Oyez, Oyez, Oyez: If Lawyers Cite WikipediA, Why Shouldn t Students? Paul Barron Director of Library and Archives George C. Marshall Foundation barronpb@marshallfoundation.org All Right Reserved. This presentation may be copied and distributed for nonprofit educational purposes only. October 2013
Objectives of the Presentation Explain why WikipediA results are ranked in the top of most results returned by search engines Highlight what lawyers cite from WikipediA Review WikipediA s recommendations/policy on: Citation Inclusion Undue Weight VAASL 2013 - Libraries as Knowledge Builders 2
Objectives of the Presentation Define the parameters of truth in WikipediA. Review a law librarian s recommendation on WikipediA use. What would General George C. Marshall recommend to students about researching the facts about a topic? VAASL 2013 - Libraries as Knowledge Builders 3
This is not a. lecture. This is a collaborative session to share thoughts, concerns, best practices, and policies on how to address the (habitual) use of WikipediA by students an whether that is a concern for teacher-librarians. VAASL 2013 - Libraries as Knowledge Builders 4
WikipediA Use by Students Wikipedia is a unique and indispensable resource for students; [they] begin their research process with Wikipedia; [it is] their first go-to place." Wikipedia entries provide a simple narrative that gives me a grasp and [that] helps when I have no idea what to do for a research paper. Finding Context: What Today s College Students Say about Conducting Research in the Digital Age Project Information Literacy Progress Report: February 2009 http://www.projectinfolit.org/pdfs/pil_progressreport_2_2009.pdf VAASL 2013 - Libraries as Knowledge Builders 5
Have you seen Bloom s Taxonomy 2013? WikipediA VAASL 2013 - Libraries as Knowledge Builders 6
The sources teachers say students are very likely to use in a typical research assignment: 1. Google or other online search engine (94%) 2. WikipediA or other online encyclopedia (75%) 3. YouTube or other social media sites (52%) 4. Their peers (42%) 8. Online databases (EBSCO, JSTOR, or Grolier) (17%) 9. A research librarian at school or public library (16%) How Teens Do Research in the Digital World http://pewinternet.org/~/media//files/reports/2012/pip_teachersurveyreportwithmethodology110112.pdf VAASL 2013 - Libraries as Knowledge Builders 7
Where Students Go for Unoriginal Work Plagiarism and the Web: A Comparison of Web Sources for Higher and Secondary Education Students VAASL 2013 - Libraries as Knowledge Builders http://tinyurl.com/6pje5tu 8
Why do students believe WikipediA is credible? We have all been trained to trust Google and click on the first result. College students trust Google; they click on the number one abstract most of the time, even when the abstracts are less relevant. How Google Measures Search Quality Datawocky http://tinyurl.com/6mpt4u In Google We Trust: Users Decisions on Rank, Position, and Relevance Laura Granka Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication VAASL 2013 - Libraries as Knowledge Builders 9
Will we next hear? VAASL 2013 - Libraries as Knowledge Builders 10
Why are WikipediA results ranked so highly? QUESTION Do search engines like Google trust Why Search? Just Take Me to WikipediA. WikipediA or some top level domains when determining the ranking of results? VAASL 2013 - Libraries as Knowledge Builders 11
Yes! Google s authority-based algorithm is domain-centric. Google has focused on domain-trusting by pushing to the top of the results massive sites like Wikipedia that couldn t have been created by spammers. The Google Cache Google s New Algorithm: if($domain== WikipediA.org ){$rank=1;} http://tinyurl.com/yv3xo6 VAASL 2013 - Libraries as Knowledge Builders 12
Google Trust If Google see s your site has links from trusted domains such as Wikipedia, or other highly trusted editorial sites your site is more likely to be trusted. Understanding Domain Trust and Authority http://www.seowizz.net/2009/07/understanding-domain-trust-and-authority.html VAASL 2013 - Libraries as Knowledge Builders 13
Links from.edu &.gov Sites = Trust Google places a heavy bias on informational resources;.edu and.gov sites tend to rank higher than others. Google is the best at determining true link quality and places a lot of weight on domain trust levels. Can You Please Them All? http://www.bruceclay.com/blog/archives/2006/08/can_you_please.html VAASL 2013 - Libraries as Knowledge Builders 14
WikipediA An Important Domain http://moz.com/top500 VAASL 2013 - Libraries as Knowledge Builders 15
Citations by the Courts Courts are relying more on Wikipedia. Hundreds of court opinions, including at least one from every federal circuit court, and thousands of law review articles cite Wikipedia. Some opinions have relied on Wikipedia for technical information, although others only turned to the consensus website for background information on minor points. Wikipedia in Court: When and How Citing Wikipedia and Other Consensus Websites is Appropriate St. John's Law Review, Vol. 84, No. 2, 2010; http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=1502759 VAASL 2013 - Libraries as Knowledge Builders 16
Have you read this quote from the founder of WikipediA? For God sake, you re in college; don t cite the encyclopedia. Jimmy Wales Wikipedia Founder Discourages Academic Use of His Creation,The Chronicle of Higher Education http://tinyurl.com/lxhxo VAASL 2013 - Libraries as Knowledge Builders 17
And The site is inherently unreliable. NOTE Jimmy Wales, the creator of Wikipedia, wrote the foreword to the book. Andrew Lih Associate Professor of Journalism and New Media University of Southern California Author of The WikipediA Revolution Wikipedia At 10: Plenty Of Fans, Even Among Critics http://www.npr.org/templates/transcript/transcript.php?storyid=132842208 VAASL 2013 - Libraries as Knowledge Builders 18
And further As a professional researcher, I question the value of using a site like [Wikipedia] when you don't have the basic trust that the information is accurate and up to date, and dependable. Kee Maleskey National Public Radio Reference Librarian WikipediA At 10: Plenty Of Fans, Even Among Critics http://www.npr.org/templates/transcript/transcript.php?storyid=132842208 VAASL 2013 - Libraries as Knowledge Builders 19
If WikipediA cannot be trusted why do lawyers cite it? Lawyers cite legislative facts. A legislative fact is a fact of general social, economic, or scientific relevance that does not change. Legislative facts are not ordinarily specific to the parties in a proceeding. ELTON FITZGERALD ELLIS (Plaintiff Appellee) VERSUS WEASLER ENGINEERING INC; ET AL (Defendants) NUT HUSTLER INC (Defendant Appellant) http://www.ca5.uscourts.gov/opinions%5cpub%5c99/99-30965.cv0.wpd.pdf VAASL 2013 - Libraries as Knowledge Builders 20
Rule 201 of the Federal Rules of Evidence They are established truths, facts or pronouncements that do not change from case to case and do not relate specifically to the...litigants. Aaron Bayer; The National Law Journal, 12-8-203; http://www.wiggin.com/4907 Rule 201. Judicial Notice of Adjudicative Facts http://www.law.cornell.edu/rules/fre/ VAASL 2013 - Libraries as Knowledge Builders 21
Example of a Legislative Fact The classic example of legislative fact may be the use of the social science data relating to the effect of segregation on African-American children in Brown v. Board of Education. The determination that segregation has negative consequences is indisputably factual, but certainly binds nonparties. Saving Stare Decisis: Preclusion, Precedent, and Procedural Due Process BRIGHAM YOUNG UNIVERSITY LAW REVIEW http://lawreview.byu.edu/archives/2010/2/11minzner.fin.pdf VAASL 2013 - Libraries as Knowledge Builders 22
Let s understand WikipediA citation is not only in law journals. Examining the outbound links from Wikipedia to scientific journals: The results show an agreement with the citation pattern seen in the scientific literature with a tendency to cite articles in high-impact journals such as Nature and Science. These results increase confidence in Wikipedia as a good information organizer for science in general. Scientific Citations in Wikipedia http://arxiv.org/pdf/0705.2106/ VAASL 2013 - Libraries as Knowledge Builders 23
Especially with The results show that, while only a small percentage of all articles contained a citation to Wikipedia, it is being cited as a credible information source in articles in major chemistry journals. Citations to Wikipedia in Chemistry Journals: A Preliminary Study http://www.istl.org/11-fall/refereed2.html VAASL 2013 - Libraries as Knowledge Builders 24
But in physics Note that Wikipedia (or any similar online wiki site) does NOT count as a refereed source of citable information and must not be used in any serious physics article, report or assignment, whether technical or not. Why Writing Matters in Physics http://www.svsu.edu/whywritingmatters/physics/ VAASL 2013 - Libraries as Knowledge Builders 25
WikipediA: Risk Disclaimer CITE http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/wikipedia:risk_disclaimer VAASL 2013 - Libraries as Knowledge Builders 26
As with any source, especially one of unknown authorship, be wary and independently verify the accuracy of Wikipedia information. Wikipedia may not be an acceptable source; some teachers may reject Wikipedia-sourced material completely. This is especially true when it is used without corroboration. However, much of the content on Wikipedia is itself referenced, so an alternative is to cite the reliable source rather than the article itself. Wikipedia: Citing WikipediA http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/wikipedia:citing_wikipedia VAASL 2013 - Libraries as Knowledge Builders 27
The caution (continued) We advise special caution when using Wikipedia as a source for research projects. Normal academic usage of Wikipedia and other encyclopedias is for general facts but not as a source. Remember that Wikipedia is a wiki, anyone can edit an article, deleting accurate information or adding false information, which the reader may not recognize. Ibid VAASL 2013 - Libraries as Knowledge Builders 28
Editor Demographics Currently enrolled in school or university? 43 % Yes 57 % No Highest Level of Education 9% - Primary education (elementary, primary, middle school or junior high school) 30 % - Secondary education (high school, A-levels, apprenticeship) 35 % - Tertiary education undergraduate (diploma, associate s degree, bachelor s degree) 18 % - Graduate education (master s) 8% - Graduate education (doctorate) http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e7/wmfstratplansurvey1.png Semi-annual survey of Wikipedia Editors April 2011 http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/10/wp_2011_editor's_survey_-_topline.pdf VAASL 2013 - Libraries as Knowledge Builders 29
Editors and Scholarly Sources The active editors favor recent popular books; older monographs are overlooked. Very few editors have access to or cite scholarly journals. There is a strong bias in favor of free online materials, especially newspapers or magazine topics, even about historical topics. Richard Jensen Military History on the Electronic Frontier: WikipediA Fights the War of 1812 The Journal of Military History, 76 (October 2012): 1165-1182 VAASL 2013 - Libraries as Knowledge Builders 30
Consider This VAASL 2013 - Libraries as Knowledge Builders 31
Wikiillusion Edits by tenured University Professors citing peer reviewed articles get dumped by guys who work in Sherriff s departments. Senior Wikipedia editors look the other way after all, someone has to defend Wikipedia from ideas that might make readers actually think. Anatomy of a Wikillusion Or, how to Rid Yourself of Embarrassing Footnotes in Three Easy Steps http://shake-speares-bible.com/2011/11/05/anatomy-of-a-wikipedia-delusion/ VAASL 2013 - Libraries as Knowledge Builders 32
WikipediA Content by Subject Which of these subject categories would likely be contentious? VAASL 2013 - Libraries as Knowledge Builders 33
Controversial Articles in Language Editions of WikipediA LWWEe - List of World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. employees The most controversial topics in Wikipedia: A multilingual and geographical analysis; http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=2269392 VAASL 2013 - Libraries as Knowledge Builders 34
WikipediA Edit Wars An edit war occurs when editors who disagree about the content of a page repeatedly override each other's contributions. Note that an editor who repeatedly restores his or her preferred version is edit warring, whether or not the edits were justifiable: it is no defense to say but my edits were right, so it wasn't edit warring ". http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/wikipedia:edit_warring VAASL 2013 - Libraries as Knowledge Builders 35
WikipediA s Inclusion Policy An Opinion The threshold for inclusion in Wikipedia is verifiability, not truth. It is not good enough for information to be true, and it is definitely not good enough for you to believe it to be true. Wikipedia values accuracy, but it requires verifiability. Wikipedia: Verifiability, not truth http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/wikipedia:verifiability,_not_truth VAASL 2013 - Libraries as Knowledge Builders 36
WikipediA s Undue Weight: An Opinion If a viewpoint is held by an extremely small minority, it does not belong in Wikipedia regardless of whether it is true or not; and regardless of whether you can prove it or not. Wikipedia: Reliable sources and undue weight http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/wikipedia:reliable_sources_and_undue_weight VAASL 2013 - Libraries as Knowledge Builders 37
Undue Weight = Wikiality On Wikipedia, we can create a reality that we can all agree on -- the reality we just agreed on. Steven Colbert http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=20plhx_jjeo Stop at 1:06 VAASL 2013 - Libraries as Knowledge Builders 38
So what is truth in WikipediA? According to Wikipedia, truth has no single definition about which philosophers and scholars agree." But in practice, Wikipedia's standard for inclusion has become its de facto standard for truth. Wikipedia is the standard of truth that most people are implicitly using when they search Google. On Wikipedia, truth is the consensus view of a subject. VAASL 2013 - Libraries as Knowledge Builders Wikipedia and the Meaning of Truth https://www.technologyreview.com/web/21558/ 39
What are librarians to do? Educate our students about the reliability of WikipediA and why the encyclopedia should not be cited. Discuss WikipediA disclaimers and quotes by WikipediA s founder Jimmy Wales Portaportal category WikipediA s undue weight policy Educate how? Guide them to get the facts and discuss the meanings of verifiability and truth in WikipediA. VAASL 2013 - Libraries as Knowledge Builders 40
Do your students know Only a very small number of the kids are aware that Wikipedia can be edited by any Internet user. The kids assume Wikipedia is a credible source of information and that all entries are accurate. Digital Natives were born after 1980. Understanding Students Who Were 'Born Digital' Interview with the authors of Born Digital (John Palfrey and Urs Gasser) http://www.insidehighered.com/news/2008/10/02/digital VAASL 2013 - Libraries as Knowledge Builders 41
Review the Purposes of Citation Documentary Function of Citation - Identifies the resources that the author examined in developing and writing his work. Access & Verification Function of Citation - Help the reader locate the same resources the author used in developing and writing his work. VAASL 2013 - Libraries as Knowledge Builders 42
Do you remember this query? Why Search? Just Take Me to WikipediA. VAASL 2013 - Libraries as Knowledge Builders 43
Look what happens when more terms are added to a query. No WikipediA results! VAASL 2013 - Libraries as Knowledge Builders 44
This also works "information literacy" -site:en.wikipedia.org There is no space between the minus sign and the word site. VAASL 2013 - Libraries as Knowledge Builders 45
Farewell WikipediA Results! VAASL 2013 - Libraries as Knowledge Builders 46
This works too to eliminate WikipediA results. "information literacy" AND site:org -site:en.wikipedia.org This search returns all.org sites but not en.wikipedia.org. VAASL 2013 - Libraries as Knowledge Builders 47
.org Limited Results VAASL 2013 - Libraries as Knowledge Builders 48
WikipediA Portaportal http://guest.portaportal.com/barronwikipedia 27 Categories; 15 relate to education; such as, WikipediA in the Classroom: Pro and Con VAASL 2013 - Libraries as Knowledge Builders 49
A Law Librarian s Recommendation Wikipedia can be a great research tool if used appropriately. Students and lawyers should be taught to use it as a quick reference source for non-legal questions or as a research starting point with references to other, reputable sources. In Defense of Wikipedia Law Library Journal, Vol. 100, No. 3, 2008 http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=1122602 VAASL 2013 - Libraries as Knowledge Builders 50
A Law Librarian s Recommendation Librarians and other research instructors should demonstrate how to evaluate Wikipedia articles for authority, completeness, bias, and accuracy. Because Wikipedia provides so much information with which articles can be evaluated, it is a good tool to use to teach researchers about the necessity of evaluating sources. Ibid VAASL 2013 - Libraries as Knowledge Builders 51
Another Lawyer s Opinion Wikipedia should be used as a source for general knowledge, such as names and dates. In this capacity, the online resource can be very useful; however, it is not an appropriate authoritative source, so go the extra mile and verify that the information is correct. Established facts that do not change from case to case. Law Reviews Cite to Wikipedia at Alarming Rates - Writer Beware! http://www.fptlawblog.com/2012/04/law-reviews-cite-to-wikipedia-at.html VAASL 2013 - Libraries as Knowledge Builders 52
What are your thoughts about WikipediA use in: Elementary School Middle School High School Are you pro or con on WikipediA use? What are the effects on students and librarians? What are your concerns when a teacher recommends to students that they use WikipediA? VAASL 2013 - Libraries as Knowledge Builders 53
General Marshall s Guidance to George F. Kennan George F. Kennan Secretary of State George C. Marshall I came over to the State Department and set up the Policy Planning Staff. Europe was in a mess. General Marshall wished me to assemble a staff and address the recovery of Europe without delay. He then added characteristically that he had only one bit of advice for me: Avoid trivia. VAASL 2013 - Libraries as Knowledge Builders 54
Interview with Edward R. Morrow Murrow: General Marshall, I was wondering whether you would have words of counsel for the youngsters of this country? General Marshall: I've been trying my best to influence young people do one thing: to make a practice of searching for the facts. VAASL 2013 - Libraries as Knowledge Builders 55
General Marshall Continues All of this mass [media] - this torrent of statements and so forth - are very confusing, very difficult to understand. Our young people should grow up in the habit of trying to get at the facts, instead of merely traveling on the emotions. If they have the facts, they have a great advantage especially over their elders. See it Now Edward R. Morrow and Fred W. Friendly New York; Simon and Schuster; 1955; page 196 VAASL 2013 - Libraries as Knowledge Builders 56
Alternate Sources Alternatives to WikipediA Fact Monster - www.factmonster.com Kids Click - www.kidsclick.org Internet Public Library http://www.ipl.org INFOMINE infomine.ucr.edu Scholarly resources ProCon.org - www.procon.org Pro and con resources on controversial issues. VAASL 2013 - Libraries as Knowledge Builders 57