Is Wikipedia Reliable? A Comprehensive Review
We’ve all been there. You’re in the middle of writing a paper for school and you need a quick fact to back up your argument. So, you do what any self-respecting millennial would do and turn to the internet. A few clicks later, you’re on Wikipedia reading about your topic… but is it reliable? That’s what we’re here to find out. Keep reading for a comprehensive review of the world’s most popular online encyclopedia.
What is Wikipedia?
Wikipedia is a collaborative platform with the goal of creating a free, accurate, and comprehensive encyclopedia. Anybody can create or edit an article on the site, which means that articles are constantly being updated and improved. However, this also means that there is potential for vandalism or incorrect information to be added to articles. In order to combat this, Wikipedia has a system of checks and balances in place to ensure accuracy. For example, all edits made to articles are logged and can be reverted if necessary. In addition, anyone can flag an article for review if they believe it contains inaccurate information.
How accurate is Wikipedia?
So, now that we know a little bit about how Wikipedia works, let’s talk about how accurate it actually is. Studies have shown that Wikipedia is comparable in accuracy to other encyclopedias such as Britannica and Encyclopedia Universalis. In fact, one study even found that Wikipedia was more accurate than Britannica! However, it’s important to keep in mind that no source is 100% reliable. This is why it’s always important to cross-check your information using multiple sources.
Can I trust everything I read on Wikipedia?
No, of course not! As we mentioned before, Wikipedia is a collaborative platform which means that anybody can create or edit an article. This means that there is always the potential for vandalism or incorrect information to be added to an article. However, as we also mentioned before, Wikipedia has a system of checks and balances in place to ensure accuracy. In addition, all edits made to articles are logged and can be reverted if necessary. So while you shouldn’t take everything you read on Wikipedia as gospel truth, you can rest assured knowing that the information on the site is generally reliable.
List of Helpful Resources on Wikipedia
Wikipedia
Wikipedia is a free online encyclopedia, created and edited by volunteers around the world and hosted by the Wikimedia Foundation.
PEE – Wikipedia
Wikipedia is a multilingual free online encyclopedia written and maintained by a community of volunteers through open collaboration and wiki-based editing.
Wikipedia:About
Wikipedia’s purpose is to benefit readers by acting as a widely accessible and free encyclopedia that contains information on all branches of knowledge.
Wikipedia – Apps on Google Play
The best Wikipedia experience on your Mobile device. Ad-free and free of charge, forever. With the official Wikipedia app, you can search and explore 40+ …
Wikipedia – Home | Facebook
Wikipedia. 5520458 likes · 2815 talking about this. A free, collaborative, and multilingual internet encyclopedia. Comments on this page will be…
Wikipedia on the App Store
Download Wikipedia and enjoy it on your iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch. … or dive down a Wikipedia rabbit hole with the official Wikipedia app for iOS.
Wikipedia | Definition, History, & Facts | Britannica
Wikipedia, a free Internet-based encyclopedia, started in 2001, operates under an open-source management style. It is overseen by the …
This is a complete list of sources that I found to be helpful in researching Wikipedia. If there are any other sites or articles you think should make this list, please leave them as comments below so we can include them!
Conclusion
So, is Wikipedia reliable? We would say yes! The site is constantly being updated and improved by a community of dedicated users who are committed to ensuring accuracy. However, no source is 100% reliable so it’s always important to cross-check your information using multiple sources. Happy researching!