W8.1

 1) Summary:


Wikipedia, the largest online encyclopedia globally, serves as a primary knowledge source for countless individuals. Its distinctiveness lies in its open and collaborative nature. This article initiates by introducing Wikipedia's source policy and verifiability policy. It underscores the necessity for Wikipedia articles to be grounded in reliable published sources, covering the majority and significant minority viewpoints from those sources. It further elaborates on Wikipedia's source policy, which entails:

- Source definition: Articles must rely on credible, independent, and open sources renowned for fact-checking and accuracy.

- Definition of published: This encompasses books, articles, authors, publishers, etc., with each factor potentially impacting source reliability.

- Contextual relevance: Source reliability hinges on context, necessitating careful evaluation for each source.

- Contextual specificity: The reliability of a source varies depending on the specific fact, rendering one source reliable for one fact and unreliable for another.

- Chronological relevance: Newer, more current sources are prioritized over older ones, especially in scientific and academic fields.

The subsequent section delves into Wikipedia's requirements and cautions concerning various source types:

- Scholarship: Emphasizing secondary sources, reliable scholarship, dissertations, citation counts, and the credibility of journals.

- News organizations: News reports are generally reliable, with lesser-known media necessitating caution, and editorials warranting skepticism.

- News aggregators: Prioritizing original sources over aggregator links.

- Vendor and e-commerce sources: Limiting the use of e-commerce links, unless validating specific content.

- Biased or opinionated sources: While potentially biased, they can still serve as reliable sources in certain instances, with editors needing to meticulously assess compliance with reliability standards.

Part III outlines unreliable sources of information, such as sponsored content, symposia, self-published materials, and user-generated content, emphasizing their lack of editorial oversight and independent review.

Part IV elaborates on reliability in specific contexts, including biographies of living persons, medical claims, fringe theories, quotations, academic consensus, usage by other sources, statements of opinion, and breaking news.

The final section discusses deprecated sources, discouraged due to serious factual accuracy issues, and emphasizes the importance of adhering to Wikipedia's Reliable Sources Policy to ensure content accuracy, credibility, and authority, thereby facilitating knowledge dissemination.


2) Interesting Observation:

Wikipedia, as an online platform, possesses the ability to swiftly update its content. However, unlike newspapers, it doesn't necessitate immediate reporting of all event details. Instead, Wikipedia adopts a cautious approach, advising editors to await sufficient information gathering and verification of event veracity, typically waiting a day or two before updating.


3) Discussion:

How do Wikipedia's criteria for defining reliable sources undergo development and updates? Have these criteria evolved over time to adapt to changing information landscapes and user needs?

Comments

  1. CHENG SHIYIApril 25, 2024 at 11:25 PM

    It was emphasized that Wikipedia is prudent in updating its contents, all waiting for adequate information collection and verification of the authenticity of events before doing so. I believe this is a very responsible practice because in the age of information dissemination and still an information explosion, incorrect or inaccurate information can spread rapidly and have a negative impact on the public.

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