Wikipedia and Established Encyclopedias

When doing research I believe that both types of encyclopedias, established and free citizen- built, are important.  In doing the assigned readings this week I have learned a lot about Wikipedia.  In previous years I have been teaching primary grades and never had to think about how students were using Wikipedia.  However over the last year as a TL I had numerous discussions with intermediate students about how they do research.  While having these discussions every group of students said that they would go only on Wikipedia to find all their information.  I didn’t quite know how to react to their comments since I had pretty good experiences with Wikipedia but had heard how it was not a reliable source of information.  I didn’t approach the topic too much and simply introduced new sources of information.   

Next year, I will be approaching the topic far more in depth.  Reading these articles has helped me feel more comfortable in how I will approach the topic.  I plan on introducing Wikipedia along with the other encyclopedias in print and online.  I will use these two types of encyclopedias to do an activity of compare and contrast.  This will help students see that Wikipedia is still a valid point of reference but the sources need to be checked.  I will show them the history button which I didn’t know existed!  This is a great tool in helping the students to evaluate the article before use.  Once students take some time to do an assessment of the article then they can decide whether or not it is appropriate for their project.

I also plan on introducing Harris’ three rules regarding research:
1) At least three sources are required to verify research.
2) General encyclopedias like Wikipedia are a great place to get started, however …
3) Serious research projects cannot cite general knowledge encyclopedias

Overall, in elementary schools I think that Wikipedia is a good source for students if used properly as is the case with all encyclopedias.  However they need to know that when very precise information is needed and accuracy is of great importance then they need to consult an established encyclopedia.  My advice to them is to first consult an established encyclopedia and then Wikipedia.  This will help them determine the accuracy of the information and to also have the opportunity to access more current information.