User:RM395/Course/Encyclopedia comparisons/jastout

Charlotte, N.C.

For this assignment I decided to compare and contrast Wikipedia to Britannica's article on my hometown, Charlotte, N.C. Both have decent, and relevant information but surprisingly Wikipedia's page wins by a landslide.

History

Both Wikipedia and Britannica have the most important historical information you need to know about the city but Britannica's version is very brief, but does have different information that Wikipedia. For example, Britannica explains how the city was named Charlotte (after Princess Sophia of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, George III’s queen.) On the other hand, Wikipedia explains the city's nicknames, like the most popular "Queen City," or "Hornets Nest" given by General Cornwallis during the Revolutionary War when the city was occupied by the British. Wikipedia does go into much more detail about before and after the revolutionary war, and perhaps the most well known aspect of the city, it's banking. Charlotte is known as a "banking town" but Britannica doesn't really touch on the subject.

Visual Effects

When I'm looking at encyclopedias I like good visuals so I can better understand what I'm reading about, especially geographical information. Wikipedia's page is full of pictures and graphs. Not just one random pictures of the city but it includes old pictures from the first courthouse in the 1800's, climate charts, pictures of the Imaginon and Billy Graham Library, UNC-Charlotte and the many museums in town. Britannica on the other hand, has a few pictures.

Overall Content

Overall, I was very surprised about how little the Britannica had about Charlotte. Yes, all the information is 100 percent correct, because it's written by credentialed writers, but it doesn't do the city justice by having a "brief" introduction of information. The contributors to Wikipedia did a much better job of explaining everything there is to know about Charlotte. It included actual topics such as Workability, Transportation, Sports teams, Museums, Performing Arts, Culture, Religion and Economy, all of which are essential when you're trying to understand what a city's all about.

Better Page/Final Thoughts

I have a very deep attachment to the "QC" and it really took my by surprise that what I've stood behind, any encyclopedia beside Wikipedia, failed me. I have begun to lean towards looking at Wikipedia for informations since this semester, but this may be the final step in my transition.

Overall, when comparing the two pages it's not even a close: Wikipedia's page is the more thorough, the information is more in-depth and I'd guide a friend or co-worker to its page before Britannica, or probably any other encyclopedia.--Jastout (talk) 15:55, 18 February 2013 (UTC)