Evaluating Sources: Wikipedia

Yes! Wikipedia is not a peer-reviewed article and you shouldn't rely on it as a source to cite in your paper, but you can use it as an encyclopedia to guide you.

Use Wikipedia for:

• • Introducing or reviewing concepts, especially if you're unfamiliar with the subject
• • Learning more about a topic so you might be able to select a focus for research
• • Discovering current information about a topic
• • Finding possible sources

• Wikipedia can be edited by multiple sources, but it is NOT a peer-reviewed source.
• Studies have shown it to be mostly accurate, but since people can edit pages as they see fit, the information may not always be correct.
• The user-editing does mean that someone can post a view or fact that they judge to be relevant.
• Most professors (and librarians) frown upon using Wikipedia as a source.
• Wikipedia does list citations or references for information, but not all are accurate, objective, current, or authoritative.
• Wikipedia is most helpful when used as a quick overview or list of possible sources by clicking on its citations.