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Navigating through Mixed Opinions about Wikipedia
- Many students have reported that in their previous courses, their instructors discouraged them from using Wikipedia as a source. In the first or second week of the course, it may be beneficial for the instructor to conduct a survey or facilitate an in-class discussion to understand the students' opinions and prior experiences with Wikipedia. This discussion can also cover the reasons why Wikipedia editing is included in the course and how it relates to the course content. A sample survey is provided in Appendix 3 for reference.
- During week 3, the librarian will conduct a workshop to provide more information about the academic use of Wikipedia, Wikipedia edit-a-thon activities, and the Wikipedia editing and review process. The librarian's workshop slides are available in Appendix 4.
- It is recommended that the instructor consult with other instructors in the department, particularly those teaching higher-level courses that the students may take in the future, to gain consensus on the use of Wikipedia in academia and how the instructor's teaching may impact their courses.
How to Use Wikipedia in Your Research