Wikipedia is a general encyclopedia, and as such it is a compilation of neutral information from many branches of knowledge and on a wide range of topics. Use it like any good reference source, for quick reference or as an entry point into deeper exploration of the topic. An encyclopedia article is a great source for:. Wikipedia has a sophisticated community structure , with core editorial standards and guidelines for contributors.
Many articles have icons with a brief explanation at the top. Here are some examples, and what these warnings by trusted editors mean for your research. Decisions about citing Wikipedia really depend on what you are writing. While a link to a good quality article for quick reference in a piece of informal writing may be very useful, Wikipedia should likely not be cited for more formal writing. Learn more about Wikipedia, from Wikipedia!
This information expires once printed. Say goodbye to inaccurate citations! Have a language expert improve your writing. Check your paper for plagiarism in 10 minutes. Do the check. Generate your APA citations for free! Is this article helpful?
He writes and edits for Scribbr, and reads a lot of books in his spare time. Other students also liked. Primary and secondary sources Primary sources provide raw information and first-hand evidence. Secondary sources interpret, analyze or summarize primary sources.
Follow our examples to cite correctly in every style. Common knowledge: to cite or not to cite? Common knowledge refers to information that most people know.
Is your statement considered common knowledge? Take the test! An encyclopedia is great for checking little details.
Little details may be: General knowledge that you have forgotten, like the starting date of the First World War or the boiling point of mercury. A somewhat obscure point, like the population of Ghana. If this matters for your assignment, you should verify the information using a tried and tested source, such as the CIA World Factbook.
A very obscure point, such as the names of the founders of the Social Democrat Hunchakian Party. If your professor has assigned you an article or a chapter, that means your professor thinks it is basically OK.
Do you trust your professor? If a book is in your university library or published by a reputable university press , or if an article is in a standard academic journal , that means that several professors at some point thought it was basically OK. But time may have passed, and the book or article may now be out of date. If your source is a website, it may be great or it may be awful.
0コメント