Wikepedia

From my own personal experience, I have compiled a short list of a few advantages and disadvantages of using Wikipedia.

Advantages:

Wikipedia is very easy to use and is a good way to quickly find relevant information without having to search through a number of different sites that Google pulls up.

The information provided is basic and is explained in simple and clear terms, which makes it easier to understand, especially if it a topic that is unfamiliar to you.

When researching something in Wikipedia, each page has sources, which you are able to click on and be taken to another page. This new page has information relevant to the topic you are searching and explains this source in more detail.

Disadvantages:

I think that it is important to understand that Wikipedia entries are not always posted by scholars, therefore as anyone is able to go onto Wikipedia and edit the information or add new pieces of information, it can make this information less reliable.

Therefore, when searching conventional terms then the information that has been entered may be bias based on the views of the person who has entered the information.

Wikipedia may be a great source of basic information, but a lot of educational institutions won’t accept it as a reference, mainly because of the first point I made.  

Wikipedia is a quick and easy way to search for information on the Internet and like everything on the Internet, Wikipedia has good information and flawed information. Teachers should be aware of this and can help students learn to distinguish between information that is correct and relevant and information that is wrong and biased.