Sleeping with the enemy: Wikipedia in the college classroom

Abstract

In this article the author explains the pros and cons of the free online encyclopedia Wikipedia. The main drawback to the use of Wikipedia in the classroom is that it is maintained by volunteers with no qualifying credentials. The main benefit to the online encyclopedia is that it is continually updated, unlike print encyclopedias. A 2005 study of inaccuracies in Wikipedia and print encyclopedias showed that, with regard to scientific articles, only slightly more inaccuracies were found in Wikipedia. The article suggests how Wikipedia can be used effectively in the classroom.