Verified Document

Ferdinand Magellan There Is A Essay

Related Topics:

The authors of the article relied on several credible sources to compile their article. For example, one of the sources cited is a first-hand account of Magellan's voyage. In addition, the authors recommend other first-hand accounts as additional reading. Because the number of contemporaneous accounts is somewhat limited, the use of these sources is significant. However, the authors also use a number of secondary sources. The use of secondary sources can be as critical as the use of primary sources, because secondary sources can oftentimes provide important historical context, which may be missing in primary source documents. The sources are properly cited, though they do not contain information about the authors of the secondary sources. In this instance, an annotated bibliography might be helpful. However, many of the secondary sources are available online. For those that are not, Wikipedia standards mean that the references almost always contain sufficient information to find the reference in question. This may be even more useful than an...

Referring users directly to the source gives users the opportunity to independently evaluate a source's credibility and utility.
However, Wikipedia guidelines are, ultimately, only guidelines. For example, in the Magellan article there were links to websites. One of these links was to a website detailing the Magellanic penguin. The article did refer to the penguin in question; however, the reference seemed like a piece of fluff. The authors did not need to cite a source to put that information into the article. Moreover, there was nothing in that article that would be helpful to a researcher interested in finding more information. That example demonstrates why a researcher needs to independently evaluate the sources in Wikipedia articles.

Works Cited

Wikipedia contributors. "Ferdinand Magellan." Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Wikipedia,

The Free Encyclopedia, 29 Dec. 2009. Web. 25 Jan. 2010.

Sources used in this document:
Works Cited

Wikipedia contributors. "Ferdinand Magellan." Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Wikipedia,

The Free Encyclopedia, 29 Dec. 2009. Web. 25 Jan. 2010.
Cite this Document:
Copy Bibliography Citation

Related Documents

Magellan Historiography
Words: 855 Length: 3 Document Type: Term Paper

Magellan Historiography Ferdinand Magellan and Circumnavigation: Historical and Meta- Analysis of Magellan Historiography by Martin Torodas The Age of Discovery that emerged in the 15th-16th centuries in Europe, led by Spain and Portugal, was marked and characterized by the prevalence of sea navigations to discover new lands or 'primitive' societies. These lands and societies were also potential colonies, wherein their territories could be expanded and resources exploited for the economic benefit of

Western Civilization the World Has Always Progressed
Words: 2314 Length: 7 Document Type: Term Paper

Western Civilization The world has always progressed through those adventurous in spirit that were not afraid to brake barriers, to confront established rules and to keep seeking new territories, be it in the fields of science, religion, law, or the physical world. The period of Renaissance that started and flourished in Italy and then spread throughout the rest of the continent changed world views and challenged the traditional at every level.

Age of Discovery: The So-Called
Words: 1857 Length: 6 Document Type: Term Paper

By the late 1600's, there were about 750,000 "civilized" inhabitants, i.e. Negro slaves from Africa, working the plantations and by the turn of the century, many of the plantations owners had grown extremely wealthy as a result of slave labor. During the last half of the 17th century, there were a number of efforts to normalize the slave trade or, in other words, to make it appear legitimate and necessary

Chile Now One of the Most Prosperous
Words: 2263 Length: 6 Document Type: Term Paper

Chile Now one of the most prosperous nations in Latin America, Chile has undergone a series of traumatic transformations during the course of its lengthy history. Indigenous Chilean people have survived attacks from both Incas and Spanish invaders, and the latter half of the twentieth century saw one of the most brutal military regimes in recent memory. A narrow strip of land in south-western South America, Chile sits directly south of

Image Chronicles the History of the United
Words: 975 Length: 3 Document Type: Term Paper

Image chronicles the history of the United States and the Philippines over several hundred years of modern history. Karnow's main argument about the relationship between the new nation is that the United States had an empire over this far-off but ostensibly independent country that "dare not speak its name." Over the course of the book, Karnow paints a convincing portrait of a nation colonized. Karnow suggests that what was

Country of Portugal
Words: 1811 Length: 6 Document Type: Essay

Portugal 16th Century to Present Portugal Portugal: 16th Century to Present Portugal: 16th Century to Present Portugal is a country a part of the continent of Europe. It is on the western coast of Europe sharing a boundary with Spain and the Atlantic Ocean. Portugal's independence and king (now there is a president and a prime minister) received formal recognition since the 12th century AD. The language is Portuguese and the people identify as

Sign Up for Unlimited Study Help

Our semester plans gives you unlimited, unrestricted access to our entire library of resources —writing tools, guides, example essays, tutorials, class notes, and more.

Get Started Now