Our science teachers are discussing whether to allow students to use Wikipedia as a source for their research papers. What do you think of this source?
— Jessica, Orem, Utah
When I read your question, I had a flashback to my science classes BI (Before the Internet). In one project, the students would create booklets on endangered species. Prior to the class periods in the library, we brainstormed questions and possible sources of information. But where did the students go first? To The World Book Encyclopedia. It didn’t matter to the students that the set was more than 10 years old. It was accessible, easy to read, and had lots of illustrations. Rather than put the encyclopedias off-limits, the librarian and I used this teachable moment to discuss the value of using multiple sources of information and to acquaint students with other sources. Our rubric permitted only one encyclopedia in the list of references.
Fast forward to 2009. Enter a search term in your browser and the first resource will probably be an article from Wikipedia. The arguments against students using Wikipedia as a source are based on the fact that in a wiki, most of the entries can be edited by anyone and could contain inaccurate information. The article Wikipedia: Friend or Foe? presents two sides of the issue. There are also wiki-like websites in that many people contribute to them. You have to look at the small print to see they actually are wikis.
So we have a dilemma. Some schools block Wikipedia and some teachers will not accept student work if it contains references to Wikipedia articles. But students can access it outside of school, and I wonder if we ban Wikipedia outright, would students still use it without a citation or create a fake citation? The bigger issue is how we can help our students become critical consumers of the information available to them with a few clicks of the mouse. Your librarian will have advice on how to help students develop information literacy. The ability to evaluate websites for their accuracy, potential biases, and sources is a takeaway skill that students need to learn in all content areas, including science.
You can also help students by modeling the use of accurate and reliable resources. NSTA’s SciLinks has lists of vetted websites on many topics. You can use the My Favorite SciLinks feature to create a list of sites to share with your students. I know a social studies teacher who uses the website Jog the Web to create a collection (or track) of recommended websites for each unit. It could be an interesting project for students to suggest sites to add to the list. (I’ve created a track with resources related to wikis and information literacy.) Many teachers and students also have set up their own wikis to share information within a class. Students add information as they find it and evaluate what others have posted. Access can be limited to registered users.
I must admit when I need basic information on a topic, I’ll read the Wikipedia article. However, I would not cite a Wikipedia article as the only source. But I would scan the list of links and resources at the end of the article for additional information. If I were doing my life science project this year, I’d suggest that my students use Wikipedia as a starting point (as they used to use print encyclopedias), I’d still work with the librarian on recommending online and print resources, I’d start a list of appropriate websites (and have students suggest ones to add), and instead of creating booklets the students would contribute to a class wiki on the topic.
If anyone has examples of information literacy activities or wikis you’d like to share, please add a comment.

Reading this issue’s articles on English Language Learners (ELLs) — Challenges and Solutions for ELLs and Making the Connection — brought back memories of many students in my classes, but especially of Philippe, who moved to my town from Haiti. Philippe spoke a little English, but no one in our school spoke French or Haitian Creole. He must have felt very lonely and isolated. But one day on a field trip as we were collecting and studying aquatic arthropods, his eyes lit up and he began to share his experiences with crabs and other marine animals. Science provided a connection between Philippe and the other students.
I wish I would have had more resources to share with Philippe — but this was BI (before the Internet), so we were limited in what materials we could access. This is not the case in 2009! For example, the libraries at Visionlearning have resources that would supplement science units on a variety of topics — and this website and the resources are available in both English and Spanish. Spanish teachers may be interested in this site, too, to provide reading materials for SLL students (Spanish Language Learners).
And for students who struggle with reading, try searching for topics in SciLinks at a lower grade level. For example, if you’re looking for sites for a high school course, also search for the topic at the middle school or upper elementary levels. Many of these are very appropriate for any age group in terms of readability and interest.
Language diversity is not he only kind of diversity in our classrooms. The article Teaching with Multiple Methods in Mind describes ways to address the various learning styles and preferences that students have. There is also a topic in SciLinks with resources on working with Learners with Disabilities.
SciLinks also includes resources for reading and writing in science (although most of the sites at this time deal with reading). For example, LabWrite guides students through the process of writing lab reports. But the article Reflective Writing discusses the use of writing to help students to go beyond lab reports to reflect on what they are actually learning. This type of writing is often recorded in a Science Notebook.
As a sidebar, also check out SciLinks for Dichotomous Keys to supplement the article Classification and the Dichotomous Key. For example, the website What Is the Key to Classification? has more suggestions for helping students to create (as well as use) these keys.