Free Essay with Harry Lloyd Hopkins Wikipedia Analysis

The encyclopedia has information regarding different branches of knowledge. Consequently, Wikipedia refers to a free online encyclopedia that gives open content to the users. Most instructors do discourage students from using Wikipedia as it is a bias source. However, in most cases, Wikipedia has almost all the information that one looks for online. This research tries to find out the differences and similarities between the two sites concerning Harry Lloyd Hopkin's history.

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The accuracy of dates: Both Wikipedia and Encyclopedia Britannica gives the correct dates about the history of Harry Hopkins. For instance, it gives the exact dates about when he was born (August 17, 1890), when he died (January 29, 1946), and when he was appointed as the secretary of commerce (1938) ("Harry Hopkins"). It also gives information on when he acted as a personal manager of Roosevelt at the Democratic National Convention (1940), and when he was appointed to head the lend-lease program (1941) ("Harry L. Hopkins | United States Government Official"). Furthermore, Harry was a democratic administrator who personified the ideology of different work programs in relieving unemployment in the 1930s and was the advisor of Franklin Delano Roosevelt in World War II.

Reliability and length of information: The two sources give accurate information about the history of Harry. L. Hopkins. They both provide information about his past. For instance, the issue of Harry. L. Hopkins being a social worker ("Harry Hopkins"). The other issues that are similar include the fact that Harry had an interest in politics and when he was appointed as the secretary of commencing in the year 1938.

Comprehensiveness of information: In reviewing the history of Harry. L. Hopkins, it is evident that Encyclopedia Britannica gives more detailed information about him as compared to Wikipedia. For instance, Wikipedia only gives details on when he was born, the time he died, and his duty ("Harry Hopkins"). However, Encyclopedia Britannica gives information about when he was born, where he was born, when Harry died, where he died, political life, world war period, and his work ("Harry L. Hopkins | United States Government Official").

Length of information: Wikipedia gives lengthy information as compared to Encyclopedia Britannica. It also divides the information into different parts to provide one easy time while reading. In the case of Harry Hopkin's life, it has parts like early life, social and public health work, new deal, World war II, relations with the Soviet Union, personal life, and cancer and death. However, Encyclopedia Britannica combines the information about Harry's life including early life, world war, and personal life in three paragraphs.

Objectivity: Encyclopedia Britannica is more objective as compared to Wikipedia. In the past six months, the history of Harry Hopkins has been revised 11 times. However, it is not evident that the people editing the information have reliable information about his past. Although the information in Encyclopedia Britannica is short, there is no evidence that it has been revised several times. It is recommendable for the people editing information to edit the articles that were used in writing the information first.

In conclusion, no varying information can make me conclude that Wikipedia is unreliable. However, it is evident that all the sites give accurate information about the history of Harry Hopkins. Although Encyclopedia Britannica is short regarding length, it provides detailed information about Harry. On the other hand, Wikipedia is lengthy, and it divides information about Harry's history. Encyclopedia Britannica is also more objective and comprehensive as compared to Wikipedia.

Works Cited

"Harry Hopkins." En.Wikipedia.Org, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harry_Hopkins. Accessed 2 Aug 2018.

"Harry L. Hopkins | United States Government Official." Encyclopedia Britannica, https://www.britannica.com/biography/Harry-L-Hopkins. Accessed 2 Aug 2018.