Is Wikipedia a credible source?

Wikipedia is not generally considered a credible source on its own. This is because Wikipedia is an open-access platform that anyone can edit at any time. Thus, while Wikipedia can be helpful when just starting out in your research, it should not be cited among your sources in your final paper.

However, you can use the references cited in Wikipedia articles to access the research materials the articles are based on. If a Wikipedia article cites academic sources such as journal articles, go directly to these sources to perform more in-depth research. These sources can be used to support your paper.

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Why is information literacy important?

Strong academic research requires engagement with information from other researchers, but this is only valid when the sources used are accurate. Online information and published articles may exhibit bias, lack credibility, or lack evidence to support their claims.

Information literacy denotes the range of skills you need to be able to decipher the credibility of a source. Information literacy and critical thinking are fundamental to academic research and responsible media consumption more broadly. It is also essential to compare and contrast sources.

QuillBot offers a free notepad online that can help you keep track of your notes and all the sources you consult.

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When do I need to cite sources?

You should always include a citation for the sources you use to support any academic text.

In-text citations must accompany any material that is quoted, paraphrased, or summarized. The in-text citation should direct the reader to the full reference entry in the references list or bibliography.

The format of your citations and reference entries is determined by the citation style you are using (e.g., MLA, APA, Chicago).

Quillbot’s Citation Generator can help you to create and manage your citations throughout the research process.

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What makes a source credible?

Sources can be vetted using the CRAAP test as well as checked for the following points to ensure credibility:

  • Updated information
  • Trustworthy publisher and author with relevant credentials for the topic
  • Cited materials should be able to be consulted and unbiased
  • Online sources should have a trustworthy URL and layout

Quillbot’s Citation Generator tool can help you to create and manage your citations throughout the research process. Additionally, you can use our Notepad tool to take online notes and keep track of relevant source information.

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Is a newspaper article a primary or secondary source?

Newspaper and magazine articles can function as primary or secondary sources depending on how you use them for your research.

In a historical study, for example, you might use contemporary newspaper articles as direct evidence of the time period. In social and communication studies, you might examine the language or content of an article to glean insights into the particular phenomenon under study (e.g., through a content analysis or discourse analysis).

If you are using an article to furnish background information or facts about the topic, the article functions as a secondary source.

Any articles you use should be cited appropriately and included in your references list. You can use QuillBot’s Citation Generator to automatically generate citations for all types of sources.

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Is a biography a primary source?

Biographies are generally secondary sources as they present information about the life of someone else. The author will likely consult primary sources to compose the biography, such as personal letters, archival records (e.g., birth registries), or diaries. In contrast, an autobiography is a primary source as it is a firsthand account of one’s own life.

However, if you are researching the ways in which a particular figure’s life has been represented, then biographies written about the person would function as primary sources.

Any time a biography or other source is used, it must be accompanied by a citation and reference entry to avoid plagiarism. You can use QuillBot’s Citation Generator to automatically generate citations for all types of sources.

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How can you tell if a source is primary or secondary?

To evaluate whether a source is a primary or secondary source, ask the following questions:

  • Is the source from someone who participated in the studied event (primary) or from another researcher (secondary)?
  • Am I examining the source itself (primary) as my main research objective, or is it supplying background information?
  • Does the source give novel information or data (primary), or is it commenting on, interpreting, and or analyzing information from other sources (secondary)?

Some sources generally always serve as primary sources. These include artworks and literature, raw statistics, official documents and records, and personal communications such as journal entries or interviews.

Primary sources are generally considered the most credible evidence to use to support an argument because they are directly involved with the research subject. However, you should still vet these sources for reliability and accuracy.

All sources you use must be accompanied by a citation to avoid plagiarism. You can use QuillBot’s Citation Generator to automatically generate citations for all types of sources.

Continue reading: How can you tell if a source is primary or secondary?