Do you ever cringe when you cite Wikipedia? (non-academically)

College Confidential Community
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<p>In non-academic discourse (like in a forum debate for example), do you ever cringe when you cite Wikipedia instead of a more academic source?</p>

<p>Of course, it's illegal to cite any encyclopedia for an academic paper. Though one can obviously use the sources that the encyclopedia used. (hence why I like Wikipedia so much).</p>

<p>I don't have unlimited time/choice so when I have to cite something quickly in a forum debate, I just cite Wikipedia. I do cringe when I cite Wikipedia in forum debates. When I'm trying to convince someone of the truthfulness of something, though, I don't cringe at all.</p>

<p>The Nature Britannica/Wikipedia study obviously makes me feel better ;)</p>

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<p>I initially felt uncomfortable about citing Wikipedia, but if you look at a lot of the more well-constructed articles, all the major sources of information is extremely well cited/documented, so i just find those, and cite them. </p>

<p>And yeah, that brittanica study was great to read about :)</p>

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major sources of information is extremely well cited/documented, so i just find those, and cite them.

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<p>Yeah - Wikipedia does cite sources. But a lot of potential editors don't take the care to distinguish between articles from crappy sources and articles from reliable sources - which sometimes hurts blindly taking sources out of Wikipedia. There probably exists some research paper in some obscure journal to support just about any preposterous claim. There was this "talking budgie" "study" that was cross-referenced in THREE Wikipedia articles (avian intelligence, budgie, talking birds) and stayed on those three articles for months. Eventually I couldn't stand them anymore and edited them out.</p>

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<p>I think wiki isn't the best source when debating on a forum,....</p>

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<p>Wiki is fine for debating on a forum. Who cares if it is academic, on most of the big things Wiki is pretty accurate. A little details may be off, but it is freeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee.</p>

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freeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee.

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<p>lol agreed! that's the most important!</p>

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<p>I hate when I try to make a point I ALWAYS go to Wiki. Then the person I'm fighting with says it's unreliable (and I'm just too lazy to click all the cited links, etc.).</p>

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<p>^ same here!</p>

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<p>Who says some joe shmoe at the Britannica is legit. It is pretty obvisos if something on wiki is true or false. It is the absolute best way for a fictionary to be. </p>

<p>I wrote a paper in one of my classes on why Wiki should be allowed. I got a A on that.</p>

<p>While you may not feel right citing wiki at school, Wiki is by far the absolute best way to get a general idea of a topic. You cant beat it.</p>

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<p>wiki is nice because it puts all of the sources in one place, so you don't have to wild goose chase for the facts you need.</p>

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<p>I didn't know it was illegal to cite for academic papers?</p>

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<p>The cops will knock down your door.</p>

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<p>Someone in my class used Wikipedia to disprove a NASA math formula in a research paper.</p>

<p>I remember in like 8th grade someone showed the teacher a Wikipedia article and asked if that was a good source. The look on the teacher's face was priceless.</p>

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<p>i just read it in my spare time</p>

<p>...</p>

<p>it's addictive, you know</p>

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<p>It's sooo addictive. Besides, the whole world reads Wiki. No one cringes mentioning it!</p>

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<p>Whenever I quote wiki a haze comes over my eyes, and I feel a sense of rapture. So good...</p>