Though sites like Wikipedia or Mashpedia have their place in real time information and popular culture – they’re not academic resources that are acceptable in today’s high schools or colleges.
If our students go to high school thinking that they can use Wikipedia as the be all and end all research resource they will most likely face some tough talk and bad grades from their teachers and it will make us look bad, too!

However, if they’re gathering pop culture background information about an opinion paper, I think using Wikipedia along with several other credible newspaper and notable websites devoted to that topic is valid and acceptable as long as it’s noted correctly.

OK, but why can’t I use Wipedia as a serious research resource?
Why? Because ANYone can edit them and you should be using our Research Databases!  

“ Wikipedia, an online encyclopedia compiled by a distributed network of volunteers, has often come under attack by academics as being shoddy and full of inaccuracies. Even Wikipedia’s founder, Jimmy Wales, says he wants to get the message out to college students that they shouldn’t use it for class projects or serious research.” – Wikipedia Founder Discourages Academic Use of His Creation The Chronicle of Higher Education