> Wikipedia accuracy trap

thekohser

I just read an interesting comment on Yahoo! Answers, in reply to a question about Wikipedia's reputation for poor accuracy:

QUOTE

A couple of years ago I took a history class. I got some of my info from Wikipedia, so did like half the class. When the teacher went over the exam answers, he revealed that he had deliberately planted false info into Wikipedia, to see how many people would fall into the trap. He also said: "If you want to pass this class, take the wrapping off your textbooks and read them."

I barely got a C- in that class. Without the professor's stunt, I think I could've gotten a solid B+.

Maybe his misinformation isn't in Wikipedia anymore. But it was there long enough for quite a few people to fall into his trap. Most college instructors are too old to even know how to pull off that stunt, but most of the time, you will never get to meet your prankster and have him confess what he did.

What an excellent idea! Every college professor should try this technique, complete with fake but reliable-looking reference citation.

The Joy

QUOTE(thekohser @ Fri 24th June 2011, 8:37am)

I just read an interesting comment on Yahoo! Answers, in reply to a question about Wikipedia's reputation for poor accuracy:

QUOTE

A couple of years ago I took a history class. I got some of my info from Wikipedia, so did like half the class. When the teacher went over the exam answers, he revealed that he had deliberately planted false info into Wikipedia, to see how many people would fall into the trap. He also said: "If you want to pass this class, take the wrapping off your textbooks and read them."

I barely got a C- in that class. Without the professor's stunt, I think I could've gotten a solid B+.

Maybe his misinformation isn't in Wikipedia anymore. But it was there long enough for quite a few people to fall into his trap. Most college instructors are too old to even know how to pull off that stunt, but most of the time, you will never get to meet your prankster and have him confess what he did.

What an excellent idea! Every college professor should try this technique, complete with fake but reliable-looking reference citation.

You don't need a professor to do that.

I actually do check references in Wikipedia articles and it seems that most web references I come across do not work, the sites are gone, the sites do not have the information that the article mentions, or (the most common irritating thing I see) the citation leads me to the stupidest and most unreliable websites that no person in their right mind should trust (even if the information is "correct," the source of the information is important!). For whatever reason, print resources are heavily discouraged, but at least I can buy it on Amazon or Inter-library Loan the book and actually corroborate the information.

But it looks illegitimate, so the citations and the information must be true! Oh, you Wikipedia readers will suffer in grad school and in professional work! Beware!

Emperor

That's awesome. A real teacher. This is what education is about.

EricBarbour

It took 10 years for Wikipedia to develop a reputation as a place where students can crib "information".
I wonder how long it'll take for those students to realize that said "information" can't be trusted.
When that happens, the "Wiki-Magic" will finally be gone.

So, go ahead, teachers, post crap! Ha ha ha ha!

KD Tries Again

As an editor, I was looking over an article a few months back dealing with an aspect of American history. Some of the facts were obviously wrong, some strangely worded (and wrong). I pasted a phrase into the search bar and sure enough, chunks of the article were from Wikipedia.

Told the writer to learn her lesson. Hope she does.