Week1--Do you think wikipedia is reliable? can you trust wikipedia?——ZHUANG MINNA

 Wikipedia's reliability comes from its open editing feature. Wikipedia can be edited by anyone, which means there may be errors or biased content, but on the other hand, it also has a large number of volunteers and automated systems to monitor and correct errors. Wikipedia entries usually have references. When using them, you should trace the original information through the bottom references to check whether these sources are reliable. In addition, there may be quality differences in Wikipedia. For example, entries in fields such as science and history are usually more rigorous, while controversial topics such as politics and culture may have editing wars or bias. The quality and strictness of entries in English Wikipedia are generally higher, and the resources of small language versions may be insufficient. In addition, breaking news entries may be inaccurate at the beginning and need to be treated with caution; long-term stable entries have been revised many times and are more reliable.

When can you trust Wikipedia? I think Wikipedia can provide background information efficiently as an introductory reference in non-professional fields when you need to quickly understand the basics. Or in some technical or non-controversial content: such as mathematical formulas, physical laws, etc., entries with strong objectivity are usually accurate. Of course, when it comes to controversial topics: involving politics, religion, and social hot spots, you need to be aware that the entries may have editorial bias or one-sided descriptions. Also, in medical/legal advice: key areas involving personal decision-making, you should consult professional channels rather than rely on encyclopedias.

Wikipedia can be used as an effective tool for preliminary research in most cases, but its openness determines that it cannot completely replace professional materials. Maintaining critical thinking is the key to maximizing its value.

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