This is an
essay. It contains the advice or opinions of one or more Wikipedia contributors. This page is not an encyclopedia article, nor is it one of
Wikipedia's policies or guidelines, as it has not been
thoroughly vetted by the community. Some essays represent widespread norms; others only represent minority viewpoints. |
Textbooks are defined as reliable sources on Wikipedia. However, does that mean we should always use them? This essay will go over the use of textbooks as references briefly.
There are several situations in which textbooks should be completely avoided as your primary source of information about a subject. Such textbooks may not be the worst possible sources, but far better sources are always available for verifiable information, and they may lead you into error. These situations include:
In other instances, the textbook may be entirely accurate—or it may not.
This is an
essay. It contains the advice or opinions of one or more Wikipedia contributors. This page is not an encyclopedia article, nor is it one of
Wikipedia's policies or guidelines, as it has not been
thoroughly vetted by the community. Some essays represent widespread norms; others only represent minority viewpoints. |
Textbooks are defined as reliable sources on Wikipedia. However, does that mean we should always use them? This essay will go over the use of textbooks as references briefly.
There are several situations in which textbooks should be completely avoided as your primary source of information about a subject. Such textbooks may not be the worst possible sources, but far better sources are always available for verifiable information, and they may lead you into error. These situations include:
In other instances, the textbook may be entirely accurate—or it may not.