Help:Using Wikipedia for mathematics self-study
The pages here on Wikipedia dealing with mathematical topics are numerous (over 20,000) and form one of the more prominent resources on the Web for factual information about contemporary mathematics. It is natural that many readers will be using them for the purposes of self-study of mathematics, or its applications, whether or not they are simultaneously studying in a more formal way. There are certain points that need to be borne in mind by anyone in this position, to make the best use of what is here, perhaps in conjunction with other resources.
General points
- Wikipedia is a reference site, not a website directly designed to teach any topic.
- Wikipedia is organized as hypertext, meaning that the information you require may not be on one page, but spread over many pages.
- In technical subjects, the material may also be technical: there is no restriction on the depth of coverage. The lead section of any article is supposed to give a summary accessible to the general reader.
Particular points
Ways to use Wikipedia
- Talk pages
- Reference desk
- Explore the category system