Comments on: How to Research an Article (& Why Wikipedia Isn’t a Legit Source)

By: Mollette

Mollette — Thu, 23 Jun 2011 13:20:33 +0000

Like the post! Thank you

By: julie

julie — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 22:58:24 +0000

Matt- Thanks for your comment. Believe it or not, students who hire me to review their dissertations before submitting them to their committees actually do try to convince me that Wiki is a legitimate academic source!

But you’re right about the related sources; the footnoted citations can often lead you back to the source.

By: Matt Keegan

Matt Keegan — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 22:55:38 +0000

No surprise about Wikipedia. What I do like about this source is to check the external links, further reading, and related sources to see what people are linking to. Sometimes you find a wealth of information there, fodder for whatever material you are working on.

By: Julie

Julie — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 03:06:49 +0000

Thanks, everyone, for your comments! Emon- yes, I discover new resources and treasures on the NYPL site all the time! It’s such a useful resource, particularly for those who want to look for material in other languages.

By: Emon

Emon — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 21:31:32 +0000

I’m glad you mentioned NYPL Database. Nothing compares to it. I get to read magazines I could never afford to subscribe to – Harvard Business Review, Film Comment to name a few.

I’d add http://www.factcheck.org in the mix too.

By: Nomadic Matt

Nomadic Matt — Sun, 19 Oct 2008 16:41:05 +0000

I use wiki to get some quick general information. For more in depth information, I always go elsewhere.

By: julie

julie — Sun, 19 Oct 2008 16:13:33 +0000

Audrey & Laura-
Thanks for your comments. I’m glad you found the article useful. Thanks for sharing your experiences and resources, too!

By: Laura Bernhein

Laura Bernhein — Sat, 18 Oct 2008 16:54:31 +0000

Julie, qué interesante, gracias! Esta información es muy útil.
Yo me formé como periodista, y cuando escribo un artículo “informativo” siempre voy a las fuentes oficiales, sean éstas la página de una universidad, UNICEF, o una persona que ha hecho un trabajo importante relacionado con el tema que me interesa (mi blog está dedicado al Attachment Parenting). De esta manera, el trabajo (y el trabajador) se enriquecen muchísimo.
Gracias de nuevo! Voy a seguir disfrutando de tu blog!
Lau

By: Audrey

Audrey — Sat, 18 Oct 2008 13:22:30 +0000

I do occasionally use wikipedia to check facts (but then cross-check with other sources). Recently, I looked up a few details related to China and was shocked at some of the pages on wikipedia – they read like a Chinese government press release. A reality check.

Thanks for sharing these resources! I’m always looking for new ways to research and verify information online.