Wikipedia – the Free Encyclopedia – Essay – dlwiedow
Search
Essays
Sign up
Sign in
Contact us
Tweet
Index
/Social Issues
Wikipedia – the Free Encyclopedia
Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia
Wikipedia is one of today’s most commonly used free search engines. It is defined as an internet encyclopedia written collaboratively by the people who use it. A wiki is a web page within the search engine which allows collaborative continuous modification of its information. Although Wikipedia sounds fine and dandy, its reliability and credibility of information fall well short of the standards for a school paper. Just within sociology, Wikipedia shares similarities in objectivity. Wikipedia also can be a useful starting point for internet research projects and follows just as other internet sources, under the guidelines for evaluating internet sources.
Objectivity is a personal neutrality in conducting research. Objectivity means that researchers carefully hold to scientific procedures and do not let their own attitudes and beliefs influence the results. One way to limit distortion caused by personal values is by repeating research by other investigators. If other researchers repeat a study using the same procedures and obtain the same results, we gain confidence that the results are both reliable and valid. There is a lack of objectivity within Wikipedia because there is more than one author that can influence the results of the research due to sharing their own attitudes and beliefs.
According to the articles that I have read and the textbook information, major concerns about Wikipedia’s content includes reliability, quality of presentation, and systematic bias, especially gender and racial bias. Wikipedia has been criticized for the anonymity of editors and social stratification. Wikipedia does not expect society to trust them and editors do not have to reveal their name. They acknowledge that they should not be used as a primary source of research. In comparison, sociologists have to reveal their name and have an answer to why they are doing the study. In similarity, wikipedia writers and sociologists both write about topics they are interested in, so many subjects do not get covered. It is also common that sociologists choose to research topics that affect their sex, giving a great affect on interfering with their results. These issues about objectivity of Wikipedia and social research are a continued concern.
Although Wikipedia is not the best internet research source, it is still a useful starting point for internet research projects. Wikipedia provides a variety of information on a wide range of topics. Wikipedia could be defined as a tree. Each topic contains linked wiki pages highlighted in blue that branch off to other information making it like a tree with never ending branches. However, Wikipedia
Continue for 2 more pages »
Read full document
Download as (for upgraded members)
Citation Generator
MLA 7
CHICAGO
(2015, 12). Wikipedia – the Free Encyclopedia. EssaysForStudent.com. Retrieved 12, 2015, from
“Wikipedia – the Free Encyclopedia” EssaysForStudent.com. 12 2015. 2015. 12 2015 <
"Wikipedia - the Free Encyclopedia." EssaysForStudent.com. EssaysForStudent.com, 12 2015. Web. 12 2015. <
"Wikipedia - the Free Encyclopedia." EssaysForStudent.com. 12, 2015. Accessed 12, 2015.
Essay Preview
By: dlwiedow
Submitted: December 13, 2015
Essay Length: 709 Words / 3 Pages
Paper type: Essay Views: 486
Report this essay
Tweet
Related Essays
Hypnosis Defined by the Encarta Encyclopedia
The Encarta Encyclopedia defines hypnosis as,"altered state of consciousness and heightened responsiveness to suggestion; it may be induced by normal persons by a variety of
972 Words  |  4 Pages
Command Economy Vs Free Market Economy
Intorduction: Within the overall umbrella of the word "economy", one speaks today of the market economy, the formal economy, the informal economy, the underground economy,
2,560 Words  |  11 Pages
Free Trade
In an economic age in which speedy transactions of imports and exports are essential, is free trade a necessity for aiding worldwide economic development? At
679 Words  |  3 Pages
Les Gens De Couleur Libres, the Free People of Color in New Orleans
Shattered dreams. Broken promises. They were hung between freedom and slavery. They struggled to find a different kind of freedom and independency where justice has
1,256 Words  |  6 Pages
Similar Topics
Charcter Free Play Moll
Products Services Prices Free Market
Get Access to 89,000+ Essays and Term Papers
Join 209,000+ Other Students
High Quality Essays and Documents
Sign up
© 2008–2020 EssaysForStudent.comFree Essays, Book Reports, Term Papers and Research Papers
Essays
Sign up
Sign in
Contact us
Site Map
Privacy Policy
Terms of Service
Facebook
Twitter