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User:Littleteddy/Essay

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Walk into any high school classroom and ask the teacher on their opinion on using Wikipedia as a way to get information. You'll probably get a response like:

  • Don't use Wikipedia because anyone can edit it.

or

  • You shouldn't trust Wikipedia.

Why does this happen?

[edit]

This sort of thing happens because these critics have probably never seriously edited Wikipedia. Any serious editor knows that false information can find its way onto Wikipedia... but since anyone can edit Wikipedia it's easy to revert. Try telling the Encyclopedia Britannica that they are wrong!

Some research

[edit]

You've seen the research... Wikipedia is just a little less reliable than the Britannica. Well, I did my own little test and look what I found!

Article name Differences? Correct encyclopedia
Archimedes Date of birth - Britannica more general Wikipedia
Augustus Duration of rule - Britannica longer Wikipedia
Pensées Date of publishing 1669/1670 Britannica

So, 2 out of 3 times Wikipedia was more accurate than Britannica. And in the third instance it is possible to revert the error... which I will in a moment.