troubles in Wiki world 03/08 The battle for Wikipedia's soul 03/08 Start writing the eulogies for print encyclopedias 2008 Comparison of Wikipedia and other encyclopedias for accuracy, breadth, and depth in historical articles 06/08 Encyclopaedia Britannica to follow modified Wikipedia model 08/08 Dissecting the Web through Wikipedia (view on-campus only) 08/08 Don't like Palin's Wikipedia story? Change it 09/08 Wikitannica? 09/08 Putting the library in Wikipedia 10/08 Emails show journalist rigged Wikipedia's naked shorts 10/08 Wikipedia and the meaning of truth 08/26/09 The 15 Biggest Wikipedia blunders 09/28/09 Is Wikipedia a victim of its own success? More magazine and newspaper articles on this topic from Opposing Viewpoints Resource Center (this link will only work on an Oakton campus). Selected Websites for Wikipedia Use Pew / Internet Profile of Wikipedia Users University of California-Santa Barbara, Department of English, Wikipedia Use Policy Using Wikipedia, including limitations, advantages, appropriateness, and further information Wikipedia General Disclaimer: Wikipedia makes no guarantee of validity Wikipedia Schools’ FAQ Wikipedia Tutorial Using Wikipedia Wisely Wikipedia on YouTube What is Wikipeda? Books in the Oakton LibraryWikipedia: The Missing Manual / John BroughtonTK5105.8882 .B76 2008 DPC RHC.TK5105.8882 .B76 2008 RHC Alternatives to WikipediaIn college, Wikipedia is often considered a launching point, often pointing to more authoritative websites, but many times it is not allowed to be cited as a legitimate source in research papers. As an Oakton student, your Oakton Library provides many wonderful, legitimate resources to you free and available both on and off-campus.Reliable Oakton Online Research ResourcesTo access Oakton Library databases from an off-campus computer, click on the database name and then use your Oakton username and password to login.Not sure what your Oakton username and password are? Find it here. Questions? Call (847) 635-1644 Many reference works, such as special encyclopedias with signed articles written by experts that you can cite, are available full-text online through the Oakton Library at Reference Works Online. Search Academic Search Complete EBSCO , ASAP - Expanded Academic ASAP InfoTrac , SocINDEX FullText EBSCO and WilsonSelectPlus OCLC for magazine, journal and newspaper articles related to your topic. NOTE The Oakton Library Reference Librarians are here to help. Stop by the Reference Desk at either campus or call (847) 635-1644 (DPC) / (847) 635-1474 (RHC) for help with your research and using the online resources available to you. Search for books about your research topic in the Oakton Library book catalog and I-Share. Updated 09/30/09 |
