I’m personally quite pleased at the result of this scholarly study published in the peer-reviewed journal First Monday.

It finds that while Wikipedia is indeed used by the majority of college/university students, its use is restricted to only the beginning and very beginning of the research stage, and only for initial information. I know, in the past, I’ve read studies purporting the high use of Wikipedia among post-secondary studies with fear and trepidation. Are people really relying on an online encyclopedia that anybody can edit for their research? It was a bit unnerving. But, thanks to some deeper digging, the results are far more soothing.

And it’s true, if you think about it. Personally, I used Wikipedia for every term paper I ever wrote but at the most basic level—and that’s what this study shows. You hit the lowest common denominator, Wikipedia, to get just the basic facts. You know that they’re possibly riddled with inaccuracies and bias but you get the basics, you get a jumping off point, and then hit the hard stuff from there. It makes sense, and it’s good research methods. Of course, if the article you’re reading is wholly inaccurate than perhaps your jumping point might not give you the best footing but other studies have shown that, on the whole, Wikipedia is pretty accurate after all.