Can I use a Wikipedia entry as a source in my paper?

Answered By: Allison McDermott

Last Updated: Oct 17, 2024 Views: 119

The short answer is no.

There are many sources that are not appropriate for college level research. These include Wikipedia, encyclopedias, dictionaries, and online blogs. These are not allowed because they only provide a brief overview of a topic and do not provide the more in-depth discussion required for college level research.

Wikipedia, encyclopedias, dictionaries can be a great starting point to learn more about a topic and can help you narrow down what you are looking for, but you will then want to look for sources that cover a topic in more depth to use for your paper. In addition, when choosing a source for a paper you want to look for information written by an authority in that subject manner. Wikipedia can be edited by anyone, so there is no way to verify the authority of the authors of the information provided there.

UAGC's Academic Research Policy

UAGC has a policy to help you determine what sources you can use for your classes.

To learn about what sources are appropriate and which are not acceptable check out the Students Responsibilities and Policies section of your classes. This is included in all of your classes so that you can reference it when you need to.

Here is how to access that:

Click on Course Policies
Select Student Responsibilities and Policies
Chose Academic Research Discussion Post.

Here is where to locate this information in your classes:

Canvas classroom with the number 1 next to the Course Policies button on the left navigation bar, the number 2 next to the Student Responsibilities and Policies button on the middle of the page and the the number 3 next to the Academic Research button to the right of that.

Scroll down to the Academic Research heading. Here is what the policy has to say about sources that are not acceptable:

"Academic research and papers must meet certain standards of quality recognized by the academic community. What constitutes quality academic research?

- Primary (original) sources written by experts in the field of study
- Secondary sources supported by research in primary sources
- Credible sources (experts in the field; well-known theorists; sources which use primary and secondary sources to support claims)
- Relevant research (materials are pertinent to the area of study)
- In graduate work, the use of peer-reviewed journal articles (journal articles reviewed by recognized experts in the relevant field of study) is required
- Educational websites may be appropriate in some cases but should be evaluated carefully

What sources are not acceptable for academic research and referencing?

- Encyclopedias
- Dictionaries
- Wikipedia, other wikis, or blogs
- Websites and other sources that do not provide quality researched materials (the site does not use credible sources to support the information in the document)

All research must reflect professional academic protocol and be documented according to APA standards."

Here is a screenshot of this wording in your classroom:

How do I find acceptable sources?

There are a lot of fantastic sources for most topics in the library that are appropriate for college-level research.

If you need help finding sources that are appropriate for your classes, do not hesitate to reach out to us. We love helping students. You can access library help through 24/7 Library tutoring, during our phone hours, or via email. Our information is in the top right corner of the library home page.

library contact information on the library homepage.