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Increasingly, online information is found on participatory (or social) media, in which people both create and access information. However, the lack of review taking place before information is posted makes it difficult to assess the credibility of these sites.²⁴ Thus, you should proceed with caution before using this evidence in your speech.

Wikipedia, a site on which any user can modify the content, is the most popular example of this media. Some studies have suggested that this site is a credible source of factual information, with similar error rates to other reference works.²⁵ Nevertheless, you should be very careful about using Wikipedia as an evidence source. As a 2011 study found, Wikipedia “suffers less from inaccuracies than omissions,” reflecting “the limited expertise and interests of contributors.”²⁶ Another study concluded that Wikipedia is not a neutral source of information; as a “socially produced” work, it “reflects the viewpoints, interests, and emphases of the people who use it.”²⁷

Ironically, a May 2013 Wikipedia entry on “Wikipedia: Academic Use” provides useful advice. The Wiki page questions the credibility of the site and cautions against its use as a source in academic work. While stating that Wikipedia and other reference works can be used to gain background information at the start of your research, it cautions that books, articles, and other sources will provide better research.²⁸