Nowadays many people use Internet to get any information and knowledge from it. According to Wolverton’s (2007, para. 8) article, “Contributing to the debate is the speed in which Wikipedia has grown. While many scholarly and academic sources have decades – if not centuries – of history, Wikipedia’s popularity has surpassed all of them in a matter of just six years”. Actually a tremendous number of people find Wikipedia to get specific information for working and living. It provides very useful information to users, and it is free to get information from it, so many users consider it as a good encyclopedia. However, it has become an issue that many universities and colleges have banned quoting from Wikipedia, because it is not authoritative or scholastic. Even though many teachers and educators think it is not suitable to use for college students, it has many good effects for the majority of people for a long time.
First, we can share our knowledge with anybody. Wikipedia systems allow anyone to post the definition and information on Wikipedia (Lengel, 2006). Usually, people prefer to count on their own knowledge, and although they want to expand their knowledge, it is a little difficult to get new knowledge. However, in Wikipedia, anyone can edit the information, and it is open for everybody. It is a very easy way to share information with someone who wants to know something. It provides a various kinds of topics and subjects that anybody can edit. It means that it may not be accurate information, but after many people edit and edit again, it can become accurate.
Second, it is free to use. According to Byers’ (2007, para. 3) article, “Approximately 38 million people visited the English language version of the site in December 2006. Wikipedia is also easy to find; it frequently appears at the top of many Google searches and access is completely free”. For many poor people who cannot afford to buy the books, Wikipedia is like an expensive encyclopedia, which can help to get knowledge. Already many people get information from Wikipedia, even though they know that it have not verified by the specialists. However, information that many people have shared makes it reliable for people to get information and knowledge. That is why Wikipedia has become the most popular online encyclopedia today (Martin, 2008).
Last, Wikipedia provides information quickly and easily. Actually, most information from any media may not be accurate. According to Lengel’s (2006, para. 12) article, “The internet will never be like the school library. Nor should it be. Its value as a communication medium lies in its openness and diversity. But these same aspects make it problematic for our students. They, like many of us, were brought to trust what we read in a library book, or in the newspaper, or on television. These communication channels were for the most part well mediated, and so over the years. A few years ago, the way to get information and knowledge was just though television, newspaper and books. Today, we can get the information on the desk without any effort. If we did not have Internet service, like Wikipedia, maybe we still would have to go to the library and rent books, or we would have to pay for newspapers or television to get information. Furthermore, those media like television, newspapers and books are more difficult than the online encyclopedia to find certain information in. It can require more time and effort. So, systems like Wikipedia are very useful and helpful for us in our society.
In conclusion, Wikipedia is very useful online access to get information and knowledge. Even though many students and educators treat it as an informal information provider, it has very good effects for everyone. Many people can share information through Wikipedia, and it can help poor people to get more information. In addition, it provides us a tremendous amount of information easily and quickly. Therefore, Wikipedia gives people a more convenient life through those good effects.
Reference:
Byers, M. (2007,March 8 ). Controversy over use of Wikipedia in academic Papers arrives at Smith. Sophian. Retrieved April 23, 2008, from http://media.www.smithsophian.com/media/storage/paper587/news/2007/03/08/News/Controversy.Over.Use.Of.Wikipedia.In.Academic. Papers.Arrives.At.Smith-2765409.shtml
Lengel, J. ( 2006 ,Feburary 7). Authority. Teaching with Technology. Retrieved April 23, 2008, from http://www.powertolearn.com/articles/teaching_with_technology/article.shtml?ID=12
Martin, N. (2008, January 21 ). Wikipedia clamps down on ‘unreliable’ editors.Telegraph.co.uk Retrieved April 23, 2008, from http://www.telegrapg.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2007/09/20/wiki120.xml
Wolverton, J. (2007, January 22 ). Wikipedia wisdom. Valley Vanguard. Retrieved April 23, 2008, from http://www.svsu.edu/clubs/vanguard/stories/1141
댓글 없음:
댓글 쓰기