Wikipedia—the open-source online encyclopedia—is probably the most frequently used reference source on the planet. Currently, there are over 5 million articles in the English Wikipedia, and the number increases at a rate of 750 articles a day. The use of this encyclopedia is not without controversy, however. Because anyone can write and edit entries, articles can—and do—contain errors. Over time, many errors get corrected, but some do not, perhaps because no one person or group is responsible for quality control. As a result, many college instructors question the reliability of Wikipedia as a research source. In fact, academic departments at many schools—for example, the history department at Middlebury College—have banned students from citing Wikipedia as a source. According to Don Wyatt, chair of the department, “Even though Wikipedia may have some value, particularly in leading students to citable sources, it is not itself an appropriate source for citation.” Others disagree, pointing out that Wikipedia contains no more (and in some cases fewer) factual errors than traditional encyclopedias.
Later in this chapter, you will be asked to think more about this issue. You will be given several research sources to consider and asked to write a definition argument that takes a position on whether Wikipedia should be considered a legitimate research source.
