My teacher won't let me use Wikipedia..
By Masterx13579
@Masterx13579 (28)
United States
4 responses
@sbeauty (5865)
• United States
8 Feb 09
Anyone who uses Wikipedia is free to make changes. No one guarantees that the information on it is 100% correct. Your teacher most likely prefers to have you use a more reliable source. I have found information I knew to be incorrect on Wikipedia.
1 person likes this
@RedFeather (427)
• United States
21 Feb 09
you get the star as soon as you reach 100 posts, and depending on how people have rated your discussions up to that point, you will have a number from 1 to 10 in it...
just like back in the "good old days" when we had to use a card catalog and encyclopedias, you are not allowed to plagiarize...the fact that she has software that knows, tells me that you used copy/paste
it's probably ok to use wikipedia, as long as you rephrase and use your own words.
but it is kept up to date by users, and you should be careful to double check your findings with other sources
@Crislyric (37)
• United States
8 Feb 09
Its more than likely because anyone who visits the site is free to make changes. And a lot of people are not comfortable with the facts that the site provides.
1 person likes this
@breepeace (3014)
• Canada
9 Feb 09
I think it would be ok if you explain to her that you just used Wikipedia as a general reference point for more information. At the bottom of most articles, they have Notes and External Links to other websites and sources of information, and as long as you cross reference your facts to one of those (accredited) sources of information, you should be fine.
@mscott (1923)
• United States
8 Feb 09
It is not an accredited site, it is a general information site. it you were looking for information on heart disease for an example you should go to experts like the American Heart Foundation. It is ok to use for quick reference but not when you need to cite creditable sources. Back in the day anyone use to be able to post on wik and half the stuff wasn't accurate or true. 
