Sources. Yep, it's all about sources.

February 15, 2020

We've all probably heard of Wikipedia (or Wickedpedia, as my friend calls it), and most of us have probably been told to steer clear of it when it comes to reports and projects. But what's really so bad about it, and what other options do we have?

So, in a nutshell, Wikipedia is generally considered unreliable due to its ability to be edited by literally anyone on the internet. Anyone could find a random Wikipedia page and decide to change it in any way they seem fit, whether to add additional facts and details or to make something outlandish up and publish it as a fact. This uncertainty is why it's often better to find other, proven sources.

Some sources that are more reliable include certain websites online, databases, and, well, books. Any website that ends with ".edu" can almost immediately be inferred as reliable - the "edu" stands for "education", a domain only schools can have. Another safe source is almost any website that ends in ".org", which stands for "organization". Most of these websites are for non-profit organizations with recent and reliable information. Databases are another good place to go when gathering information. If you have a library account or school account, you can log in and the library will present you with a list of databases with different purposes in mind. You can find newspapers, opinion pieces, informational articles, pictures, citations, and other similar topics to the one you are researching on said databases.

There are some cases where it might be easier to use Wikipedia, or where there wouldn't be unknown consequences, like if you are simply trying to get a quick question answered, but for reports and projects, steer clear.

Three databases I will probably use in the coming months are Proquest, History Study Center, and Newsbank. Hopefully they can give me some insight into the local laws surrounding public performances, and maybe some background on busking and the origins of musical busking locally.

Until next time,

Catnip E.