Where would you be without Wikipedia?

[FutureeMD]

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I just thought it would be fun if we could all imagine ourselves without wikipedia.

Imagine those lectures when the professor goes on and on about nothing, and wikipedia breaks it down for you in a jiffy.

Now, before we start getting all the "wikipedia can be sometimes wrong posts"...save it. We know already.

Alright people, lets have some clean, fun posts.

 

[45408]

Wait until you get to a med school PBL, and everyone else cites the 12 exact same facts you had written down for that topic, because you were all too lazy to look it up in a textbook.

 

[Drogba]

Man, wikipedia defines our generation. We are Generation W.

 

[154465]

I would have interviews. Instead of studying I waste my time reading random crap on wikipedia. I take no responsibility for my actions.

 

[GoldShadow]

I love wikipedia. If I don't know a word or term or something, a quick search and I'm on my way again!

Also great for research projects/papers; not to use as a primary source or to cite. But it provides good background information that serves as a jumping point that can direct your research to more credible and citable sources.

 

[FutureeMD]

I love the fact that both Wikipedia and Google are now verbs in our generation.

 

[Thurinus]

I love the fact that both Wikipedia and Google are now verbs in our generation.

I know but it's sad when you think about it.

 

[Quix]

Wikipedia sucks ass academically. It's fine for pop culture stuff (I use it to get caught up on TV shows that I miss).

 

[Drogba]

Ok I guess it's time to come clean. I single handedly wrote every article on wikipedia. Sorry if I'm not an expert in every field in the world. Jesus.

 

[skyeblue0610]

I love the fact that both Wikipedia and Google are now verbs in our generation.

And youtube. I hear people saying "youtube it" all day. Sad. Wikipedia is fun for shooting the breeze but it wastes time from studying. Just like myspace and facebook

 

[Bacchus]

I'd probably be pantless, drinking a bottle of Jack, lying in a gutter somewhere on the streets of Philadelphia.

 

[45408]

Wikipedia sucks ass academically. It's fine for pop culture stuff (I use it to get caught up on TV shows that I miss).

Well, I still think it depends on what you're looking up. If it's material that you intend to cite in a paper, then yes, it sucks, but if you didn't know anything about this philosophical principle or that cellular process or that species of isopod, it's excellent.

 

[DoctorDreamer]

Well, I never would've finished an OChem lab report, that's for sure. 🙂

 

[Drogba]

I'd probably be pantless, drinking a bottle of Jack, lying in a gutter somewhere on the streets of Philadelphia.

Wow, wikipedia saved your life.

 

[Bacchus]

Wow, wikipedia saved your life.

Yeah. After typing that I realized that's almost an entirely accurate description of the homeless guy that opens the door for you at Wendy's in center city near 15th street. He has pants though.

 

[osli]

I'd probably be.... about the same place I am now. I guess I have yet to be sucked into the wikihole. I've certainly gone there a few times for a quick explanation of something, but I still tend to "google it" much more often than I "wiki it." I think I like the variety that goolging presents... for most things you get op-eds, some original research, some class notes, a satire, somewhere you can buy it if for sale, half a dozen discussion forums/threads about it, a dozen blogs on it, book references, and perhaps a schizophrenic's abstract painting of it. Whatever "it" is, of course.

 

[nick_carraway]

I forgot everything that I learned in college. The wiki lets me pretend that I haven't.

The mechanism of action for drugs of addiction at the substantia nigra? Just one second...

 

[Quix]

Well, I still think it depends on what you're looking up. If it's material that you intend to cite in a paper, then yes, it sucks, but if you didn't know anything about this philosophical principle or that cellular process or that species of isopod, it's excellent.

Yeah, that's not a given. 😉

I went through the entry on Aristotle a few months ago and found 25+ errors; I can spot them, but an unknowing undergrad can't. The problem is that my students use it as a primary source, and don't check it against other sources.

 

[Bacchus]

I'd probably be.... about the same place I am now. I guess I have yet to be sucked into the wikihole. I've certainly gone there a few times for a quick explanation of something, but I still tend to "google it" much more often than I "wiki it." I think I like the variety that goolging presents... for most things you get op-eds, some original research, some class notes, a satire, somewhere you can buy it if for sale, half a dozen discussion forums/threads about it, a dozen blogs on it, book references, and perhaps a schizophrenic's abstract painting of it. Whatever "it" is, of course.

And Wiki is usually the #1 hit.

 

[Drogba]

Yeah. After typing that I realized that's almost an entirely accurate description of the homeless guy that opens the door for you at Wendy's in center city near 15th street. He has pants though.

He used to have pants. Now I have pants. Pants ownership is a zero sum game in Philadelphia.

 

[FutureeMD]

Yea. like most people already stated...you don't Wikipedia something you plan to cite in a report. You read up on stuff you never heard before, but you still need them for quick reviews. However, you might wanna brace yourself or else you'll get easily carried away and you start reading about Henry IV, instead of doing P-Chem homework.

 

[Bacchus]

Yea. like most people already stated...you don't Wikipedia something you plan to cite in a report. You read up on stuff you never heard before, but you still need them for quick reviews. However, you might wanna brace yourself or else you'll get easily carried away and you start reading about Henry IV, instead of doing P-Chem homework.

I'm doing steady-state approximations right now and all my reactions are coming out 1 order less than they should be, fun fun right?

 

[Disinence2]

Wikipedia is getting me through medical school, I'm a proud member of the related facebook group.

Wiki is great for P-chem and biochem as most people who would actually consider writing an article about them know what there talking about.

Wiki for anatomy is sketchy at best, and is not to be trusted.

 

[FutureeMD]

I'm doing steady-state approximations right now and all my reactions are coming out 1 order less than they should be, fun fun right?

I say good luck to you my friend...IMHO, P-chem is the devil's work...but then again...you can always "wiki" it. lol

 

[Bacchus]

I say good luck to you my friend...IMHO, P-chem is the devil's work...but then again...you can always "wiki" it. lol

Our final is Thursday, but then I have my microbio final the following day. Microbio is more important, but I have do spectacularly in pchem, decisions decisions.

 

[Thurinus]

Yeah, that's not a given. 😉

I went through the entry on Aristotle a few months ago and found 25+ errors; I can spot them, but an unknowing undergrad can't. The problem is that my students use it as a primary source, and don't check it against other sources.

He-man is a jackass, I agree with Skeletor on that one. And what's with the fur speedo...eww!

 

[nick_carraway]

He-man is a jackass, I agree with Skeletor on that one. And what's with the fur speedo...eww!

Prevents shrinkage. Someone hasn't read the respective Wiki entry.

 

[FutureeMD]

Our final is Thursday, but then I have my microbio final the following day. Microbio is more important, but I have do spectacularly in pchem, decisions decisions.

IMO.....keep doing p-chem.....it's way harder than Microbio

 

[Thurinus]

Prevents shrinkage. Someone hasn't read the respective Wiki entry.

Sweet, very sweet.

 

[Quix]

To be fair, I did use Wikipedia to get caught up on season three of Battlestar Galactica.

 

[nick_carraway]

To be fair, I did use Wikipedia to get caught up on season three of Battlestar Galactica.

I wish I never started watching the DVDs. Out of sheer desperation after I finished Season 2.5, I had to download Season 3. Personally Season 3 didn't seem very good, but it could've been due to the terrible video quality I had to endure.

BSG: Razor was awesome, though. Highly recommended.

 

[Quix]

I wish I never started watching the DVDs. Out of sheer desperation after I finished Season 2.5, I had to download Season 3. Personally Season 3 didn't seem very good, but it could've been due to the terrible video quality I had to endure.

BSG: Razor was awesome, though. Highly recommended.

Have it, watched it, several times with and without the commentary.

 

[sunnyskies]

Well, if we didn't have Wikipedia, I would have been at the bar last week. Instead, I had to write a wikipedia article. =(

 

[nhtreehugger]

Yeah, that's not a given. 😉

I went through the entry on Aristotle a few months ago and found 25+ errors; I can spot them, but an unknowing undergrad can't. The problem is that my students use it as a primary source, and don't check it against other sources.

There are schools that let students list wikipedia as references? 😕

 

[Quix]

There are schools that let students list wikipedia as references? 😕

Not to my knowledge. I tell my kids that they can't use it (or about.com, or other such sites, repeatedly, throughout the semester), but they still use them, and then complain when they get lower grades.

 

[Drogba]

Not to my knowledge. I tell my kids that they can't use it (or about.com, or other such sites, repeatedly, throughout the semester), but they still use them, and then complain when they get lower grades.

about.com is so last millenium. they fail on two counts if they use that as a source.

 

[scotties123]

if i didnt have wikipedia id have to resort to changing definitions on urbandictionary.com, and that my friend would be a terrible world to live in.

 

[45408]

Yeah, that's not a given. 😉

I went through the entry on Aristotle a few months ago and found 25+ errors; I can spot them, but an unknowing undergrad can't. The problem is that my students use it as a primary source, and don't check it against other sources.

For the casual user, such as myself, those errors probably don't make that much of a difference. 😉 If your students use it as a primary source, they're idiots. If I used Wikipedia to look something up, I'd then look up the references below and find the information there and use that as my actual source.

 

[JaggerPlate]

It's great for some things, bad for others. I would never cite it, but general facts; it's amazing. Sometimes I think it teaches me more than college.

 

[wisconsindoctor]

I love the fact that both Wikipedia and Google are now verbs in our generation.

I hear there is a game called "the wiki game." I don't see the point in that game, but whatever. Other words used in today's youth is: 1) I will Facebook you, or Facebook me letting me know, 2) Youtube it, 3) Google it, 4) and MySpace.

I just don't get how people can get so wraped up in these social websites. Has the American society become so desperate for our 15 mintues of fame?

 

[Sora]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/15_minutes_of_fame

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_society

 

[0Complications]

Not to my knowledge. I tell my kids that they can't use it (or about.com, or other such sites, repeatedly, throughout the semester), but they still use them, and then complain when they get lower grades.

I agree with you. I think Wikipedia is full of flaws, but it definitely serves a purpose. I think Prowler is using it in a more conservative manner, but many students site it as a definitive source which is just ridiculous.

For the casual user, such as myself, those errors probably don't make that much of a difference. 😉 If your students use it as a primary source, they're idiots. If I used Wikipedia to look something up, I'd then look up the references below and find the information there and use that as my actual source.

Have you tried google scholar to find sources? It's a great resource that can give you a number of great review articles. It's a little broader than a ScienceDirect and most universities have subscriptions to the major journals/databases so you will get a link that asks you to pull up the copies available to you (I don't think it works remotely though, so you have to be on the schools network).

 

[CTtarheel]

I'd be failing medical school for sure.

Plus, I can't count the number of times in my few clinical experiences i've seen MDs go to the computer then google-->wikipedia something.

But in all honesty, use wikipedia to find the answer, but make sure you back it up with something reputable (emedicine, UTD, etc.)

 

[RandomBlackManX]

Wikipedia has saved my a** a million times over - even with MCAT studying. I don't know where I would be without wikipedia haha. I should probably donate to their cause because they truly deserve the money.

 

[Aynsl156]

Have you tried google scholar to find sources? It's a great resource that can give you a number of great review articles. It's a little broader than a ScienceDirect and most universities have subscriptions to the major journals/databases so you will get a link that asks you to pull up the copies available to you (I don't think it works remotely though, so you have to be on the schools network).

I find that pubmed's still better than Google scholar, but then again I only biology articles. I do like the "list papers citing this paper" function on google scholar.

 

[FutureeMD]

I move to have Google, Wikipedia, Facebook, and Myspace accepted has verbs into the english language.
Who's with me?

 

[el aye]

I move to have Google, Wikipedia, Facebook, and Myspace accepted has verbs into the english language.
Who's with me?

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/google

 

[pakbabydoll]

My high school diploma should say thanks to WIKIPEDIA! wiki rocks 😍

 

[bluesTank]

Here is an excerpt from a paper I was reading for one of my classes. It is a review article from a real accredited journal. Check out the citation:

 

[andrewattheU]

I know but it's sad when you think about it.

why is that sad, the english language has incorporated new words and verbs all the time. If you look at some really old english you can not even understand our own language because over time it has changed with the changing times