Wikipedia

There is a lot of controversy surrounding Wikipedia. A number of colleges have banned it as a source for essay writing and others have pointed out that it can be inaccurate at times. On the other hand, it is a hugely useful resource covering a wide sweep of topics.

So is it worth using?

Like any other encyclopedia, you cannot expect Wikipedia to give you anything more than a brief introduction to a topic. I would not expect students to cite an encyclopedia in an essay as it really is not an undergraduate level text book. Encyclopedias can be useful in giving a student a quick way into a topic and – sometimes – giving bibliographies. In the case of any open source document like Wikipedia, it is important to check the sources.

So don’t rely on Wikipedia for essays. Don’t try and sneak it in without citing it as I do check the pages before marking essays! Use it to to get a quick overview and then go the books, or more academic online sources.

More from Wikipedia themselves

10 Steps Toward Better Writing

Lifehack.org has posted some useful advice on essay writing:

“What follows are a handful of tips and general principles to help you develop your writing skills, which will not only improve your grades (the most worthless indicator of academic progress) but will help develop your ability to think and explain the most difficult topics. “

10 Steps Towards Better Writing from lifehack.org

If you have anything to add then pop them into the comments below.