Using Wikipedia for Research
Do
Find Background Information
Entries and embedded links can be used to generate ideas and learn the terminology associated with your topic.
Generate Search Terms
Take a look at the embedded links, bolded words, or table of contents. They can help generate search terms to use for searching in library databases.
Look at the Bibliography
The bottom of the page should list the sources used to compile the entry. .They can point you to other resources (sometimes scholarly) on the topic.
Do Not
Cite to Wikipedia
In academic research, you usually do not cite to an encyclopedia or other sources of background information.
Believe Everything
Because the content is user-create, anonymous, and does not have a mandatory review process, there is no t guarantee that the information is accurate and credible.
