Journal #5

Wikipedia: Ban It or Boost It? By Doug Johnson

This article discusses the validity of Wikipedia. Doug Johnson states that Wikipedia was started in 2001 and was not considered a valid source of information by teachers. Wikipedia is a place where anyone can add and change the information that is presented. The author/owner of Wikipedia states that most of the information is valid and that they check information regularly. They also have disclaimers to their information.

What is great about Wikipedia is that they have more than one million entries, whereas Encyclopedia Britannica only has around 120,000 entries online. Wikipedia has information on almost every topic one can imagine and their information is more up to date. They can have information on new topics right away. Other sources can’t keep up. Like every other piece of information on the internet, the source of the information should be investigated before the information should be believed.

Question 1:

Is Wikipedia a valid source of information?

I think that it is a quick source and can give the reader a better understanding about a topic. It can also have information about new subjects not found anywhere else. Everyone should check the validity of the information on the page and the validity of those who have added information to the page, before believing what it states.

Question 2:

Should I allow my students to use Wikipedia?

I think that using Wikipedia is a good thing, but I don’t think that it should be the only source of information. I think it can give a student information on subtopics that can help in the understanding of the topic. It can also provide information about places to go for more information.