tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1535945814378030694.post3027823937711052361..comments2023-09-25T12:28:16.743-04:00Comments on C. P. Lesley, Novelist: The Wonders of WikipediaC. P. Lesleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00887581040629930222noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1535945814378030694.post-55107762481296987062014-03-09T15:09:02.468-04:002014-03-09T15:09:02.468-04:00I use it exactly as you and Evelyn Tidman do - as ...I use it exactly as you and Evelyn Tidman do - as a jumping off point. When you Google a certain thing, Wikipedia is often the first result to pop up. And many of the articles, at least for the time period I write, are well-written and stuffed full of interesting tidbits that have only served to enrich my writing - once verified, of course. But without Wikipedia, I might never have stumbled upon certain things that led to the development of certain ideas. And as Robin Levin states, it's great for information on things like battles. I'm not ashamed to say I use Wikipedia. Would I cite it as a source in a bibliography, should I ever need to? Nah. But I'd be happy to let it be known that the sources I DID use, I found because they were listed in a Wikipedia article.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1535945814378030694.post-65247472429185110952014-03-09T12:55:26.738-04:002014-03-09T12:55:26.738-04:00RLB, It's important to check the information o...RLB, It's important to check the information on every image in Wikimedia Commons, since the license varies (also the quality). On the download page, it says exactly what you may do with the image. Many old paintings, like the Korovin painting I used for this post, are in the public domain (worldwide or in the US) because they were painted before 1923. Most images with a Creative Commons license can be reused (i.e., on a blog) and even altered so long as you attribute the photograph as requested on the download page (© YEAR Photographer) and list the type of license. Others then have the right to reuse the image from you under the same terms.<br /><br />Wikipedia has its problems, certainly, as I indicate in the blog entry. I use it as a jumping-off point rather than taking it as gospel truth. I also have the advantage of writing historical fiction on the basis of 35 years of research as an academic historian, so I can filter and supplement Wikipedia without much difficulty. But I think many people do use it, whether they admit it or not, so why not talk about it? I'm glad so many people have chimed in, and I hope more will join the conversation. C. P. Lesleyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00887581040629930222noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1535945814378030694.post-59696848211022600842014-03-08T15:23:16.017-05:002014-03-08T15:23:16.017-05:00I use Wikipedia all the time for the first stop on...I use Wikipedia all the time for the first stop on any subject or person, and go from there. If I think there is mileage in it, I will dig further. But I agree not everything is as accurate as it could be. I too write historical fiction, and once I've got a bit of background from Wiki, I'm off elsewhere. Sometimes the bibliography at the end can help.Evelyn Tidmanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03842383416965177046noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1535945814378030694.post-31458088744238832272014-03-08T07:14:02.206-05:002014-03-08T07:14:02.206-05:00I looked at the Wiki article and this phrase poppe...I looked at the Wiki article and this phrase popped out at me: "Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License;" I didn't dig much, since the edits seem extensive, but do wonder about who photographed the painting, and whether the image falls under a particular "fair use" banner. I'd love to put wiki images on my website, but so far haven't checked out any.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08492441247399204630noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1535945814378030694.post-55974193482867487042014-03-07T22:25:30.472-05:002014-03-07T22:25:30.472-05:00Wikipedia is not considered a primary source, for ...Wikipedia is not considered a primary source, for good reason. It’s source cannot be peer reviewed, and anyone can alter anyone else’s work. I know - I contribute to Wikipedia. That said, as a quick reference it can be very useful. I write historical fiction, and use it a lot but only as a quick reference. I do not rely on it for detailed background information - I go for primary sources as if I were writing a "straight" history. Citing Wikipedia is a good way to devalue your own credibility. If it is factual, you should be able to find a primary source that is credible. Unfortunately, I have found a lot of information in Wikipedia that is simply a cut-and-paste from someone else's work. Citing plagiarism is another good way to devalue your credibility. Also, a lot of it is suspect as to form and fact. The entire point about a citation is to expose your source so others can peer review your material - Wiki does not meet that standard. As a writer, it is important that the background and context of my work is accurately researched and I cite primary references often. That makes the fiction part of my writing seamless - which is my primary objective.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15034629279190593250noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1535945814378030694.post-3288672003072481212014-03-07T21:17:39.625-05:002014-03-07T21:17:39.625-05:00I do use Wikipedia for some things. For example, i...I do use Wikipedia for some things. For example, it's the quickest and easiest way to get the data on a battle. Look up the battle of Trasimene and you will get all the statistics-Which side won, which lost, how many casualties on each side, how many prisoners taken, which notables perished, when it took place, what strategies were used, what was the historical context, etc. Is everything true? It's probably as well as you can do when your sources are over 2,000 years old. I've never had any readers question my Wikipedia stats. On the other hand purists might question the integrity of your work if you let it be known that you use Wikipedia. I sent my book to a Latin professor and he let me know that it was not a good idea to include Wikipedia in my acknowledgments.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12465516035611981794noreply@blogger.com