In a message dated 8/11/2008 4:23:10 PM Pacific Daylight Time, thomas.dalton@gmail.com writes:
I don't doubt that it happens. It's completely unacceptable and is why people should not cite Wikipedia is serious research.>>
--------------------------- I can't agree with that. We have many articles that are quite good, clear, concise and very close to the money. Also I'm not sure where you draw the line between serious research and not-serious research?
When I do my work, I use Wikipedia as a tool to ferret out other sources, to explain and illuminate side-issues, etc. The main focus of the thesis should rely on both primary and secondary material and Wikipedia can serve as secondary material. However if Wikipedia is your sole source of information, then you are in trouble. But if Wikipedia is a main source, or even a *starting* source from which you launch your digging, using its article citations to ferret out more details, then Wikipedia should be cited, whether you quote it or not.
Will Johnson
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