Question

What are some reasons why and why Wikipedia should not be considered a scholarly source?

Answer 1

Answer :

The reliability of Wikipedia is uncertain and cannot be considered as a scholar source due to several legitimate reasons. These reasons are as follows:

• Wikipedia allows innumerable edits in a day and hence it is difficult to monitor each and every edit. Therefore, many edits which are vandalised or incorrect, go unnoticed for years. This can cause unsurety about an information.
• Wikipedia and various other encyclopedias use circular sourcing, that means that information from a single source is presented in multiple independent sources. So, the same content will be available and hence, variety of information in different researches and academic work will be unseen. This is a very common problem in scholarly researches and other academic fields.
• Though, there are articles present on wikipedia which are featured and good articles, but any editor can edit it as well and knowingly or unknowingly surface an incorrect information.
• Wikipedia is preferred by all groups of ages today and is used for a quick-ready reference, but it is incorrect to say that whatever Wikipedia says is correct and is completely accurate.
• Wikipedia is usually avoided and in many instances prohibited to be used because the chances of mis-characterizing of the contents are very high. Wikipedia lacks proper evaluation and hence it cannot be entitled as a scholarly source.
• Moreover, Wikipedia offers general information and content, which can be obtained easily by anyone. So, this simple and generalized information is not the type of source required in academics.

There are instances and cases wherein Wikipedia can be used :

• The content of Wikipedia can be used or referred to get a general understanding of any subject. One must rely on its accuracy only after proper evaluation of the content.
• Wikipedia is easy to use and is effective in getting a quick-ready content. For understanding generalized content, Wikipedia can be a good source.
• Wikipedia is ideal and effective in generating obscure details such as number of population, names of famous or any personality, etc. Wikipedia also provides sources which confirms such information.
• Various details such as fact-checking general knowledge can be best and easily obtained through Wikipedia without much effort.

So, in these instances Wikipedia can be referred to, but crediting Wikipedia as a reliable source or a scholarly source is not possible.