Wikipedia:Wiki Ed/Georgetown University/Banned and Challenged Books WRIT 015-19 (Fall 2016)
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- Course name
- Banned and Challenged Books WRIT 015-19
- Institution
- Georgetown University
- Instructor
- Lisbeth Fuisz
- Wikipedia Expert
- Ian (Wiki Ed)
- Subject
- Writing and Culture
- Course dates
- 2016-08-31 00:00:00 UTC – 2016-12-18 23:59:59 UTC
- Approximate number of student editors
- 15
Timeline
Week 1
- Course meetings
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- Monday, 24 October 2016 | Wednesday, 26 October 2016
- Assignment - Introduction to the Wikipedia project - Please complete for Wednesday, 10/26
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 prior to class:
- Editing Wikipedia pages 1–5
- Evaluating Wikipedia
- 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. 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.
- Please complete prior to coming to class Wednesday, Oct. 26.
- Assignment - Reading Assignment - Thomas Leitch's Chapter 3
- "The Case Against Wikipedia"
- Milestones
This week, everyone should have a Wikipedia account.
Week 2
- Course meetings
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- Monday, 31 October 2016 | Wednesday, 2 November 2016
- In class - 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) prior to class on Wednesday, Nov. 2.
- In class, choose an article from the list recommended by your professor, and 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?
- Choose at least 2 questions relevant to the article you're evaluating. Leave your evaluation on the article's Talk page. Be sure to sign your feedback with four tildes — Ian (Wiki Ed) (talk) 18:09, 14 December 2016 (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
By midnight on Sunday, Nov. 6, you should make at least 2 alterations to articles related to your class. You may make a small contribution to an article (1-2 sentences), or add a citation to a claim that doesn't have one.
- Complete the "Sources and Citations" training (linked below).
- When you make a small claim on an article, clearly state the fact in your own words, and then cite the source where you found the information.
- The Citation Hunt tool can show you some statements that don't have citations. You can use that to find an article to reference.
- First, evaluate whether the statement in question is true! An uncited statement could just be lacking a reference or it could be inaccurate or misleading. Reliable sources on the subject will help you choose whether to add it or correct the statement.
- Assignment - Choose your topic and prepare editing worksheet
It's time to choose an article and assign it to your group in class on Nov. 2.
- Review page 6 of your Editing Wikipedia guidebook.
- You will be assigned to a small group of 1-3 class members. Each group will be assigned an article from the list of "Available Articles" on the Articles tab on this course page. When you are assigned one, click Select to assign it to yourself. If you are in a group of 2-3 students, only one person may be assigned the article by clicking Select, so you must pick a leader to select the article. This leader is a token figure for the purposes of giving the group a primary sandbox in which to draft the additions the group will be making. If individual group members are making edits to the assigned article, each student can manually assign him/herself the article. You can do this under the Students tab on the course page, so multiple students can work on the same article. If each student is adding his/her own paragraph, each can work in his/her own sandbox before moving the work to the article main space. You want to be sure that you are logged in as yourself when making edits so that Wikipedia credits them to you. Let me repeat: You should contribute while logged in under your own username so your contributions show up. Otherwise, you will not get credit for this work.
- Here's a screencast showing how to manually assign yourself to an article.
http://screencast.com/t/bVQsz54Z - Here's a screencast about how to edit in somebody else's Sandbox, which you need to do for the group work.
http://screencast.com/t/TBrAYT5eQBEm - As a group, you will make a plan based on your critique of the article about what your group will be researching in the library. Complete Wikipedia Editing Worksheet to take with you to the library.
Week 3
- Course meetings
-
- Monday, 7 November 2016 | Wednesday, 9 November 2016
- In class - Thinking about information production and privilege;sources and plagiarism
Discussion topics:
- How is information created and disseminated? How does this process of knowledge production differ in academics versus the popular media? What is the difference between publishing a blog article and an academic article? How does the publication source impact who sees the information?
- What is information privilege? Who has access to academic publications? If knowledge equates to power, how can we make access more equitable? What is the purpose of different kinds of information? How do we decide which information is helpful and authoritative?
- What are some reasons you might not want to use a company's website as the main source of information about that company?
- What are some good techniques to avoid incorrect paraphrasing and plagiarism?
- In class - Library Visits
This week we will be in the library for two sessions to find sources to supplement our knowledge of censorship challenges to the books we have read for this course.
- Assignment - Find your sources, prepare bibliography, and post to talk pages
It's time to organize your sources and make plans for the additions you will make to the Wikipedia article your group is working on.
- In your sandbox, write a few sentences about what you plan to contribute to the selected article.
- Based on your article critique and the Wikipedia editing worksheet you completed, consider what can you add. Post your ideas to the article's talk page. Post ideas for additions by 11:59pm, Sunday night, Nov. 13.
- Compile a list of at least five-seven relevant, reliable books, journal articles, or other sources in MLA citation style. Be sure that the bibliography includes the primary source (novel, children's book, documentary, etc.) if you are referencing scenes, dialogue or other information from it. 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. Post bibliography for additions by 11:59pm, Sunday night, Nov. 13.
- Bring a hardcopy of your bibliography and your plans to class on Monday, Nov. 14, so that we can begin the drafting process.
Week 4
- Course meetings
-
- Monday, 14 November 2016 | Wednesday, 16 November 2016
- Assignment - Draft your article
You've picked a topic and found your sources. You've posted some ideas for what you are planning to add on the talk page of the article. Now it's time to start writing.
Improving an existing article?
- Identify what's missing from the current form of the article. Think back what 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
- Milestones
Everyone has begun writing their article drafts.
- Keep working on transforming your article into a complete first draft. Get draft ready for peer-review.
- ·Put your finished first draft in your sandbox for peer review by Monday, Nov. 21, prior to class.
- If you'd like a Content Expert to review your draft, now is the time! Click the "Get Help" button in your sandbox to request notes.
Week 5
- Course meetings
-
- Monday, 21 November 2016 | Wednesday, 23 November 2016
- Assignment - Self-reflection on the Wikipedia Editing Process
- 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?
Please write a 500-word self-reflection on the Wikipedia process to date. You may address the questions above, but please also include what is working well for you, what problems you have encountered, and what concerns you have about the drafting and publication portions of this assignment. Please reflect on your research and writing processes, but feel free to address any technical issues you have encountered. This self-reflection and the one you complete at the end of the semester will be graded. I will provide a handout in class Monday, Nov. 21 with more directions about the documentation to include with your self-reflection (like your library research).
- Assignment - Peer review and copy edit
- First, take the "Peer Review" online training before class Monday, Nov. 21.
- Two classmates’ articles will be assigned to you to peer review and copyedit. On the Articles tab, find the articles that you want to review, and then assign them to yourself in the Review column.
- Peer review your classmates' drafts. 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
-
- Monday, 28 November 2016 | Wednesday, 30 November 2016
- 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!
- Some advice from the experts about adding materials: If you've added a new section or two to the article, it makes sense to paste it in one section at a time. If you've added a few sentences to a section, again, you should probably add it all at once. On the other hand, if you've fixed a typo in one section, added a reference in another section, and added five lines of text in widely-separated parts of the article, then it makes sense to add these changes in separately. The key reason for adding things piecemeal (but not too piecemeal) is that it allows other people to review the additions easily (the diff tool isn't always the friendliest of ways to view changes) and it allows someone to revert a single edit without having them revert the entire addition.
- 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 - 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 7
- Course meetings
-
- Monday, 5 December 2016 | Wednesday, 7 December 2016
- 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 8
- Course meetings
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- Monday, 12 December 2016 | Wednesday, 14 December 2016
- 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!
- Assignment - Reflective essay
- Write a reflective essay (5 pages) on your Wikipedia contributions.
- Due by 5pm on 12/12.
- Grading Overview
The work you do on Wikipedia will be evaluated. More detailed assignment descriptions (with rubrics) for items included in #3 and #4 below will be made available at the appropriate time. Activities under #3 and #4 will constitute your Wikipedia Project grade, which - as per the syllabus - is worth 50% of your overall grade.
1. The six training sessions will count towards your participation grade (20 points for each training completed on time) (trainings: Wikipedia Essentials, Editing Basics, Evaluating Articles and Sources, Sources and Citations, Sandboxes and Mainspace, and Peer Review) ;
2. Readings in week 1 and 2, including the Editing Wikipedia brochure, making small changes to an article in week 2 (due Nov. 6), and daily attendance and preparedness through Dec. 7 will also count towards your participation grade;
3. You will write two self-reflections, one due 11/28 and 12/12, which will count towards your Wikipedia project grade; and
4. You will go through the writing process to improve a Wikipedia article. This process includes completing the article critique and editing worksheet, compiling and posting a bibliography, drafting your contributions/case description, conducting peer review, and making final edits to the article. Successful completion of these activities will also involve timely postings, as per the directions, to Wikipedia talk pages, sandboxes, and the main space. This process will count towards your Wikipedia project grade.
- Milestones
Everyone should have finished all of the work they'll do on Wikipedia, and be ready for grading.