The internet has become a valuable resource for students. Something we never had in high school; students now have an advantage to quickly conduct research for school projects.
But, in the age of misinformation, this can be a double-edged sword.
It can be tempting for your child to use Wikipedia to summarize research papers or academic essays without understanding the proper way to use the site.
Now, I am not saying you should not allow them to do so. After all, kids are going to do it anyway. Instead, teach them the proper way to use it.
You will find that with the proper use, your child will be able to conduct research quickly without the need to open 50 different browsers searching aimlessly on the internet.
Explain the Nature of Wikipedia:
Make sure they understand how Wikipedia really works.
Wikipedia is not a publisher of original information. It is a repository of information.
That means that everything in Wikipedia has already been published elsewhere.
They also need to understand that anyone can edit Wikipedia. With the declining number of editors on the site, there is always a good chance that someone added false information to a Wikipedia page that has yet to be corrected.
If they use Wikipedia word-for-word or trust everything summarized on the page, they will introduce that information into their research project and wind up with a failing grade.
Ensure They Use the Verification Process:
As a repository of information, Wikipedia maintains a list of references used to create its content. These references can be found at the bottom of each page.
This is where your kid needs to get their information from.
When reading a Wikipedia page, have them scroll to the bottom and check the source used to present that information. It is that source they should be using to complete their project.
Look up the source and verify the information therein. And have them use that source (not Wikipedia) to cite in their project.
Looking for High Quality Content in Wikipedia:
Wikipedia does have somewhat of a verification process to ensure high quality content. This is part of its assessment system.
When an article goes through an assessment (note that not all articles do), it is assigned a grade on a quality scale.
Have them use Wikipedia pages that have received a “featured article” or “good article” rating. This helps ensure that the content in that article was at one point vetted by editors of the Wikipedia community.
Have Them Utilize Critical Thinking:
As with all information they consume on the internet, make sure they utilize critical thinking.
This means they need to be skeptical of everything they read on Wikipedia. Just because a Wikipedia article contains certain information doesn’t necessarily mean it’s true.
There is an ideological bias on Wikipedia so information can often be slanted to fit a few editor’s personal point of view.
So, have them question everything, verify the source (see above), and even look for another source that either confirms or dispels the information on the page.
Finding Information in Other Languages:
Let’s assume they need to find something in a non-English language. It will be difficult for them to search through pages of search results unless they know the language.
Wikipedia makes this easy for them.
Simply look up the Wikipedia page of the topic they are studying. Then, click over to the Wikipedia page in the corresponding language.
Now they have a repository of references at the bottom of the article they can then place in Google Translate to get the information they are looking for.
Final Thoughts:
Yes, Wikipedia can be used by students to conduct research. Although frowned upon by academic institutions, it is still a valuable source if used correctly.
Do not quote directly from Wikipedia. Instead, use the references associated with each article to verify the content.
When in doubt, look for a second or third reference to either confirm or dispel the information they find on Wikipedia.
