Wikipedia |
Library Resources |
| "Wikipedia is not a reliable source for academic writing or research" (Wikipedia: Academic use). | Library resources are generally reliable, but your assignment, topic, and discipline will determine which types of resources are permitted. |
| "We do not expect you to trust us" (Wikipedia: Ten things) | Library resources are overall trustworthy, although you should still check on who stands behind the work: author, publisher, organization, etc. |
| "While some articles are of the highest quality of scholarship, others are completely rubbish" (Wikipedia: Ten things). | Library resources include peer-reviewed journal articles (high-quality scholarship) and other reliable resources. If you come across rubbish, let us know! |
| "Since Wikipedia can be edited by anyone at any time, articles may be prone to errors, including vandalism, so Wikipedia is not a reliable source" (Wikipedia: Ten things) | Library resources are edited before publication; they are not randomly changed. |
| "Wikipedia articles are tertiary sources, [and] Wikipedia employs no systematic mechanism for fact checking or authority" (Wikipedia: Reliable sources). | Library resources include primary (for example, a peer-reviewed research article), secondary (for example, a textbook), and tertiary (for example, an encyclopedia) sources. The information is often fact-checked and includes citations to other reliable sources. |
| Wikipedia articles are verifiable and include citations from reliable sources (Wikipedia: Verifiability). | Library resources often, but not always, include citations. For example, a newspaper article will mention sources but does not include citations. |
| Wikipedia can be a helpful starting point for academic research, where you can read an overview of the topic, discover keywords for library searches, and find reliable resources in the notes. | Credo, one of the library databases, is a great starting point for academic research. You'll find discipline-specific encyclopedia articles that are edited and fact-checked, that offer a helpful overview of the topic, and that provide keywords and links to other related resources. |
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