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All about Wikipedia
Wikipedia is a free, online encyclopedia containing user-generated content. Anyone can contribute to or edit Wikipedia - you could open Wikipedia and edit a page right now.
Wikipedia is one of the most popular reference sites online, containing millions of articles, complied by thousands of contributors. The collaborative nature of Wikipedia means that you will find information on just about any topic imaginable. It can be a useful way to find background information on, or to get an overview of, a topic area.
Pros
Offers a quick overview of a topic.
Is constantly updated and may be the most up-to-date source of information on a particular topic.
Contains references, which you can look up.
Cons
Wikipedia content is user-generated, therefore the content:
May be subject to errors.
Can be biased.
May be subject to vandalism, where a user edits a page to add incorrect information.
Can change at any time, as people add to or edit content.
The downloadable graphic outlines some things to consider if you decide to use Wikipedia during your academic research.
Click or press the image to download and save this graphic.
A print-friendly, accessible version is available here