Professors Should Embrace Wikipedia
9/30/14
Response Essay
Professors Should Embrace Wikipedia
In Mark Wilson’s article “Professors Should Embrace Wikipedia”, Wilson argues that despite the legitimacy of Wikipedia, educators should engage and take part in helping shape the direction of Wikipedia. In a test published in the journal “Nature”, articles in Wikipedia are said to be as revered as those in the “Encyclopedia Britannica.” Since the perceived lack of academic authority, Wilson suggests that those with research specialties should enroll as editors of Wikipedia to add, control, and learn from the information being provided. Wilson describes his own interaction with Wikipedia and how he, his students, and other colleagues have benefitted from the use of it. From becoming a Wikipedia editor and a collaborator with other colleagues, Wilson has “in turn taught some people how to properly reference ideas and information.” Wilson expresses his ideas to involve scholars with Wikipedia to make it more useful to students and the public. Wilson argues that Wikipedia is a source that although warned from, students will go to anyway to start projects, look up terms, and go for general information. If Wikipedia is “the largest coherent store of information and ideas” as stated by Wilson, then “teacher and scholars should have been on this train years ago for the benefit of our students and professions.”
In this article Wilson reaches out to fellow scholars to part take in improving Wikipedia for the better good of academics. Knowing that Wikipedia is not considered a legitimate source of information, he provides a logical solution to persuade educators, with facts, logic, and personal experience. I feel that Wilson was effective in conveying his message to his peers.
As professors warn students about the potential miss leading information and ask that we do not go to Wikipedia, Wilson says to embrace it. Shown by a test published in the journal “Nature”, accuracy in science articles in
Response Essay
Professors Should Embrace Wikipedia
In Mark Wilson’s article “Professors Should Embrace Wikipedia”, Wilson argues that despite the legitimacy of Wikipedia, educators should engage and take part in helping shape the direction of Wikipedia. In a test published in the journal “Nature”, articles in Wikipedia are said to be as revered as those in the “Encyclopedia Britannica.” Since the perceived lack of academic authority, Wilson suggests that those with research specialties should enroll as editors of Wikipedia to add, control, and learn from the information being provided. Wilson describes his own interaction with Wikipedia and how he, his students, and other colleagues have benefitted from the use of it. From becoming a Wikipedia editor and a collaborator with other colleagues, Wilson has “in turn taught some people how to properly reference ideas and information.” Wilson expresses his ideas to involve scholars with Wikipedia to make it more useful to students and the public. Wilson argues that Wikipedia is a source that although warned from, students will go to anyway to start projects, look up terms, and go for general information. If Wikipedia is “the largest coherent store of information and ideas” as stated by Wilson, then “teacher and scholars should have been on this train years ago for the benefit of our students and professions.”
In this article Wilson reaches out to fellow scholars to part take in improving Wikipedia for the better good of academics. Knowing that Wikipedia is not considered a legitimate source of information, he provides a logical solution to persuade educators, with facts, logic, and personal experience. I feel that Wilson was effective in conveying his message to his peers.
As professors warn students about the potential miss leading information and ask that we do not go to Wikipedia, Wilson says to embrace it. Shown by a test published in the journal “Nature”, accuracy in science articles in