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Should you get your information from a reference work that accepts you as an author? This is the question people ask themselves when they first consider using the Wikipedia. Although you might not be a scholar in any subject area you might know more about specific topics than you are giving yourself credit for… if you know everything about a television series or cartoon, if you can quote from the books of C. S. Lewis or if you can list the attributes of various native birds, you may be a contributing author on the Wikipedia.

Wikipedia is an encyclopedia written collaboratively by its readers. Wiki, from the Hawiian word for “quick” is a kind of website creation tool that anyone, including you, can edit. In the Wikipedia, almost any article right now can be edited by clicking on the edit this page link that appears at the top of the page. Some people really think this is great while others disagree. So should you use this for your research? The answer is yes, with some caution. Use the Wikipedia to locate background information, to learn the links between terms and concepts, or generally to begin your study. As you read, follow the links within the article and write down the key terms, synonyms, and related topics that you might use in your future research. You may also use the articles themselves as sources but be sure to carefully confirm the content with other sources and give credit to the Wikipedia.

The contributors to the Wikipedia are very conscientious and vigilant and they work hard to regulate the content of the site. The goal — to provide accurate, reliable, nonbiased information — is an ideal that can be realized when the internet-based academic community comes together to build the resources. However, there are challenges. Hacking, a form of online vandalism, does occur but the changes are fixed within minutes so the long-term effects are limited; the responsiveness of the contributors is really amazing. More problems come from “Revert Wars” in which overprotective authors undo changes to the articles they consider “theirs”.

What can my students possibly contribute to this reference work developed by thousands of contributors world-wide? The short answer is “Plenty.” Think about the North Carolina-specific projects and rich local resources in your community and you will soon be planning your next assignment with a Wikipedia product in mind!Historic sites, unique biomes, local heroes and programs all provide a rich cultural base and contribute to the history and community where you live or work. Students study the various regions of North Carolina, they examine immigration patterns, play folk music, make face jugs. So many aspects of the curriculum include opportunities to study and create content specific to the region or town — students will not just learn these facts in the context of their studies, but help to build the resources about North Carolina that are accessed by people world-wide through the Wikipedia.Understand that the nature of the Wiki is to change over time. Although the students may contribute unique materials, their words and even their facts may eventually be changed as the article entry evolves. It is important to understand that although the students are authoring material, they must be focused on sharing information. The ultimate goal is as complete and reliable an entry as can be accomplished by the voluntary contributions and monitoring of the wikipedian community.