Why Teachers Ban Wikipedia as a Reference
Remember the days when doing research meant going to the library and poring through a stack of books to find the information you needed? Those days are all but gone. In the life of today’s students, the Internet has become the go-to source for information. That, however, has led to some problems. With the proliferation of all kinds of information out there, both good and bad, it has become increasingly difficult for students to determine what good information is and what isn’t. In an effort to help alleviate that problem, teachers at schools across the country have started to ban the use of some online sources. Most notably among these sources is Wikipedia.Wikipedia, an online, reader-generated encyclopedia, is one of the most popular go-to sources for students. The problem, according to some in the academic world, is that the information on Wikipedia is incomplete or inaccurate. They have concerns that because anyone can edit, ch
Despite what many proponents of Wikipedia claim, the proposed sanctions against students’ use of it are not based in the fact that it is an online source. The Internet is an invaluable research tool for students for whom access to the global classroom is an integral part of a 21st-century education. The problem with Wikipedia is in its inaccuracies. Encouraging students to look elsewhere for their information is aimed at teaching them to seek high-quality information for their assignments, rather than just going the convenient route. “As educators, we are in the business of reducing the dissemination of misinformation….Even though Wikipedia may have some value, particularly from the value of leading students to citable sources, it is not itself an appropriate source for citation.” Even officials from the Wikipedia organization agree, at least partially, with Middlebury’s policy. Sandra Ordonez, a spokesperson for the company,
Some topics in this essay:
Middlebury College,
Sandra Ordonez,
,
Wikipedia Wikipedia,
history department,
wikipedia source,
information wikipedia,
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Approximate Word count = 640
Approximate Pages = 3 (250 words per page double spaced)
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