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Wikipedia:Wiki Ed/University at Buffalo/Advanced Library Research (Fall)

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Course name
Advanced Library Research
Institution
University at Buffalo
Instructor
Cindi Tysick
Wikipedia Expert
Ian (Wiki Ed)
Subject
Library Science
Course dates
2016-08-29 00:00:00 UTC – 2016-12-09 23:59:59 UTC
Approximate number of student editors
25


In this course you will use the skills developed in class to write an encyclopedia entry on a topic of your choice. However, the topic must be approved by the instructor before work begins.

Student Assigned Reviewing
Calkulated Normalization (sociology) Pokémon Uranium, Environmental issues in New York
Cmcaldar Environmental issues in New York Access to Adoption Records Act, U.S. Soccer Development Academy
MelanieChristy Access to Adoption Records Act Environmental issues in New York, Cyberbullying
Gmcoyne Intraculturalism
BrianjCasciotta Pokémon Uranium
Jwuerfel Roman Empire Cyberbulling, Mighty Taco
Kaixunzhong Gamma database machine project Intraculturalism, Code of silence
Meghanpilski [Biermann&redirect=no]
Brentyn Cellucor Doping cases in weightlifting, Athletic taping
Awalcant Screen time Soft tissue injury, DJ Esco
Erikawicher98 Cardiology Cellucor, Stretching
Darrendi Tommy John surgery Roman Empire, Screen time
Tega.odjegba Code of silence Intraculturalism, Doping cases in weightlifting
Yochoy Ono (P2P) Gamma database machine project Gamma database machine project, Environmental issues in New York Environmental issues in New York
Niphapone Chisouvanh Athletic taping Screen time, Cellucor
Tejaspav Stretching DJ Esco, Doping Cases in Weightlifting
GhanatiosMilad Glocalization Intraculturalism, Cardiology
JustinMetzger23 Doping cases in weightlifting
Mdwood06 Science platform aircraft
RadDudeAdam Mighty Taco Ono (P2P)
Jonnybling DJ Esco Soft tissue injury, Stretching
Karahabo Soft tissue injury Mighty Taco, DJ Esco
Warlord10327! D-D Fusion Inertial confinement rocket engine Glocalization, Normalization (sociology)
Mei0908 Cyberbullying Environmental issues in New York Environmental issues in New York, Screen time
Mjuszcza U.S. Soccer Development Academy Mighty Taco, Doping cases in weightlifting
Eid2298 Fictional resistance movements and groups Environmental issues in New York, Doping cases in weightlifting

Timeline

Week 1

Course meetings
Tuesday, 6 September 2016   |   Thursday, 8 September 2016
In class - Wikipedia essentials
  • Overview of the course
  • Introduction to how Wikipedia will be used in the course
  • Understanding Wikipedia as a community, we'll discuss its expectations and etiquette.



Handout: Editing Wikipedia

Week 2

Course meetings
Tuesday, 13 September 2016
In class - Editing basics
  • Basics of editing
  • Anatomy of Wikipedia articles, what makes a good article, how to distinguish between good and bad articles
  • Collaborating and engaging with the Wiki editing community
  • Tips on finding the best articles to work on for class assignments



Handouts: Using Talk Pages, Evaluating Wikipedia


Assignment - Practicing the basics
  • Create an account and join this course page.
  • Complete the introductory training modules. During this training, you will make edits in a sandbox and learn the basic rules of Wikipedia.
  • Create a User page.
  • To practice editing and communicating on Wikipedia, introduce yourself to another student on their user talk page.
  • Explore topics related to your topic area to get a feel for how Wikipedia is organized. What areas seem to be missing? As you explore, make a mental note of articles that seem like good candidates for improvement.
Milestones

All students have Wikipedia user accounts and are listed on the course page.

Week 3

Course meetings
Tuesday, 20 September 2016   |   Thursday, 22 September 2016
In class - Exploring the topic area
  • Be prepared to discuss some of your observations about Wikipedia articles in your topic area that are missing or could use improvement.



Handouts: Choosing an article

Week 4

Course meetings
Tuesday, 27 September 2016   |   Thursday, 29 September 2016
In class - Using sources
  • Be prepared to explain close paraphrasing, plagiarism, and copyright violations on Wikipedia.



Handouts: Citing Sources and Avoiding Plagiarism



Supplementary training: [[../../../training/students/sources|Sources and Citations]]


Assignment - Add to an article
  • Add 1–2 sentences of new information, backed up with a citation to an appropriate source, to a Wikipedia article related to the class.


Assignment - Illustrate an article
  • Identify an article that would benefit from illustration, create or find an appropriate photo, illustration, or audio/video, and add it to the article.
    • All media uploaded to Wikipedia must fall under a "free license," which means they can be used or shared by anyone. Examples of media you can use are photos that you take yourself, images and text in the public domain, and works created by someone else who has given permission for their work to be used by others. For more information about which types of media can be uploaded to Wikipedia, see Commons:Help desk.
    • To add a media file to an article, you must first upload it to Wikimedia Commons. For instructions on how to upload files to Commons, refer to Illustrating Wikipedia. This brochure will also provide you with detailed information about which files are acceptable to upload to Wikipedia and the value of contributing media to Wikipedia articles.


Assignment - Choosing your article
  • Research and list 3–5 articles on your Wikipedia user page that you will consider working on as your main project. Look at the talk page for existing topics for a sense of who else is working on it and what they're doing. Describe your choices to your instructor for feedback.

Week 5

Course meetings
Tuesday, 4 October 2016   |   Thursday, 6 October 2016
In class - Discuss the article topics
  • Discuss the topics students will be working on, and determine strategies for researching and writing about them.



Supplementary training: [[../../../training/students/sandboxes|Sandboxes and Mainspace]]


Assignment - Finalize your topic and start researching
  • Finalize your topic selection and assign it to yourself on the course page.
  • Create a one-paragraph to one-page description of what you plan to contribute to the topic. You may wish to post that to the article's talk page.
  • Compile a bibliography of relevant, reliable sources and post it to the talk page of the article you are working on. Begin reading the sources. Make sure to check in on the talk page (or watchlist) to see if anyone has advice on your bibliography.


Assignment - Drafting starter articles
  • If you are starting a new article, write a 3–4 paragraph summary version of your article—with citations—in your Wikipedia sandbox. If you are improving an existing article, create a detailed outline reflecting your proposed changes, and post this for community feedback, along with a brief description of your plans, on the article’s talk page. Make sure to check back on the talk page often and engage with any responses.
  • Begin working with classmates and other editors to polish your short starter article and fix any major issues.
  • Continue research in preparation for expanding your article.

Week 6

Course meetings
Tuesday, 11 October 2016   |   Thursday, 13 October 2016
In class - Wikipedia culture and etiquette
  • Talk about Wikipedia culture and etiquette, and (optionally) revisit the concept of sandboxes and how to use them.
  • Q&A session with instructor about interacting on Wikipedia and getting started with writing.
Milestones

All students have started editing articles or drafts on Wikipedia.

Week 7

Course meetings
Tuesday, 18 October 2016   |   Thursday, 20 October 2016

Week 8

Course meetings
Tuesday, 25 October 2016   |   Thursday, 27 October 2016
In class - Building articles
  • Demo uploading images and adding images to articles.
  • Share experiences and discuss problems.



Resources: Illustrating Wikipedia and Evaluating Wikipedia


Assignment - Choose articles to peer review
  • Select two classmates’ articles that you will peer review and copyedit. On the table at the bottom of this course page, add your username next to the articles you will peer review. (You don’t need to start reviewing yet.)

Week 9

Course meetings
Tuesday, 1 November 2016   |   Thursday, 3 November 2016
In class - Review Elements of a Good Wikipedia Article
Assignment - Complete first draft
  • Expand your article into a complete first draft.

Week 10

Course meetings
Tuesday, 8 November 2016   |   Thursday, 10 November 2016
In class - Group suggestions
  • As a group, offer suggestions for improving one or two other students' articles, based on your ideas of what makes a solid encyclopedia article.



Supplementary training: [[../../../training/students/peer-review|Peer Review]]


Assignment - Peer review and copyedit
  • Peer review two of your classmates’ articles. Leave suggestions on the article talk pages.
  • Copy-edit the two reviewed articles.
Milestones

Every student has finished reviewing their assigned articles, making sure that every article has been reviewed.

Week 11

Course meetings
Tuesday, 15 November 2016   |   Thursday, 17 November 2016
In class - Media literacy discussion
  • Open discussion of the concepts of neutrality, media literacy, and the impact and limits of Wikipedia.


Assignment - Address peer review suggestions
  • Make edits to your article based on peers’ feedback. If you disagree with a suggestion, use talk pages to politely discuss and come to a consensus on your edit.

Week 12

Course meetings
Tuesday, 22 November 2016
In class - Discuss further article improvements
  • Continue discussing how the articles can be further improved. Come up with improvement goals for each article for next week.


Assignment - Continue improving articles
  • Return to your classmates' articles you previously reviewed, and provide more suggestions for further improvement. If there is a disagreement, suggest a compromise.
  • Do additional research and writing to make further improvements to your article, based on your classmates' suggestions and any additional areas for improvement you can identify.

Week 13

Course meetings
Tuesday, 29 November 2016   |   Thursday, 1 December 2016
In class - Moving articles to mainspace
  • We'll discuss moving your article out of your sandboxes and into Wikipedia's main space.
  • A general reminder: Don't panic if your contribution disappears, and don't try to force it back in.
    • Check to see if there is an explanation of the edit on the article's talk page. If not, (politely) ask why it was removed.
    • Contact your instructor or Wikipedia Content Expert and let them know.



Handout: Moving out of your Sandbox


Assignment - Moving articles to mainspace
  • Move your sandbox articles into main space.
    • If you are expanding an existing article, copy your edit into the article. If you are making many small edits, save after each edit before you make the next one. Do NOT paste over the entire existing article, or large sections of the existing article.
    • If you are creating a new article, do NOT copy and paste your text, or there will be no record of your work history. Follow the instructions in the "Moving out of your sandbox" handout.
  • Begin expanding your article into a comprehensive treatment of the topic.


Assignment - Final article
  • Add final touches to your Wikipedia article.



Handout: Polishing your article

Week 14

Course meetings
Tuesday, 6 December 2016   |   Thursday, 8 December 2016
Milestones

Students have finished all their work on Wikipedia that will be considered for grading.