Wikipedia's science articles are about as accurate as those of Encyclopaedia Britannica.

Is it true that Wikipedia's science articles are about as accurate as those of Encyclopaedia Britannica?

Partly. Small-sample expert comparisons and the 2005 Nature study indicate Wikipedia's science articles are broadly accurate and comparable to Britannica, while a historical-articles content analysis found Wikipedia less accurate (80% vs 95-96%) and a medical-content review found quality highly variable. The evidence covers only samples and specific domains, not the general claim.

Verdict: CONTESTED PARTIAL · 3 sources for, 2 against · Last checked 2 Oct 2026

The private library was unavailable for some searches in this check. Missing library results are not evidence against the claim.

Reliability of Wikipedia - Wikipedia. (n.d.). en.wikipedia.org. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reliability_of_Wikipedia

Comparison of Wikipedia and other encyclopedias for accuracy, breadth, and depth in historical articles. (n.d.). cir.nii.ac.jp. https://doi.org/10.1108/00907320810851998

Wikipedia and Britannica about as accurate in science entries, reports Nature. (2024). en.wikinews.org. https://en.wikinews.org/wiki/Wikipedia_and_Britannica_about_as_accurate_in_science_entries,_reports_Nature

Wikipedia: Why is the common knowledge resource still neglected by academics? - PMC Lock. (n.d.). pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov. https://doi.org/10.1093/gigascience/giz139

T, S., G, M., L, K., D, D., M, H., & J, H. (2017). Evolution of Wikipedia's medical content: past, present and future.. doi.org. https://doi.org/10.1136/jech-2016-208601