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Wikipedia:Wiki Ed/College of Wooster/Latin America and the United States (Spring 2017)

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Course name
Latin America and the United States
Institution
College of Wooster
Instructor
Emily Armour
Wikipedia Expert
Adam (Wiki Ed)
Subject
History
Course dates
2017-01-16 00:00:00 UTC – 2017-05-05 23:59:59 UTC
Approximate number of student editors
20


This writing intensive history seminar explores the history of the intimate but often conflictual relationship between the US and Latin America from the early 19th century to the present. Rather than having any pretensions at exhaustive coverage, we will focus on case studies primarily drawn from U.S. relations with Cuba, Mexico, and Puerto Rico, as well as emphasizing the evolving cultural, political, and economic roles of Latin@ communities within the United States.

This semester we’ll focus on American Empire after 1898, and the history of Mexican immigration to the United States.

Student Assigned Reviewing
Collegekid2020 2014 American Immigration Crisis Union of Puerto Rico, Effects of NAFTA on Mexico
GmzRomy Religion in Argentina
Jgriffith19 Effects of NAFTA on Mexico 2014 American Immigration Crisis, Economy of Cuba
Make2018 Economy of Cuba United States embargo against Cuba, Effects of NAFTA on Mexico
Wldub Johnson Doctrine Human trafficking in Venezuela, Brazilian Special Operations Command
Jmpfer04 Sport in the Dominican Republic History of Panama, Religion in Argentina
Sokeefe19 History of Panama Latin American Literature, Brazilian Special Operations Command
Elaineclare Religion in Argentina Sport in the Dominican Republic, United States embargo against Cuba
Oholland9619 U.S. intervention in the El Salvador Civil War Human trafficking in Venezuela, Nicaraguan Revolution
Windyrmt Latin American poetry Latin American Literature, Draft:Effects of NAFTA on Mexico
Sezshana Human trafficking in Venezuela Haitian refugees held at the Guantanamo Bay Naval Base, 2014 American Immigration Crisis
LilyWhites1882 Nicaraguan Revolution Union of Puerto Rico, U.S. intervention in the El Salvador Civil War
Snoakes Latin American Literature Latin American poetry, Tourism in the Caribbean
Elyseeche Union of Puerto Rico Haitian refugees held at the Guantanamo Bay Naval Base, Latin American poetry
Rem1419 Haitian refugees held at the Guantanamo Bay Naval Base Human trafficking in Venezuela, Nicaraguan Revolution
Rchamberlin20 Tourism in the Caribbean Johnson Doctrine, History of Panama
BriRHP31 Brazilian Special Operations Command Johnson Doctrine, Sport in the Dominican Republic
Abloom18 United States embargo against Cuba Tourism in the Caribbean, Economy of Cuba

Timeline

Week 1

Course meetings
Wednesday, 18 January 2017   |   Friday, 20 January 2017

Week 2

Course meetings
Monday, 23 January 2017   |   Wednesday, 25 January 2017   |   Friday, 27 January 2017
In class - Introduction to the Wikipedia project

 Welcome to your Wikipedia project's course timeline. This page will guide you through the Wikipedia project for History 201 Latin America & the United States. This schedule is *not* a replacement for our class syllabus, but to provide you more detailed structure for the Wikipedia assignments. 

 This page breaks down writing a Wikipedia article into a series of steps, or milestones. These steps include online trainings to help you get started on Wikipedia. 

 Your course has also been assigned a Wikipedia Content Expert. Check your Talk page for notes from them. You can also reach them through the "Get Help" button on this page. 

 To get started, please review the following handouts.  


Assignment - Practicing the basics
  • Create an account and join this course page, using the enrollment link your instructor sent you.
  •  It's time to dive into Wikipedia. Below, you'll find the first set of online trainings you'll need to take; you can complete them any time before class on Friday, January 27. New modules will appear on this timeline as you get to new milestones. Be sure to check back and complete them! Incomplete trainings will be reflected in your grade. 
  •  When you finish the trainings, practice by introducing yourself to a classmate on that classmate’s Talk page. 
Milestones

This week, everyone should have a Wikipedia account. 

Week 3

Course meetings
Monday, 30 January 2017   |   Wednesday, 1 February 2017   |   Friday, 3 February 2017
Assignment - Training
"Evaluating Articles & Sources"
  • Complete the "Evaluating Articles and Sources" training (linked below) by Monday, January 30.


Assignment - Critique a Wikipedia Article Using the Talk Page

 It's time to think critically about Wikipedia articles. For this assignment, you'll evaluate a Wikipedia article related to our course themes, and leave suggestions for improving it on the article's Talk page. 

Resources
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Help:Using_talk_pages 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Help:Introduction_to_talk_pages/1 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Talk_page_guidelines


In class - Discussion
What's a content gap?

 Now that you're thinking about what makes a "good" Wikipedia article, consider some additional questions. 

  • Wikipedians often talk about "content gaps." What do you think a content gap is, and what are some possible ways to identify them?
  • What are some reasons a content gap might arise? What are some ways to remedy them?
  • Does it matter who writes Wikipedia?
  • What does it mean to be "unbiased" on Wikipedia? How is that different, or similar, to your own definition of "bias"?

Week 4

Course meetings
Monday, 6 February 2017   |   Wednesday, 8 February 2017   |   Friday, 10 February 2017
In class - Discussion
Thinking about sources and plagiarism
  • Blog posts and press releases are considered poor sources of reliable information. Why?
  • What are some reasons you might not want to use a company's website as the main source of information about that company?
  • What is the difference between a copyright violation and plagiarism?
  • What are some good techniques to avoid close paraphrasing and plagiarism?


Assignment - Add to an article

Familiarize yourself with editing Wikipedia by adding a citation to an article. 

  • Add 1-2 sentences to a course-related article, and cite that statement to a reliable source, as you learned in the online training. 

Week 5

Course meetings
Monday, 13 February 2017   |   Wednesday, 15 February 2017   |   Friday, 17 February 2017
Assignment - Blog Post
2-3 possible topics for your article
  • Review page 6 of your Editing Wikipedia guidebook.
  • By 8pm on Sunday, February 12, write a blog post proposing 2-3 potential articles that you can tackle for your Wikipedia Article assignment.  What content gaps do you see?  What reputable sources exist to back up your added content?  For articles that already exist, check the Talk page to see what other Wikipedians might be doing. For articles that don't exist, explain how your proposed article meets the Wikipedia "notability" guidelines.
  • Comment on at least three classmates' article ideas.  Which proposals have the most potential to improve Wikipedia's coverage of Latin American and Latin@ history?  Which have the best combination of content gaps and reliable sources?  

Week 6

Course meetings
Monday, 20 February 2017   |   Wednesday, 22 February 2017   |   Friday, 24 February 2017
Assignment - Training
Sandboxes & Plagiarism

Complete by Sunday, February 19. 

Assignment - Finalize your topic

Complete by Sunday at 8pm:

  • On the Students tab, assign your chosen topic to yourself.
  •  In your sandbox, write a few sentences about what you plan to contribute to the selected article (whether a new article or an existing stub.)
    •  Think back to when you did an article critique. What can you add? Post some of your ideas to the article's talk page, too. 


Assignment - Sandbox/Talk Page Posts
Find Your Sources

Drawing on the research strategies reinforced in class today, compile a list of relevant, reliable books, journal articles, or other sources. Post that bibliography to the talk page of the article you'll be working on, and in your sandbox. Make sure to check in on the Talk page to see if anyone has advice on your bibliography. 

Week 7

Course meetings
Monday, 27 February 2017   |   Wednesday, 1 March 2017   |   Friday, 3 March 2017
Assignment - Talk Page Discussion
Structure & Content of Impossible Subjects

As you read the introduction to Ngai's book, think carefully about how to present this award-winning book to the Wikipedia community.  How might we organize our article into sections? Following the conventions of talkpage etiquette, share your ideas on the Impossible Subjects Talk page.  

Here are some models of history book entries:

In class - Discussion
Thinking about Wikipedia
  • What do you think of Wikipedia's definition of "neutrality"?
  • What are the impacts and limits of Wikipedia as a source of information?
  • On Wikipedia, all material must be attributable to reliable, published sources. What kinds of sources does this exclude? Can you think of any problems that might create?
  • If Wikipedia was written 100 years ago, how might its content (and contributors) be different? What about 100 years from now?

Week 8

Course meetings
Monday, 6 March 2017   |   Wednesday, 8 March 2017   |   Friday, 10 March 2017
Assignment - Draft Your Article Lead

You've picked a topic and found your sources. Now it's time to start writing.

Creating a new article?

  •  Write an outline of that topic in the form of a standard Wikipedia article's "lead section." Write it in your sandbox
    •  A "lead" section is not a traditional introduction. It should summarize, very briefly, what the rest of the article will say in detail. The first paragraph should include important, broad facts about the subject. A good example is Ada Lovelace. See Editing Wikipedia page 9 for more ideas. 

Improving an existing article?

  •  Identify what's missing from the current form of the article. Think back to the skills you learned while critiquing an article. Make notes for improvement in your sandbox.

Keep reading your sources, too, as you prepare to write the body of the article.

Resources: Editing Wikipedia pages 7–9


Assignment - Over Spring Break
Expand your draft
  • Keep working on transforming your article into a complete first draft that you think qualifies for "good" article status. Get full draft ready for peer-review on Wednesday, March 29.
  • Ask a Content Expert to review your draft!  Click the "Get Help" button in your sandbox to request notes.

Week 9

Course meetings
Monday, 27 March 2017   |   Wednesday, 29 March 2017   |   Friday, 31 March 2017
Our Syllabus
Week 9
Assignment - Peer Review Training

Complete the Peer Review Training.

Assignment - Peer review and copy edit

We'll peer review in class on Wednesday, March 29.  Please bring your computer to class. 

  •  I'll assign you two classmates’ articles that you will peer review and copyedit. On the Articles tab, find the articles that you're assigned to review. 
  •  Peer review your classmates' drafts. Leave suggestions on on the Talk page of the article, or sandbox, that your fellow student is working on. Other editors may be reviewing your work, so look for their comments! Be sure to acknowledge feedback from other Wikipedians.  
  •  As you review, make spelling, grammar, and other adjustments. Pay attention to the tone of the article. Is it encyclopedic? 


Assignment - Respond to your peer review

You probably have some feedback from other students and possibly other Wikipedians. It's time to work with that feedback to improve your article!

  • Read Editing Wikipedia pages 12 and 14.
  •  Return to your draft or article and think about the suggestions. Decide which ones to start implementing. Reach out to your instructor or your Content Expert if you have any questions. 

Week 10

Course meetings
Monday, 3 April 2017   |   Wednesday, 5 April 2017   |   Friday, 7 April 2017
In class - Our Syllabus
Week 10
Assignment - Begin moving your work to Wikipedia

 Once you've made improvements to your article based on peer review feedback, it's time to move your work to Wikipedia proper - the "mainspace." 

Editing an existing article?

  • NEVER copy and paste your draft of an article over the entire article. Instead, edit small sections at a time.
  • Copy your edits into the article. Make many small edits, saving each time, and leaving an edit summary. Never replace more than one to two sentences without saving!

Creating a new article?

  • Read Editing Wikipedia page 13, and follow those steps to move your article from your Sandbox to Mainspace.
  • You can also review the [[../../../training/students/sandboxes|Sandboxes and Mainspace]] online training.


Assignment - Continue improving your article

Do additional research and writing to make further improvements to your article, based on suggestions and your own critique.

  • Read Editing Wikipedia page 12 to see how to create links from your article to others, and from other articles to your own. Try to link to 3–5 articles, and link to your article from 2–3 other articles.


Assignment - Polish your work

 Continue to expand and improve your work, and format your article to match Wikipedia's tone and standards. Remember to contact your Content Expert at any time if you need further help! 

Week 11

Course meetings
Monday, 10 April 2017   |   Wednesday, 12 April 2017   |   Friday, 14 April 2017
In class - This is our Week 11
Assignment - Upload your slide
  • Prepare for an in-class presentation about your Wikipedia editing experience.


Assignment - Reflective essay

Write a reflective essay (500-700 words) on your Wikipedia contributions.

Consider the following questions as you reflect on your Wikipedia assignment:

  • Critiquing articles: What did you learn about Wikipedia during the article evaluation? How did you approach critiquing the article you selected for this assignment? How did you decide what to add to your chosen article? 
  • Summarizing your contributions: include a summary of your edits and why you felt they were a valuable addition to the article. How does your article compare to earlier versions? 
  • Peer Review: If your class did peer review, include information about the peer review process. What did you contribute in your review of your peers article? What did your peers recommend you change on your article? 
  • Feedback: Did you receive feedback from other Wikipedia editors, and if so, how did you respond to and handle that feedback? 
  • Wikipedia generally: What did you learn from contributing to Wikipedia? How does a Wikipedia assignment compare to other assignments you've done in the past? How can Wikipedia be used to improve public understanding of our field/your topic? Why is this important? 


Assignment - Final article

It's the final week to develop your article.

  • Read Editing Wikipedia page 15 to review a final check-list before completing your assignment.
  • Don't forget that you can ask for help from your Content Expert at any time!

Week 12

Course meetings
Monday, 17 April 2017   |   Wednesday, 19 April 2017   |   Friday, 21 April 2017
In class - This is our Week 12
Assignment - WGSS Wikipedia Uploading Party

Discussions of our Wikipedia editing experience with the campus community. 

Consider the following questions as you reflect on your Wikipedia assignment:

  • Critiquing articles: What did you learn about Wikipedia during the article evaluation? How did you approach critiquing the article you selected for this assignment? How did you decide what to add to your chosen article? 
  • Summarizing your contributions: include a summary of your edits and why you felt they were a valuable addition to the article. How does your article compare to earlier versions? 
  • Feedback: Did you receive feedback from other Wikipedia editors, and if so, how did you respond to and handle that feedback? 
  • Wikipedia generally: What did you learn from contributing to Wikipedia? How does a Wikipedia assignment compare to other assignments you've done in the past? How can Wikipedia be used to improve public understanding of our field/your topic? Why is this important?