Isn't Using Wikipedia Bad Research?
Not necessarily! Wikipedia should never be the final destination for a researcher, but it can be a great starting point when used strategically and with a critical lens.
How to Use Wikipedia for Research
- Connect to other Wikipedia entries.
One of Wikipedia's strengths is its web of information, which a researcher can use to unpack complicated topics by clicking related entires straight from the paragraph you are reading.
- Mine keywords or phrases.
Often times research comes down to well-crafted searches. Reading Wikipedia entries and noting important people, events, dates, or topics can serve a researcher well. Using these keywords when searching in databases or the Library Search can improve the results.
- Gather citations.
Wikipedia has worked to improve its citation requirements over the years. As a result, researchers can often find links to reputable articles, books, and websites at the bottom of an entry which can be used for more substantial research.
Critical Lens
- Popular Culture and Current Events
Wikipedia is good for pop-culture topics and current events. However, these articles can be particularly open to bias or frequent edits if that topic is prominent in the news. Examples:
- Who is Contributing?
Just because everyone can edit Wikipedia doesn't mean everyone does. The demographics of editors reveals gaps in perspective, which can skew the way information is presented due to someone's lived experiences or worldview (even if it is not purposeful). Learn more about editor demographics using these resources:
