Comments on: Banning Wikipedia http://ryancollins.org/2007/11/29/banning-wikipedia/ Educational Technology Thu, 12 Apr 2012 19:16:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: John Schinker http://ryancollins.org/2007/11/29/banning-wikipedia/comment-page-1/#comment-19944 John Schinker Thu, 29 Nov 2007 20:08:14 +0000 http://ryancollins.org/wp/2007/11/29/banning-wikipedia/#comment-19944 We also need to get used to the concept of "reliability" not being a binary thing. How reliable is the source? Is it good enough for what you need? A lot of times, Wikipedia's great for stuff like that. When did Queen Elizabeth I reign? Wikipedia says November 17, 1558 - March 24, 1603. I know that's around the same time as Shakespeare, and somewhat earlier than the pilgrims came to America. If it was actually November 15, or 1561, it doesn't matter to me. I'm not writing a dissertation, here. Or, use my favorite example, cheetahs. Wikipedia says they can run 70-75 miles per hour. Other sources claim 70 MPH, or even 60. But all I need to know is if I can outrun one in my car. And it turns out that I better have a pretty good head start. The trick is to know how accurate your information HAS to be, and then asses what you're reading based on those criteria. We also need to get used to the concept of “reliability” not being a binary thing. How reliable is the source? Is it good enough for what you need? A lot of times, Wikipedia’s great for stuff like that. When did Queen Elizabeth I reign? Wikipedia says November 17, 1558 – March 24, 1603. I know that’s around the same time as Shakespeare, and somewhat earlier than the pilgrims came to America. If it was actually November 15, or 1561, it doesn’t matter to me. I’m not writing a dissertation, here.

Or, use my favorite example, cheetahs. Wikipedia says they can run 70-75 miles per hour. Other sources claim 70 MPH, or even 60. But all I need to know is if I can outrun one in my car. And it turns out that I better have a pretty good head start.

The trick is to know how accurate your information HAS to be, and then asses what you’re reading based on those criteria.

]]>