Wikipedia Reliability? To Use or Not?

Blog # 3
Should students be able to cite “wikis,” databases like Wikipedia which depend on the “wisdom of crowds,” in their schoolwork? Why or why not?
Yes, I do feel that students should be able to use Wikipedia as a source for research information. Per the first link attached below, it states that compared to encyclopedias and other specialized sources, is just as accessible, statistically, comparatively, and the analysis of the historical patterns, has just as many strengths and weaknesses in its editing process as other sources along with some unique to Wikipedia. The uniqueness comes in due to the open anonymous and collaborative editing that is allowable, so that is why Wikipedia does frequent assessments of its reliability and examines the information submitted and quickly concludes if the information is false or misleading and is removed. An investigation reported in the journal Nature in 2005 suggested that for scientific articles posted on Wikipedia, the articles came close to the level of accuracy in Encyclopedia Britannica with similar rates of “serious errors” in both forms of resources.
Wikipedia’s editing model is one that relies on a large number of well-intended editors to overcome issues that are placed by problematic or malicious editors. It is well known that poor information can be added, but over time quality is anticipated to improve in a form of group learning as editors, as in us, reach a consensus, so that substandard edits will very rapidly be removed. Obviously this form of editing is still being tested with some limitations and reliability issues, BUT, Wikipedia is a pioneer in communal knowledge building of this kind and magnitude. Take a look at Windows operating systems, Vista in particular; it took several attempts with Windows 2000, Windows XP, Windows Professional, Windows Vista, and finally Windows 7. Each with some flaws or improvements that could be made and were. Wikipedia is no exception, it a vast sight for a wealth of information, it just needs some tweaking and minor improvements in its editing resources for it to become an extremely efficient site of research material, and we still used the Windows Vista until Windows 7 came along, so must we continue to improve, we the editors, of Wikipedia’s web site are all part of the editing process to make Wikipedia a Windows 7. Pat Kaehler.