Study: Wikipedia as accurate as Britannica

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Why the avid debate?

There is not a single source of information in the world that is free from errors. There is always the possibility of factual errors, subjective statements, and misunderstanding or misinterpretation. I think it would be impossible to support a claim that either Encyclopedia Britannica or Wikipedia do not contain any erroneous material. Thus, when doing any type of research, either with the help of Britannica or Wikipedia, one must always use multiple sources of data and cross-examine the claims presented in the encyclopedias.

Therefore, why should I be concerned with which service is more accurate, Britannica or Wikipedia? As long as it is clear that we are dealing with minor factual mistakes, rather than broad, sweeping misconceptions in the articles, it is possible to usefully utilize both sources for information, assuming that you do not limit yourself to only one source of information in total.

My personal opinion regarding Britannica vs. Wikipedia is that Wikipedia is a more useful service in research, simply because of the cross-linking of articles. It is possible to open an article on one particular subject and branch out into the relating field. Wikipedia readily highlights terms that have their own encyclopedia entry, so that you gain a broader understanding of the subject you are studying. It is due to this that I prefer Wikipedia over Encyclopedia Britannica when performing my research.

Posted by: StanB   Posted on: 12/16/05 You are currently: a Guest | Members login | Terms of Use

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