More medical researchers are citing Wikipedia
Posted March 13, 2014 9:20 am.
This article is more than 5 years old.
VANCOUVER (NEWS1130) – How often do you turn to Google to find health information?
Most doctors don’t recommend we look up our ailments on the Internet. But a new study finds Wikipedia is being referenced more often by medical researchers.
The study, published in the British Medical Journal, looked at references to Wikipedia in academic health sciences articles since the site launched in 2001.
University of Ottawa researchers found a couple of thousand citations of the online encyclopedia; most are from after December 2010, and the practice is on the rise.
Researchers say the apparent spike suggests reviewers, authors and editors don’t fully understand how the site even works — that anyone can edit an entry.
They say so far, referencing Wikipedia isn’t too common, but it’s becoming more of a trend, and the potential for spreading misinformation from an unverified source could affect patient care.
Researchers add using an unverified source goes against the principles of scientific methodology. They suggest reviewers and editors insist that primary sources be cited where possible.
