reference paper question

[allborntogrow]

Is Wikipedia an acceptable source to use as a reference? I basically don't use Web sources at all, but I found some good stuff that would really help me out. It it reputable or should I look elsewhere? Thanks!!!

[lalaland42]

No, you shouldn't use Wikipedia as a reference since anyone and their mother can edit it. A friend of mine used to be a professor and teach math for teachers. She had them do a reference paper and some of them did it on Godel's Incompleteness Theorem (I know, you don't care, right?). Anyway, they sited wikipedia as a reference and she found that the wikipedia page got the theorem wrong. *It is common in math and physics for stuff to be wrong*

Wikipedia can be a good springboard for where to find other references but it shouldn't be used as an end reference. Look at the end of the page, there should be some other references that you can use in your paper. If it is a math related topic, let me know and I can show you where to get other references.

[allborntogrow]

Cool thanks . . . I did noticed a lot of much more "reputable" looking sites at the end, it was just that Wikipedia had everything so succinctly!

It's an English/psychology thing, thanks so much!!! I am so glad I asked!