The Power of Wiki Compels You!

[DarthTofu]

I just want to brag about the fact that I am now an official priest of Wikipedia. Well, actually I'm a self-declared priest of Wikipedia, but there are no other sources of priests of Wikipedia, thus, being the only one, I get to make the official calls on who can and cannot be a priest. And lucky me- through a fluke I made the title and rank of priest!

 

At any rate, I converted a non-believer (slash extreme hater) of Wikipedia into a true lover of it. My English teacher. There was an argument while myself and two other students were left in the class during a pep rally. Being rather non-school-spirited, the two of us always stayed behind, while the third was newbie.

 

That didn't matter, but it's some nice background information. At any rate, we eventually got into a discussion about the Romance languages, and whether German is considered one or not. The teacher decides to try to figure it out via the internet. She doesn't know where to start.

 

I suggest Wikipedia. She checks it, just so that she can show us how terrible it is. Here is the Wiki on Romance languages.

 

To show us just how wrong it is we journey to the Encyclopedia Britannica on-line. Here is all that you can get for free.

 

We checked the bibliographical sources on Wiki. All checked out.

 

Conclusion? I am the best of the priests of Wikipedia. The Power of Wiki Compels You!

 

J00 15 PWNT!

(You is owned, for the non-1337)

[PHSYCOBOB]

LOL. please direct the Wiki gurus to this posting and solidfy your station as their first priest.

[budious]

Wikiwtf?

 

This sucks... all the post get deleted, and bob has out ranked me again... damn gotta be a post whore all over again.

[Mad78]

Tofu sometimes you make me wonder.

[Defender_16]

I'm somewhat of a Fad Preist then I guess. If I think something is awesome enough, and I feel 'compelled' I can eventually encourage others to become more interested in that particular awesomeness. I haven't done it recently to my knowledge.

[Evaders99]

Wikipedia is great for the casual info search... I can really read about many topics quite easily. I wouldn't actually cite it as a source for any research, but it makes a great starting place.

[Mad78]

The links that come with the articles are sometimes VERY useful.

[Darth_Rob]

I go to wikipedia a lot of the time for info, and it is usually accurate.

[Mad78]

The real problem is that there isn't really a way to know what is acurate and what isn't.

[JediHunter]

I agree with Mad.. Wikipedia is only good for use in casual conversation... anything beyond that and its just pointless... its not a substantial enough site for use in any kind of paper.. hence why english teachers hate it.. because its over used.. and can be totally inaccurate... i have seen several articles with inaccuracies that are not noted by wikipedia.... and I've seen a few that they (wikipedia) have flagged for no citations and with what they call "weasel words"... wikipedia is made by users.. which causes it to be inaccurate since it can be edited by any 10 year old with an internet connection..

[BadSamaritan]

I personalyl love Wikipedia, not only for the insane amount of fun that can be had there (hit random article, read, repeat) but also for research. A lot of people say things are innacurate, but if you use the links to the sources, you can generally find accurate ones that can be used for citation.

[Defender_16]

This one time, I dont know how it happened, I ended up reading the entire wiki for King Richard, and kings preceding and following him.

 

Man... Richard didnt just kill people, he was fabulous at doing it.

 

Read the wiki, you'll get it.

[CorellianAce101]

wiki is awesome as a jumping-off point. it usually has links to sites that can go in your works cited page. and the info gives you plenty of stuff to check out. it's not so much a resource as a reource to get resources

[The_Dane]

This one time, I dont know how it happened, I ended up reading the entire wiki for King Richard, and kings preceding and following him.

 

Man... Richard didnt just kill people, he was fabulous at doing it.

 

Read the wiki, you'll get it.

 

Hmm which Richard was it? there was more that one and I am lazy. A link?

 

(edited because of grammar... )

Edited October 3, 2006 by The_Dane

[JediHunter]

..but if you use the links to the sources

 

..wiki is awesome as a jumping-off point.

 

..but it makes a great starting place

 

I think we can definately all agree there... ( i think more people said it.. but just not capable of going through all posts right now..)

i just personally think thats about all its good for.. really..

[Mad78]

Who of you has ever added to Wikipedia?

[SOCL]

Who of you has ever added to Wikipedia?

As in helped write articles. I can say, I have, mostly over the history of various U.S. Army divisions. But that's not important.

 

Despite my participation on Wikipedia, I do not believe it is at all useful as a scholarly source--it's not. Basically, it's good if you're going to try to find some quick information or if you need some help outlining a particular event in history, but the fact of the matter is, there are no checks on the research (if any is done) and most no one cites their sources. In the end, if written convincingly, anyone can write anything, and in the words of author Karen Traviss, "...whoever screams the most writes history." I had a professor who would fail students on their research paper if they tried using Wikipedia as a scholarly source, something I don't fully support, but I wouldn't hesitate to fail anyone's final paper who turned it in with the source after being told not to use it. In fact, something like that happened recently...

 

Anyway. If you need quick info, okay, but you want REAL info, read a book!