"How To" make Wikipedia work for you

WIKIPEDIA

INTRODUCTION:

The hard part isn't knowing how to use Wikipedia- rather it is knowing when to use it. I would bet that every person in this class has heard of Wikipedia. Wikipedia has been around since 2001 and is very well-known.

WHAT IT DOES:

This search engine will find you articles on everything from cotton candy to twitter. All you do is type whatever you are looking for into the search box and away you go. Here is the easiest resource for learning how to use Wikipedia and it is the link we shared on the class list.

• This link is actually a tutorial BY Wikipedia which explains using Wikipedia.



• When you click on the editing tab it states that almost every single Wikipedia page has a link that says edit this page.



• This tutorial is an awesome resource for first time Wikipedia users because it lets you practice editing pages and adding whatever you like to them.



• It also teaches you how to properly cite a Wikipedia page- something I definitely wish I knew how to do in unversity.

WEAKNESSES

The main problem with Wikipedia is also one of it's assets: the fact that it can be edited by anyone causes it to lose credibility. At any given moment someone can compromise the information you are searching for. Wikipedia is no stranger to internet vandalism. An interesting article I found from Time magazine stated that a Wikipedia contributor used the search engine to wrongfully acuse John Seigenthaler of murdering JFK. This kind of thing is obviously not what the search engine was intended for.

BEST PRACTICES

The best way to use Wikipedia is to keep in mind that anyone can anonymously change the information you are viewing. It is a good place to get some background knowledge on whatever you are looking for, but remember to use your judgment about the information you are provided. If you still are unsure check out this article which lists 7 tips for using Wikipedia.

WHAT I LEARNED

This "How To" assignment helped me to realize that there are so many different valuable tools online and I shouldn't be afraid to explore the internet and different networks. From the outset, a brand new search engine or video site seems daunting but there are so many handy resources online like instructional youtube videos and google articles that teach you exactly how to use them.

For some more tips on when and how to use wikipedia, check out Neil Sareen's blog