Wikipedia is controversial

According to recent statistics, Wikipedia is a controversial issue because many students are using it, even if they don’t know whether the site’s information is verified information or not. There are three reasons the Wikipedia controversy has occurred among academics. Wikipedia is an encyclopedia, which has grown in not enough time to verify the all information; the information posted could be changed inaccurately by people who want just to change the information, or who do an intentional act, and students just depend on the Internet. So, many students should know why and how the Wikipedia’s information has risk danger.

First, the Wikipedia has grown during a short time. Generally, the data of study has passed through analysis and study. According to Wolverton’s article (2007), “contributing to the debate is the speed in which Wikipedia has grown. While many scholary and academic sources have decades – if not centuries – of history, Wikipedia’s popularity has surpassed all of them in a matter of just six years” (para. 8). So, students need to know how different the library’s data and Wikipedia, are cause usually many of them just followed from their friends or online information.

Next, Wikipedia’s information can be changed by people who do not have correct information. So Wikipedia’s information is not as safe as scholary and academic sources. According to Martin’s article (2008), “Under the current system, anyone can edit an entry at any time, which means that people often post inaccurate and sometime malicious information” (para. 5). Many students should know that Wikipedia’s information could be change wrong. So, there is need for education to let students know the changeable information from school and university.

In addition, many students are using Internet and the number of users keeps increasing now. According to Martin’s article (2008) “Seven per cent of all internet users now visit the site every day” (para. 13). Those students using Wikipedia has a bad information on their study. Also, their dependence on Wikipedia is easier to understand. Furthermore, their data will not be correct and they might lose information. So they need to realize that they don’t have to depend on Wikipedia’s article.

In conclusion, using Wikipedia’s source is unsafe, and there is not verified information. Many students still don’t know Wikipedia’s actual problem. Many of them just use Wikipedia because it is easy to find. However, if there is incorrect information, it can be hard for students to judge. Also, depending on Wikipedia could be their life. Therefore, students need to know why they don’t have to find article’s in Wikipedia through education from school and university.

Reference

Wolverton, J. (2007, January 22). Wikipedia Wisdom. Valley Vanguard. Retrieved April 28, 2008, from http://www.svsu.edu/clubs/vanguard/stories/1141

Martin, N. (2008, January 21). Wikipedia clamps down on ‘unreliable’ editors. Telegraph.co.uk. Retrieved April 28, 2008, from http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2007/09/20/wiki120.xml