Encyclopedia vs Wikipedia

Encyclopedias and Wikipedia can both be useful sources for information. They  both have some pros and cons.
Pros of encyclopedia: information is more reliable and it gives a broad understanding of a topic
Cons of encyclopedias: earlier encyclopedias are very biased, no credit given to those who assisted with project, information can become outdated very quickly
Pros of Wikipedia: quick and easy to access, free, lots of different kinds of information, information is easily changeable
Cons of Wikipedia: because anyone can change it information can be unreliable, writers of information are anonymous

When I was searching for an encyclopedia on my topic I found one titled, "Encyclopedia of Homelessness". I found this by using the advanced search on the library website. My search string was homeless AND encyclopedia. I also found an encyclopedia on domestic violence and another on health and aging. I did not find these articles useful but I could possibly use them later. I did not find any E-encyclopedias on my topic.

I then went on to find a Wikipedia entry on my topic. I searched homeless AND Minnesota with no results. I then searched homeless AND adults and had no results as well. I ended up settling on an article titled, "Homelessness in the United States".

After reading both of these articles I went on to compare the two. They both were very interesting and each had their own unique benefits. The Wikipedia entry provides its readers with a basic definition along with demographics, historical background from the pre-1960s to the 2010s, causes, public attitudes, assistance programs, a list of crimes by and against the homeless, situations in major cities, possible sources of income, health concerns, and a section concerning women. It also had a long bibliography that seemed to have some credible sources.

The encyclopedia I found was two volumes. It contained a lot of the same information as the Wikipedia entry but it expanded on this information and was much more in depth. It had everthing you could think of and more. What I liked about this encyclopedia is that it had infomation about the Minneapolis St. Paul area, which is more specific to my topic. The encyclopedia also had the author of the articles listed along with a list of suggested readings following each article. I liked the list of further reading because it gave me specific places to find more information about my topic. I think the encyclopedia is more appropriate because it gives more information and lists the authors of the article.