By Iram Saleem
Wikipedia is one of the most useful source of information .But why Wikipedia? Most students first prefer Wikipedia source because it gives complete information while they doing their research paper. Wikipedia provides students a summary of a topic, the meaning of related terms, and also get students started on their research and offers a usable interface. Students who are majoring in architecture, engineering or the science are more likely to use Wikipedia than other majors. According to research, students from these majors are almost three times more likely to be Wikipedia users, compared to social science majors. College and universities students although use Wikipedia extensively, but they do so knowing its limitations. They use Wikipedia just as most of us do because it is a quick way to get started.
Personally I also use Wikipedia while doing my assignments because all the information given in Wikipedia is mostly helpful and basic. I always start my literature search about any new topic from Wikipedia and then I also use other sources to counter check the reliability of information. I recognize the fact that Wikipedia is probably the richest source of information for students but it is not the most authentic, therefore while searching for new information one should multiple sources in addition to Wikipedia. What do you guys think about it? Do you also visit Wikipedia pages to do your assignments, even if your instructor suggests that you should not?
Think, Analyze & Share 
Wikipedia has been staggeringly illustrious among students nowadays as it is very convenient to copy paste and complete assignments. There are pros and cons of every aspect. In the case of Wikipedia I believe that it is a great tool for diverse knowledge which can assist people with wide range of knowledge but on the other hand it is quite stated fact that it is not a reliable source of knowledge. I also use wikipedia to get a fundamental idea of things but for extended knowledge I prefer other sources. So I utterly agree with the notion of using multiple sources with wikipedia.
Its best to never trust a single source of information for answers, especially when dealing with “internet information. Personally, I do not use Wikipedia for doing my work, because I think it is not a reliable source. In Wikipedia, we have edit option. We can edit anything. This might be correct or not. So I think, we have to use other resources to check it.
Well to be really honest, if my instructor would ask me not to go for wikipedia, i am definite that i would atleast visit the wikipages to see what they say. However, I have personally edited a page regarding a famous personality, though just updated the grammar mistakes but I realized how easy is it to update or rewrtie information and researches on Wikipedia, which people use as basis and incorporate its findings heavily in their works. So, I would say, dont solely rely on this research tool and look for others as well and do not publish anything that wikipedia suggests but is denied by any other authentic website.
thanks 🙂
yes,i also personally use wikipedia just for taking information i i never use wikipedia as a refrence because i think its not a relible source for assignments and getting information.The major limitation of wikipedia is very simple that it allows everyone to edit information wether the persn is wrong or right.So the best way is to use multiple resources…
Wikipedia actually acts like a basic encyclopaedia for researchers yet there are many contradictions as well because the information fed in it is by researchers like us usually and they are changed from time to time by other authors as well. So, it good on the basic level but not that helpful for advanced researches.Most of the times, yes, because Wikipedia is the best first stop for any search. Although you don’t exactly get the actual information, yet it very much gives you an idea about the topic.
Well I don’t usually rely on Wikipedia because being a Social science student i have to consult various articles of the authentic journals or magazines. I my view Wikipedia is useful for searching factual data and definition kind of search but it is not reliable for a proper kind of research. if you have to look for the definition of any word go for Wikipedia but if you have to search for some theories’ authenticity go for other reliable sites.
I think that as we use to start our education from the reding or memorizing words from the very initial part of our education. we always start from a primary source then we use to move toward more specific and secondery kind of sources. The education in unversity which allows a student to explore, then in this case in starting student mostly use the wikipedia which i think a kind of primary source to explore any topic but after choosing major students use to move from wikipedia to other reliable sources. I belive that this is good source to start with but not enough to relly on so primarily that’s a good source for those who use to start and gives a generalised form of information which is not authentic but helps a lot in ehancing the quest and curiosity for knowledge.
To a great extent i would agree with iram but would say that Wikipedia is a great source of information and very easy to get access… on the other hand its not that authentic because there is a question in relation to edit the subject matter. Personally whenever i goggled any thing Wikipedia is one that gives the easy and quick information but i always use to search any other source as well for authentication. so simply Wikipedia is very helpful but not that authentic to be used as the single source of information.