[Web4lib] WIKIPEDIA vs "The Good Old Days"

[Chris Tinney]

WIKIPEDIA vs "The Good Old Days"
and Use of encyclopedias as a source

Please note:
The Genealogical Proof Standard
http://www.bcgcertification.org/resources/standard.html
"Acceptable conclusions, therefore,
meet the Genealogical Proof Standard
(GPS). The GPS consists of five elements:" 
FIRST LISTED:
"a reasonably exhaustive search"

A reasonably exhaustive search
must now include WIKIPEDIA, because:

(1) According to Alexa, it is Global #8
http://www.alexa.com/site/ds/top_500

(2) Wikipedia Trend History is up
http://www.google.com/trends?q=wikipedia&ctab=0&geo=all&date=all&sort=0

(3) For the United States alone, 12/10/07 -
Nielsen Online Reports Topline U.S. Data
for November 2007
http://www.nielsen-netratings.com/pr/pr_071210.pdf
Wikipedia had a Unique Audience of 49,617,000,
with average time per person 17 minutes 17 seconds.

(4) Articles cited from the Internet must be
credible, reliable and current.  Key word:
"current", makes Wikipedia indispensable.
It is the responsibilty of the professional
researcher to make proper "analysis and
  correlation of the collected information"
  and "bring to resolution" "any conflicting
evidence".

Respectfully yours,

  Tom Tinney, Sr.
Who's Who in America,
Millennium Edition [54th] through 2004
Who's Who In Genealogy and Heraldry, [both editions]
Family Genealogy & History Internet Education Directory
http://www.academic-genealogy.com/