Thing 17 and Thing 18: Wikis and Wikipedia

I tend to keep a close eye on the Oxford Web 2.0 and Re@lSpace wikis, but I've previously been a little shy when it comes to contributing. I don't think I've quite turned the corner, but I have edited the EFL's Web 2.0 page to include Flickr. It's a start! It's easy to edit, so it's easy to fix any mistakes (which I believe is what has put me off in the past). I'm sure I'll be back to update as we continue to try new (and improve 'old') Web 2.0 things at the EFL.



Wikipedia is a resource that I'm sure I have begun to take for granted. I generally view it with the same healthy scepticism as I do other sources of information - though I wouldn't cite it and I would seek verification from something authoritative for any important information requirements. For me, though, Wikipedia usefully fills an information gap - it tends to give me instant answers that are usually right to questions that I don't *need* answering. I don't tend to contribute, but the people I know who do tend towards the fastidious or the mischievous in equal measure. Perhaps looking at the editing history of an entry would help me decide whether or not it is to be trusted - that's something I'll explore further. What worries me most is students citing it without realising why they shouldn't; they don't seem to understand the distinction, for all that we (and, presumably, their tutors) try to explain the importance of authoritative sources.