Research Strategy:
Wikipedia
Wikipedia has some very good uses as a research tool and one potential use that is forbidden.
Wikipedia as a Research Tool
Wikipedia is an encyclopedia that can be a great research tool when used appropriately.
- First, you can use Wikipedia when you know something about the topic but need to be reminded about it. By reading the entry in Wikipedia, you get a quick refresher course about your topic.
- Second, Wikipedia can be a great starting point for a research project about which you know little. As with other encyclopedias, it provides a quick overview of the issues that you might want to explore.
- Third, reading an article in Wikipedia can also help give you ideas for a research project if you decide to explore in detail something that is briefly mentioned in the article.
- Fourth, the notes and references in a Wikipedia entry can guide you to useful sources for your research.
Wikipedia is Not an Academic Source
Wikipedia""and other encyclopedias""are not academic sources and it is not appropriate to cite them in academic research.
Wikipedia""and other encyclopedias""should never be cited in your academic webliographies, bibliographies, or research papers.
- An exception to this rule is if Wikipedia or another encyclopedia is the subject of your research. In that case, articles from it might be cited.
What is an Encyclopedia?
To get a nice definition of 
and learn a brief history about encyclopedias, I recommend that you read the Wikipedia entry for "Encyclopedia."
References and Resources
Berg, Steven L. "Wikipedia Worksheet." 2013.
