In high school you were probably told to never ever use Wikipedia for class research because anyone can edit it. Well, college is about breaking rules. You *can* use Wikipedia for research. However:
- If you find something interesting, make sure to verify it with a refereed source.
- Make sure to ask your professor before you *cite* Wikipedia as a source. They will probably tell you no.
Wikipedia is most useful for:
- Engaging your curiosity about a subject by giving you background information and demonstrating the different directions in which your research could go.
- Introducing you to keywords and vocabulary that will lead you to "better" sources via library databases.
- Giving you a quick start with finding references. Look at the bottom of the page! There are almost always references there, many of which are of a caliber that you could use and cite in your paper!
So: Use Wikipedia wisely. It is a place to start your research. It should not be where your research ends.
