Wikipedia Is A Magnificent, Flawed Gem. Can It Be Polished?

Wikipedia is a web site, a reference work, and a news medium. Despite serious flaws as a reference work, its success as a web site makes it an important yet problematic news medium. As a not-for-profit web site and reference work, Wikipedia evades the laws and regulations that govern traditional news media in many nations. A substantive reference work requires expert contributors. Even so, the volunteer editors who write and control Wikipedia content are often hostile to the researchers, scientists, and scholars whose contributions could lead to major improvements. This essay examines the challenges and problems that Wikipedia must overcome to fulfill its goals as a reference work.