Wikipedia: Why is the common knowledge resource still neglected by academics?

Area of Science:

• Academic research and online encyclopedias.
• Information science and scholarly communication.

Background:

• Wikipedia is the largest online encyclopedia, often containing errors comparable to professional sources.
• The academic community views Wikipedia with skepticism due to inaccuracies, plagiarism, and historical biases.

Purpose of the Study:

• To challenge the academic skepticism towards Wikipedia.
• To advocate for the acceptance and promotion of Wikipedia in academic settings.

Main Methods:

• Comparative analysis of error rates between Wikipedia and professional sources.
• Review of academic attitudes and biases towards Wikipedia.

Main Results:

• Wikipedia's error rates are comparable to professional sources, even in specialized fields like biology and medicine.
• Academic skepticism stems from specific inaccuracy types, plagiarism concerns, and a reluctance to cede knowledge dissemination control.

Conclusions:

• It is time to acknowledge Wikipedia's informational quality.
• Academia should actively promote the use and development of Wikipedia.