On Mon, Aug 11, 2008 at 12:42 PM, Thomas Dalton <thomas.dalton(a)gmail.com> wrote:
Wikipedia isn't a good source for university level
work. Either the
article you're using doesn't have references, in which case it's
completely unreliable, or it does have references, in which case you
should use them instead (there aren't many sources used as references
in Wikipedia articles which aren't accessible to university students).
The times I've been allowed to do that have usually been for things
like speeches and presentations, not papers. Though one professor did
allow it for a somewhat informal research paper. Of course I was a
good researcher and checked the linked sources, but sometimes it's
nice to cite just one thing (when allowed) than 200 separate things,
especially if the one thing summarizes them quite well. I was also a
good Wikipedian and corrected a few errors. :)
Oh, and the
admin bit can be quite useful outside of Wikipedia. [snip]
I know - I've used it like that before as well! Never in an argument
with a lecturer, but in less formal arguments with various people.
Yeah I've used it many a time, but dang, there is nothing better than
showing up a professor (especially a rather egocentric one) who takes
class time to argue something irrelevant with you. Real-life trolling
FTW.
--
Chris Howie
http://www.chrishowie.com
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:Crazycomputers