Wikipedia, like any encyclopedia, can be very useful in providing overviews of subjects. Academic articles you find through the library assume that you already have specialized knowledge of the subject. Because of this they are often not the best place to start researching a new topic. They use technical terms and complex concepts without explanation.
Wikipedia articles include a general overview of the subject, provide a useful introduction and define new or important terms, names and concepts.
Search Tip: This also leads to new keywords you can use for searching.