Wednesday, March 4, 2009

To Wiki or Not to Wiki?

That is a question that many people ask themselves. Prior to this class I have often wondered whether the information I was getting off of Wikipedia was reliable information. I am a safety girl so I always assumed there may be whole in the information given on Wikipedia. However, I never once thought about a large corporation (or small on for that fact) changing their information on Wikipedia to make themselves sound better. Makes sense when you really stop to think about it though. Even though it is dishonest for all the obvious reasons, what would stop a company giving themselves a little extra icing?



With all of that negative slander I must say that it is often the first place I go to find out information. It is fast and easy to use. I believe that it should also be noted that it is not always bad information. Some of the information is good quality information and can be a great resource. I believe that it can be a great place to get started on your research, but it should by no means be the only source. If teachers are using it, then they should always be responsible and verify the information before passing it along to their students. And, parents...the same goes for you.

So, to answer the million dollar question: Yes, Wiki and Wiki away! Just be mindful of the information before passing it along to anyone or you may end up making yourself sound ignorant.

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