Yes, you can reference Wikipedia in your essay, however, while Wikipedia is a great source to provide an overall introduction to a topic, the use of articles from the site in academic research isn't usually acceptable because the wiki can be changed by anyone.
Wikipedia only covers a basic level of information and it’s not appropriate to cite it for university-level work. Instead, use Wikipedia as a way to gain a general understanding of a topic or issue, and use the references in the article to find further information.
The Credo Reference Collection is a valuable collection of dictionaries and encyclopedias supporting the general subject disciplines taught at Notre Dame.
Depending on your discipline of study, encyclopedias and dictionaries can be useful and more reliable starting points. Follow the link below to our Subject Guides. These guides will point you to useful, discipline-specific information sources to get you started.
