Wikipedia is an online encyclopedia that is written
collaboratively by volunteers from all around the world. This
encyclopedia contains articles on all sorts of topics,
and links within the articles guide readers to related pages.
Wikipedia is constantly evolving, and the article you read today
may not contain the same information tomorrow.
Wikipedia has three core content policies that dictate how and what kinds of information should be presented in the articles:
- Neutral Point of View: The content of Wikipedia should represent all views fairly and without bias. While articles should contain all points of view on the subject, the article should not deem one point of view better than another.
- No Original Research: "Original research" is material for which no reliable source can be found, this includes opinions, experiences, speculations or unpublished facts. Wikipedia is not the place to rant about the last election, nor is it the place to report alien abductions. Material included in Wikipedia should be supported and cited by a reliable source.
- Verifiability: Readers should be able to verify that the material contained in Wikipedia comes from a reliable source. Information should contain citations that lead back to reliable published research. Information that cannot be backed up by a reliable source should not be included in the articles (nor should it be included in your term papers!).
Articles that adhere to these policies often contain very good, trustworthy information. Articles that lack verifiability and neutral points of view should be taken with a grain of salt, and you should look elsewhere for better quality information.