Wikipedia is one of the most popular and widely used sources of information on the internet, but it is not always reliable or accurate. How can you effectively use Wikipedia to fact-check information without falling for misinformation, bias, or vandalism? Here are some tips and tricks to help you navigate the online encyclopedia and verify its content.
One of the most important features of Wikipedia is the list of references or sources that are cited at the end of each article. These are the primary or secondary sources that the Wikipedia editors used to write and support the information in the article. You can use these references to check the original source of the information, see if it is credible, relevant, and up-to-date, and compare it with other sources. You can also use the references to find more information on the topic that may not be covered by Wikipedia.
Step 1: Don't. Step 2: Consult reputable sources. Personally, I feel, the amount of work required for you to fact-check the information would be better served doing actual research. Final comment: We were never allowed to use this as a resource from high school right through to University. While I appreciate the ethos of information being freely and readily available to all I still would not advocate for this as a primary reference for any research.
Negar a relevancia da Wikipédia é negar as possibilidades da cocria??o e da colabora??o em rede. Embora criticada por muitos, a Wikipedia é indiscutivelmente uma enorme (talvez a maior) fonte de dados. No entanto, é importante que ela nunca seja a única fonte e sim a base para um início exploratório, para, enfim, se chegar às fontes primárias de dados. Ou seja, o problema no uso da Wikipedia está longe de ser a ferramenta em si, mas a falta de capacidade do usuário em aprofundar nos temas e checar os dados apresentados. Em outras palavras, assim com a nossa capacidade para julgar e separar as notícias reais das fake news precisa ser treinada, da mesma forma acontece com a Wikipedia.
Wikipedia bietet tats?chlich h?ufig gute Quellen in den Referenzen. Daher lohnt sich ein Blick auf Wikipedia (wenngleich es nicht bei diesem bleiben darf). Ohnehin gibts im Journalismus ja das Mehr-Quellen-Prinzip (von unabh?ngigen Quellen).
Cross-reference information with more authoritative sources. If a claim is supported by reputable publications or academic sources, it's likely to be more reliable.
Another useful feature of Wikipedia is the history and talk pages that are accessible from the tabs at the top of each article. The history page shows the chronological record of all the edits and changes that have been made to the article, who made them, and why. You can use the history page to see how the article has evolved over time, identify any controversial or disputed edits, and spot any vandalism or malicious edits. The talk page is where the Wikipedia editors discuss the article, raise issues, propose changes, and debate different viewpoints. You can use the talk page to see how the editors reached a consensus, what sources they used, and what arguments they made.
Dies ist tats?chlich ein sehr hilfreicher Tipp. Damit h?tte zum Beispiel die BILD-Zeitung die Schlagzeile "Müssen wir uns diesen Namen merken?" vermieden, als Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg Wirtschaftsminister wurde und der falsche Vorname "Wilhelm" kurz vorher eingefügt worden w?re. Ein Blick auf die Versionsgeschichte h?tte einen stutzig werden lassen, warum so kurz vorher ausgerechnet ein weiterer Vorname eingetragen worden ist. Es h?tte zwar trotzdem stimmen k?nnen, aber eben w?re man stutzig geworden.
Verify Information in External Sources: Use external sources to verify information found on Wikipedia. Reliable websites, academic journals, and official documents can provide additional confirmation. Be Cautious of Unverified Claims: Statements marked as "citation needed" or lacking proper references should be approached with caution. It's advisable to verify such information through other sources.
When fact-checking on Wikipedia, especially for controversial topics, stay cautious. These subjects often have different opinions, causing frequent edits. Look for articles that present info without taking sides. Check reliable sources like official reports and well-known news outlets. Since controversial topics can be tricky, gather info from various sources for a fuller picture. Watch the Talk page for discussions about edits. Controversial topics might present info to support a particular view, so check different sources for balance. To sum up, be careful with controversial topics, use multiple sources, and look for balanced information.
Not all Wikipedia articles are created equal. Some are more comprehensive, accurate, and well-written than others. Some are more stable, meaning they do not change frequently or drastically, while others are more dynamic, meaning they are constantly updated or revised. You can evaluate the quality and stability of the article by looking at the rating and protection icons that are displayed on the top right corner of each article. The rating icon indicates the level of quality and completeness of the article, ranging from stub (very low) to featured article (very high). The protection icon indicates the level of restriction on who can edit the article, ranging from unprotected (anyone can edit) to fully protected (only administrators can edit). Generally, higher quality and more stable articles are more reliable and trustworthy than lower quality and less stable ones.
Wikipedia is not the only source of information or fact-checking on the internet. There are many external tools and resources that can be used to complement, verify, or challenge the information on Wikipedia. Google can be used to search for more information on the topic, compare different sources, and check the credibility and reputation of the sources. Google Scholar can be used to find academic and scholarly sources such as journal articles, books, and reports. Media Bias/Fact Check can be used to check the bias and accuracy of sources that are cited on Wikipedia or found on Google. WikiTrust can be used to check the trustworthiness and reputation of Wikipedia editors and their edits based on an algorithm assigning a color code to each word in the article. Lastly, WikiScanner can be used to check IP addresses of anonymous Wikipedia editors and their edits, and see if they are affiliated with any organizations or interests that may influence their edits.
Use Citoid for Citation Checks: Citoid is a tool that helps verify citations. You can use it to check if the cited sources actually support the information provided.
Finally, the most effective way to use Wikipedia to fact-check information is to apply critical thinking and common sense. You should not blindly accept or reject the information on Wikipedia, but rather question it, analyze it, and compare it with other sources. You should also be aware of your own biases and assumptions, and avoid confirmation bias, which is the tendency to seek or interpret information that confirms your existing beliefs. You should also be skeptical of any information that sounds too good to be true, too sensational, or too vague. You should always look for evidence, context, and multiple perspectives on the information.
Wikipedia can be a good starting point for research because the sources that were cited will often have many other useful articles on the same topic. Those articles might not be listed on Wikipedia and they might not even be indexed by Google, but you may still find them if you visit the source's website.