Wikipedia is an online encyclopaedia that anyone can edit which is translated into the most common languages spoken around the world.
It can therefore be a useful source of background information on a specific topic for students, but it is not always considered a reliable source by academics for academic writing.
How reliable is Wikipedia for Students?
As a free online encyclopaedia that anyone can edit and contribute to, we must ask how reliable Wikipedia really is as a source of information.
Can we trust what we read on Wikipedia?
How can we evaluate the quality and accuracy of Wikipedia information in articles?
Because as a student, it is your responsibility to ensure that the sources you cite in your assignments and academic work are trustworthy. If they are not, your marks could be affected and with that, your overall academic performance.
It is of course very convenient to use Wikipedia. But its reliability depends on various factors, such as the topic, the language, the number and quality of editors, the sources cited within a Wikipedia article, and the policies and guidelines followed by the Wikipedia community.
So, to answer the question of Wikipedia’s reliability better, let’s look at its pros and cons.
Advantages of Wikipedia as a source in academic writing
- It covers a wide range of topics, from science and history to culture and entertainment, and often provides more comprehensive and up-to-date information than traditional encyclopaedias.
- It is accessible to anyone with an internet connection and allows users to search for information in different languages and formats.
- It is transparent about its editing process and allows users to view the history, discussion, and sources of each article.
- It is collaborative and democratic and encourages users to participate in creating and improving content based on consensus and verifiability.
Disadvantages of Wikipedia as a source in academic writing
- It is vulnerable to vandalism, bias, errors, and misinformation, as anyone can edit it at any time, and some information may be unverified, incomplete, or inaccurate and not correctly fact-checked by Wikipedia editors.
- It is inconsistent in quality and style, as different articles may vary in length, depth, tone, perspective, and citation standards.
- It is not a primary or original source of information, but rather a secondary or tertiary source that summarizes and synthesizes information from other sources.
- It is not a peer-reviewed or scholarly source of information, but rather a user-generated and user-edited source that may not reflect the latest or most authoritative research or opinions provided by experts in the relevant field/sector.
Perhaps it is now clearer why Wikipedia should not be used as a sole or definitive source of information, but rather as a starting point or a supplement to other more reliable sources.
What to check before citing Wikipedia in academic writing?
Students should always check the reliability and credibility of Wikipedia articles by:
- Looking at the references and external links provided at the end of each article and verifying them through other, ideally original sources.
- Looking at the talk page and history page of each article, and evaluating the quality and quantity of edits, comments, disputes, and revisions.
- Looking at the banner messages and tags displayed at the top or bottom of each article and noting any issues or warnings about the content or quality of the article.
- Looking at the rating system used by some Wikipedia projects to assess the quality and importance of articles within a specific topic or field.
Wikipedia is not a reliable source by itself, as Wikipedia demonstrates, and students should always use critical thinking and independent research skills when using Wikipedia if they decide to cite it as a source.
However, as a student you should not rely on Wikipedia without verification or confirmation from other sources, so you could potentially use Wikipedia to find original sources for further reading.
How to cite Wikipedia as a source in academic writing?
If students decide to cite a Wikipedia article in their academic writing, they should follow some guidelines depending on the citation style they are using.
Discover how to cite Wikipedia in APA, MLA, and Chicago styles, the most common academic citation styles.
1. How to cite Wikipedia in APA style
APA style is a common citation style used in the social sciences.
To cite a Wikipedia article in APA style, you need to include the following elements:
– Title of the article (in sentence case)
– Date of last update
– Name of the website (Wikipedia)
– URL of the archived version of the article
The format for the reference list entry is:
Article title. (Year, Month Day). In Wikipedia. URL.
For example:
Statistical hypothesis testing. (2022, May 28). In Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Statistical_hypothesis_testing&oldid=1090223185
The in-text citation includes the title of the article (in title case) and the year of last update.
For example:
(Statistical Hypothesis Testing, 2022)
APA style recommends linking to a specific archived version of the Wikipedia article so that the reader can access the same version you used. You can find the archived version by clicking on the “View history” tab at the top of the article and selecting the latest revision.
You can find more APA style examples here.
2. How to cite Wikipedia in MLA style
MLA style is a common citation style used in the humanities. To cite a Wikipedia article in MLA style, you need to include the following elements:
– Title of the article (in quotation marks and headline case)
– Name of the website (Wikipedia)
– Name of the publisher (Wikimedia Foundation)
– Date of last update
– URL of the article
The format for the works cited entry is:
“Article Title.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, Date of last update, URL.
For example:
“Statistical Hypothesis Testing.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 28 May 2022, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Statistical_hypothesis_testing.
The in-text citation includes the title of the article (in quotation marks and headline case). For example:
(“Statistical Hypothesis Testing”)
The date of the last update can be found at the bottom of the article (“This page was last edited on…”).
You can find further guidance here.
3. How to cite Wikipedia in Chicago style
Chicago style is a common citation style used in history and other disciplines.
The most used version is notes and a bibliography.
To cite a Wikipedia article in Chicago style, you need to follow different guidelines depending on which version you are using.
Use footnotes or endnotes to cite sources, and a bibliography at the end of your paper to list all your sources alphabetically.
To cite a Wikipedia article in notes and bibliography style, you need to include the following elements:
– Title of the article (in quotation marks and headline case)
– Name of the website (Wikipedia)
– Date of last update
– URL of the archived version of the article
The format for the footnote or endnote is:
“Article Title,” Wikipedia, last modified Date, URL.
For example:
“Statistical Hypothesis Testing,” Wikipedia, last modified May 28, 2022, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Statistical_hypothesis_testing&oldid=1090223185.
The format for the bibliography entry is:
“Article Title.” Wikipedia. Last Modified Date. URL.
For example:
“Statistical Hypothesis Testing.” Wikipedia. Last modified May 28, 2022. https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Statistical_hypothesis_testing&oldid=1090223185.
Chicago style recommends linking to a specific archived version of the Wikipedia article as well. You can find it by following the same steps as in the APA style.
Find further guidance here.
Hopefully, the above tips and considerations will lead to students avoiding mistakes in academic writing and creating high-quality papers with reliable and checked sources cited correctly for the best transparency. We recommend using Wikipedia with caution and rather research the sources added in Wikipedia articles to ensure they provide the information that students want to share in their papers to support their arguments.
Knowledge assessment is a process that helps teachers see how well students have learned and retained the material and compare their performance with learning objectives. It shows whether students can understand and apply the information they’ve been taught.
Multiple-choice, true, or false, fill-in-the-blank questions… Simple and proven, quizzes are a mainstay of assessment. Many teachers love using them online as well because quizzes are:
Although role-plays are less common than quizzes, they are becoming increasingly popular among teachers. They aim to authentically replicate a given environment or challenge, giving students the opportunity to train for real-life situations.
Such assignments push your students to think critically and apply the cognitive skills needed to respond in their own words. Essays and open-ended questions have two main benefits:
The next level method after open-ended questions is discussion. They help students think more deeply, find different perspectives on a topic, and make connections. Teachers have many ways to facilitate student discussions online.
According to the 
Regardless of which method of student assessment you choose, it’s important to remember these key principles:
If the topic is quite complicated or the test shows poor results, conduct a non-graded survey to find out what caused the difficulties and how to improve the content or teaching methods.
Cybersecurity threats come in various forms and are continually evolving. It is essential to teach children about these threats to enable them to identify and avoid them.
Cybersecurity education should involve teaching children the skills needed to protect themselves online. Some of the essential cybersecurity skills include:
In addition to teaching children about cybersecurity, creating a cyber-safe environment is essential. This involves setting rules and guidelines for using technology and the internet. Parents and teachers can establish guidelines on when and how children can use technology, what websites and apps they can access, and how to communicate safely online.
There are a few different ways to finance a school minibus, and you need to work out which will be the best for you and your school. If you rarely use a vehicle, hiring one may be a better solution for ad-hoc travel plans. If you have a school minibus in your fleet, however, you a much more likely to find new uses for one that can often help add to your curriculum or service a school sports team.
Whichever model of school minibus you choose it needs to be reliable. A breakdown on a motorway or in a car park can be a stressful experience, but it is even more stressful with a classroom full of kids on board. Minibuses are a lot like cars, older ones are more likely to have reliability problems. Modern minibuses are much more reliable, and their engines will have fewer issues and cheaper maintenance costs. Spending a little more on a newer vehicle will save your school money in the long run.
The most important features of a school minibus are the safety features. These features help to protect the children during a journey, and you and your school have a duty of care to uphold. Seatbelts for every child are an obvious safety feature, and every minibus should have a seatbelt for every seat. If your minibus requires a special seating configuration, make sure this will not affect the availability of seatbelts.
Seating on a school minibus is very important. There needs to be a full seat with a seatbelt for every child, and the adults that are along for the ride. If you have students that are wheelchair users or have mobility problems, you need to ensure there is a space for them too. That space may need to have mounting points for a wheelchair to be secured to the vehicle during a journey.
Many people can drive a school minibus with a standard UK driving licence. Make sure you 
As with any job, there is no substitute for experience. Knowledge of the real working role will change the way you react and deal with things and shape you as a teacher. It helps you develop and nurture the key skills needed to succeed and gives you a crucial understanding of the role and its requirements.
Education is a relationship-based profession. Everything you do involves the building, maintenance, and development of relationships, from students to other professionals. They permeate throughout a school and those who progress successfully are often those who learn to develop, cultivate, and utilize those relationships in positive and powerful ways.
Working with a recruitment agency will help save time and put you ahead of the pack in an often highly competitive industry. They will use their skills and extensive networks to find the perfect role for you with the requirements you are looking for. Their knowledge is invaluable, and they offer fantastic support throughout your job search, from tailoring your CV to helping you showcase any nonprofessional experience.
The education sector never sits still and there are always changes being made. Whether it’s new ways to teach, advances in technology, new syllabuses, or something else, you should always be on the front foot and up to date with any changes. Those who can adapt rapidly and are 
Your skills and experience are both integral to your career progression, but it’s not the only thing that matters. Your personality, determination, and work rate will all impact the level you reach and how quickly. Work hard, stay focused and develop your skills and you will achieve your teaching career goals. Remember, your natural characteristics and personality will often open doors in your career when your skill sets are equally matched.
One of the reasons why 
If you are tasked with teaching a class online, you need to be consistent. You need to get there on time so you’re ready to teach, you need to have a good lesson play, ideally with a starter to get people’s minds working, and you’ll need to work to a set routine.
This might sound strange, but reminding your students to eat healthy, energy-giving snacks and drink plenty of water throughout the day can make a big difference. It’s easy to forget to do these things or put them off until later when you’re busy with school or college work.
Your students wouldn’t have their phones or tablets with them in a traditional classroom (or at the very least, they wouldn’t be constantly looking at them – or looking at them at all), so you could make it a rule that they shouldn’t look at their devices while they are in class with you. Although they might think they can quickly check Instagram or TikTok, if they are in class, they’re meant to be listening to what you’re saying or carrying out work you’ve asked them to do.
It can be hard to teach online because of a more distant kind of interaction with your students. Because of this, you might not notice if someone is distracted or seemingly worried about something.
The world is becoming globalized. And the traditional approach to schooling is becoming increasingly inadequate to meet the needs of students around the world.
Different students, naturally, have different learning styles, schedules, and goals. Constraining the students to a single location, fixed timetable, and defined curriculum can limit their educational potential.
With large migrations across Europe and Asia, schools look more diverse than ever. It’s estimated that in high-income countries,
Students in remote areas have had problems accessing quality education all throughout history. With no need to commute from one place to another, 
According to
Most people without a disability don’t think about the considerations a disabled person has to make when choosing a business to fulfill their needs. Those with wheelchairs and reduced mobility will tend to opt for those with the most accessible parking spaces. This applies to everything from shops and cinemas to law firms and accountants. Parking in a busy town or city can be difficult for anyone, but for people with disabilities, it is often a dealbreaker.
Those with mobility impairments must be able to get around easily, both outside and inside your store or offices. Ensure all pathways are wide enough for wheelchairs, crutches, guide dogs, or human assistants.
There are far too many trendy stores and restaurants that attempt to create an atmosphere by keeping the lighting as low as possible. For many consumers, this is a minor annoyance, but for people with vision impairments or reduced mobility, it can be a real danger.
A lot of businesses play loud music at all times of the day, but this can be incredibly distressing for those who are hard of hearing. It makes it far more difficult for them to have a conversation or get help from a member of staff.
If you own a shop, you want disabled people to be able to reach the products they need without help. High shelves are a major inconvenience for those in wheelchairs, little people, and others who may have trouble seeing or reaching the products on display. Generally, anything above four feet off the ground is not going to be accessible for many people.
Navigating public toilets can be difficult for disabled people, especially if they are in an unfamiliar building or location and don’t know what the facilities are like. Some disabilities mean an individual will need to use the toilet more often than most, so it’s important you have accessible bathrooms to cater to the disabled.
Some members of your staff may not know people with disabilities or be aware of the challenges they face. Although they no doubt mean well, this may make it difficult for them to provide the service a disabled person may need. It’s possible they may display signs of ableism – whether intentional or not – that can make someone with a disability feel unwelcome and insulted.
When thinking about accessibility, most business owners don’t consider the importance of their company website. But using the internet is a challenge for many disabled people, especially those with vision impairments, reduced motor function, or learning difficulties like dyslexia.
It’s not only important that your business is inclusive to its customers, but also to its employees. There’s a high chance that one or more of your staff have a disability, so as an employer, you must be sensitive to that fact. It is your responsibility as an employer to cultivate a work environment that is transparent, positive, and inclusive.
1. Better Physical Health
Standing desks can help to improve students’ and educators’ physical health by reducing the amount of time they spend sitting in one position. This can help to reduce the risk of developing poor posture, back pain, and other health problems associated with prolonged sitting.
Standing desks can help to improve student and educator focus by allowing them to move around and change positions throughout the day. This can help to reduce fatigue and increase engagement in the classroom.
Standing desks can help to improve students’ and educators’ posture by encouraging them to stand upright and maintain good posture while at school. This can help to reduce the risk of developing poor posture, which can lead to a variety of health problems.
Standing desks can help to increase student and educator productivity by encouraging physical activity which stimulates the mind and brain activity. Engaging in theoretical activities combined with physical movement activates muscle memory as well.
Standing desks can help to increase energy levels in the classroom by allowing students and educators to move around and get their blood circulating. This can help to keep students alert and focused, leading to better learning outcomes.
Standing up when answering questions, 
Football training can start at the age of 4. As a parent, you must focus on your child’s training, exercise, and nutrition.
Once you have tested the waters with football schools and think your child has what it takes, send them to a high-performance football boarding school.
Once your child has the training needed, it’s time to test their abilities on the field.
Football is a team sport, so if you want to play and learn the game, you must join a team.
It is a good idea to put together a CV listing your:
Football, like many other professions, places a strong emphasis on networking. An agent can help you make contacts within the industry.
A prospective footballer’s club trial might be one of the most important moments in their career.
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The perfect job for football fanatics.
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