Wikipedia:Wiki Ed/Dartmouth College/The Chemistry of Macromolecules (Spring 2017)
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- Course name
- The Chemistry of Macromolecules
- Institution
- Dartmouth College
- Instructor
- Jane Lipson
- Wikipedia Expert
- Ian (Wiki Ed)
- Subject
- Chemistry of Macromolecules
- Course dates
- 2017-03-27 00:00:00 UTC – 2017-05-26 23:59:59 UTC
- Approximate number of student editors
- 7
The synthesis, characterization, and physical properties of polymers. An introduction to macromolecules with a strong emphasis on physical chemistry, but overlap with physics and engineering.
Timeline
Week 1
- Course meetings
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- Tuesday, 28 March 2017 | Wednesday, 29 March 2017 | Thursday, 30 March 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 your course. Be sure to check with your instructor to see if there are other pages you should be following as well.
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:
- 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. 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 2
- Course meetings
-
- Wednesday, 5 April 2017 | Thursday, 6 April 2017
- Assignment - Critique an article
It's time to think critically about Wikipedia articles. You'll evaluate a Wikipedia article, and leave suggestions for improving it on the article's Talk page.
- Complete the "Evaluating Articles and Sources" training (linked below).
- Read the Wikipedia article about Macomolecules and the article about Polymers.
- While you read, consider some questions (but don't feel limited to these):
- Is each fact referenced with an appropriate, reliable reference?
- Is everything in the article relevant to the article topic? Is there anything that distracted you?
- Is the article neutral? Are there any claims, or frames, that appear heavily biased toward a particular position?
- Where does the information come from? Are these neutral sources? If biased, is that bias noted?
- Are there viewpoints that are overrepresented, or underrepresented?
- Check a few citations. Do the links work? Is there any close paraphrasing or plagiarism in the article?
- Is any information out of date? Is anything missing that could be added?
- Check the "talk" page - what is the Wikipedia community saying about how to discuss these issues? What is the article rated in Wikipedia's quality scale?
- Optional: Choose at least 1 questions relevant to one of the articles you're evaluating. Leave your evaluation on the article's Talk page. Be sure to sign your feedback with four tildes — Shaobaqian (talk) 00:01, 26 April 2017 (UTC).
- 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"?
- Assignment - Add to an article
Familiarize yourself with editing Wikipedia by adding a citation to an article.
- Take the "Sources and Citations" training, linked below.
- Find an article from the Category:Polymer stubs article list on Wikipedia.
- Add 1-2 sentences to the article, and cite that statement to a reliable source, as you learned in the online training.
- Assignment - Choose your Topic
- Review page 6 of your Editing Wikipedia guidebook.
- Choose either 3 potential articles that you can tackle, and post links to them on your Wikipedia user page, or suggest 3 new topics, or a mix of the two possibilities.
- Given the very short timeline in the course, your instructor suggests that improving on an existing article is likely the most realistic goal.
- For articles that already exist, check the Talk page to see what other Wikipedians might be doing.
- To pick a new topic, consider browsing the larger Category:Polymers article list for ideas. If you find that the topic you may want to write about doesn't have an article yet, consider creating a new article for this project!
- Finally, present your choices to your instructor for feedback by Thursday, April 6 and look for instructor feedback by Friday, April 7th.
Week 3
- Course meetings
-
- Wednesday, 12 April 2017 | Thursday, 13 April 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 - Finalize your topic / Find your sources
- 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.
- 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.
- Compile a list of at least five peer-reviewed articles. 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 4
- Course meetings
-
- Tuesday, 18 April 2017 | Wednesday, 19 April 2017 | Thursday, 20 April 2017
- Assignment - Outline then Draft your article
You've picked a topic and found your sources. Now it's time to start writing.
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.
By Monday, April 17th at 5:00 pm have your outline done:
- 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.
- Find 2-3 relevant figures - note the constraints on these, especially the imperative to use figures that are copyright free! Write 1-2 sentences explaining what each figure will add to the article.
- Make sure the bibliography you have collected will be effective in supporting every statement of fact that you include in your article.
Keep reading your sources, too, as you prepare to write the body of the article.
Resources: Editing Wikipedia pages 7–9
- Milestones
Everyone has begun writing their article drafts.
- Assignment - Complete the first Draft
By Sunday, April 23rd (note date!) at noon:
- Transform your outline into a complete first draft of the improved version of the article you chose. Figures and new references must be included. Get draft ready for peer-review.
- If you'd like a Content Expert to review your draft, now is the time, but do this well before the draft is due! Click the "Get Help" button in your sandbox to request notes.
Week 5
- Course meetings
-
- Tuesday, 25 April 2017 | Wednesday, 26 April 2017 | Thursday, 27 April 2017
- Assignment - Peer review and copy edit
- First, take the "Peer Review" online training by 5:00 pm on the 24th.
- Select a classmates’ article that you will peer review and copyedit. On the Articles tab, find the article that you want to review, and then assign it to yourself in the Review column.
- Peer review your classmate's draft by Thursday, April 27th at 5:00 pm. Leave suggestions 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?
- Milestones
Every student has finished reviewing their assigned articles, making sure that every article has been reviewed.
Week 6
- Course meetings
-
- Tuesday, 2 May 2017 | Wednesday, 3 May 2017 | Thursday, 4 May 2017
- Assignment - Respond to Peer Review Feedback
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.
- 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?
- 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.
Week 7
- Course meetings
-
- Tuesday, 9 May 2017 | Wednesday, 10 May 2017 | Thursday, 11 May 2017
- 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.
- 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 8
- Course meetings
-
- Tuesday, 16 May 2017 | Wednesday, 17 May 2017 | Thursday, 18 May 2017
- 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!
- Milestones
Everyone should have finished all of the work they'll do on Wikipedia by Wednesday, May 17th at 5:00 pm, and be ready for grading.