Can WIKIPEDIA Ever Make the Grade?
Wikipedia is an online open-source encyclopedia that anyone can edit. Anyone can add material to the encyclopedia’s entries without having to show any proof of expertise. Due to the issue of editing and adding by just anyone has people questioning the accuracy and reliably of this encyclopedia. According to this reading a professor purposely wrote false information and posted it on Wikipedia, but was surprised when his false facts were deleted within hours of posted. The removing of false information was performed by editors from Wikipedia who review recently updated entries. Several studies have been performed to test Wikipedia’s ability to filter out false information. These studies confirmed that the site does a good job at getting its facts straight- especially in articles pertaining to science. A lot of people feel that the problem with an online encyclopedia that anyone can edit is that you have no idea whether you are reading an entry from an established person in the field or just someone who has nothing better to do. As Wikipedia’s popularity continues to grow, professors are deciding if you can’t beat them, join them, so they are posting scholarly articles to the site. With this attitude in place Wikipedia is also trying to turn their attention from growth towards quality. Wikipedia is working on weeding out just anybody posting non since information by requiring users to register before posting an article.
When I need to know a fact about something the first place I look is on Wikipedia. I know that my professors will not allow a source for a paper to be from Wikipedia, but a lot of times I will find information on Wikipedia then ensure it is correct. To do this I look up that information in a credible source. I have never come across false facts that I know of. I feel that it is a good idea to require registering to hopefully cut back on non-qualified posters.
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