Spot the difference – how the competing websites compare

The following were the five most popular subjects searched for by Scottish secondary students. The Britannica entry is compared with the Wikipedia entry.

Second World War

Encyclopaedia Britannica – Conflict that involved virtually every part of the world during the years 1939–45.

Wikipedia – World War II, or the Second World War was a global war that was under way by 1939 and ended in 1945.

Olympics

EB – Athletic festival that originated in ancient Greece and was revived in the late 19th century.

Wiki – A major international event featuring summer and winter sports in which thousands of athletes participate.

Shakespeare

EB – English poet, dramatist, and actor, often called the English national poet and considered by many to be the greatest dramatist of all time.

Wiki – English poet and playwright, widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world’s pre-eminent dramatist.

Charles Dickens

EB – English novelist, generally considered the greatest of the Victorian era.

Wiki – English writer and social critic who is regarded as the greatest novelist of the Victorian period.

Ramadan

EB – The ninth month of the Muslim calendar and the holy month of fasting.

Wiki – The ninth month of the Islamic calendar; Muslims worldwide observe this as a month of fasting.