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Wikipedia:Wiki Ed/University of Maryland College Park/LING272 Biophysics of Language (Fall 2019)

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Course name
LING272 Biophysics of Language
Institution
University of Maryland College Park
Instructor
John Locke
Wikipedia Expert
Shalor (Wiki Ed)
Subject
Biolinguistics
Course dates
2019-08-26 00:00:00 UTC – 2019-12-10 23:59:59 UTC
Approximate number of student editors
50


Course Description on University Website: This course examines the nature of mental representation of language in the physiology of the mind/brain, how it evolved, how it emerges in learners' minds, and how it decays through injury and illness. Insights from linguistics, cognitive psychology, neuroscience, animal behavior, molecular biology, and biophysics are brought to bear on how an abstract systematic behavior can arise within an animal brain.

Description from Syllabus: A classical debate concerns whether natural language is unique. While communication systems are common, the properties of human language have not been easy to find in other species. This I-series course debates that question, different sides of which are left for students to take. The only precondition is that the matter be approached scientifically, starting with notions from the Computational Theory of Mind. Depending on the majors that students seek, insights from linguistics, paleo-anthropology, cognitive psychology, animal behavior, neuroscience, molecular biology, biophysics, etc., may be brought to bear on how an abstract systematic behavior can arise within an animal brain, and what that says about language and evolution.

Course Goals: Students succeeding in the class should be able to: Critically evaluate the human and animal cognitive behavior literature (on communication and thinking), gain skills related to the analysis and production of written scientific studies, and formulate arguments related to central issues in the language sciences and science more generally.

The Wikipedia component of this course is meant to help students engage in science communication, begin to learn about and engage in the process of peer review, research topics that will inform the generation of proposals for potential experiments in biolinguistics for the end of semester presentations, and assist in the development of critical thinking and writing skills.

Student Assigned Reviewing
Smeyr2000 Language processing in the brain
Lilyeckles
KateKovalick
Kylahj Animal language
Stabry23
Elizabethearly18
Elenasavikas Animal Language
Lilyc818
PeterPeng2001 Animal language
Cygalanis
Slyons07 Animal Language
RDanielW571
Lindsay Lotter
Margaret L Green
Wpak3782
Alexlepp88
Hollybland Animal language
Chao-Wei Tu
Stalise Language processing in the brain
Sophieblum23 Language processing in the brain
Gmccord23 Language processing in the brain
Juliabkang
Jmmarcus518
Griffithpotts
Emmy Hudak Language processing in the brain
Tyler Przygocki Language processing in the brain
Nadia Mattanah
Arianne.Allegrezza Animal Language
Gracemart
Sofia E Morelli
Hadleysaba Animal language
Ninasantisi Language processing in the brain
Trish Cao
Amandarussell9
Motti1030
Ksevere
Skipper18267
KatrinaBozel
Bobeojoe
Skc2166 Language processing in the brain
Cmahon127 Animal Language

Timeline

Week 2

Course meetings
Wednesday, 4 September 2019   |   Friday, 6 September 2019
In class - Introduction to the Wikipedia assignment

Welcome to your Wikipedia assignment's course timeline. This page guides you through the steps you'll need to complete for your Wikipedia assignment, with links to training modules and your classmates' work spaces.

Your course has been assigned a Wikipedia Expert. You can reach them through the Get Help button at the top of this page.

Resources:


Assignment - Get started on Wikipedia

Create an account and join this course page, using the enrollment link your instructor sent you. (Because of Wikipedia's technical restraints, you may receive a message that you cannot create an account. To resolve this, please try again off campus or the next day.)

Milestones

This week, everyone should have a Wikipedia account.

Week 3

Course meetings
Monday, 9 September 2019   |   Wednesday, 11 September 2019   |   Friday, 13 September 2019
Assignment - Evaluate Wikipedia

Exercise

Evaluate an article


Week 4

Course meetings
Monday, 16 September 2019   |   Wednesday, 18 September 2019   |   Friday, 20 September 2019
Assignment - Review the rules for health topics
In class - Discussion

What's a content gap?

Week 5

Course meetings
Monday, 23 September 2019   |   Wednesday, 25 September 2019   |   Friday, 27 September 2019
Assignment - Add to an article

Exercise

Add a citation


Week 6

Course meetings
Monday, 30 September 2019   |   Wednesday, 2 October 2019   |   Friday, 4 October 2019
Guide(s) for writing articles in your topic area

Linguistics

Psychology

Science Communication


In class - Discussion

Thinking about Wikipedia

Week 7

Course meetings
Monday, 7 October 2019   |   Wednesday, 9 October 2019   |   Friday, 11 October 2019
Assignment - Choose possible topics

Exercise

Choose a topic

Resource: Editing Wikipedia, page 6

Week 8

Course meetings
Monday, 14 October 2019   |   Wednesday, 16 October 2019   |   Friday, 18 October 2019
Assignment - Start drafting your contributions

Resource: Editing Wikipedia, pages 7–9

Milestones

Everyone has begun writing their article drafts.

Week 9

Course meetings
Monday, 21 October 2019   |   Wednesday, 23 October 2019   |   Friday, 25 October 2019
Assignment - Peer review an article

Guiding framework

Milestones

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


Assignment - Respond to your peer review

You probably have some feedback from other students and possibly other Wikipedians. Consider their suggestions, decide whether it makes your work more accurate and complete, and edit your draft to make those changes.

Resources:

  • Editing Wikipedia, pages 12 and 14
  • Reach out to your Wikipedia Expert if you have any questions.


Assignment - Continue improving your article

Exercise

Add links to your article

Now's the time to revisit your text and refine your work. You may do more research and find missing information; rewrite the lead section to represent all major points; reorganize the text to communicate the information better; or add images and other media.

Week 10

Course meetings
Monday, 28 October 2019   |   Wednesday, 30 October 2019   |   Friday, 1 November 2019
Assignment - Begin moving your work to Wikipedia

Now that you've improved your draft based on others' feedback, it's time to move your work live - to the "mainspace."

Resource: Editing Wikipedia, page 13


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 Wikipedia Expert at any time if you need further help!


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 Wikipedia Expert at any time!


Assignment - Reflective essay

Guiding questions

Milestones

Everyone should have finished all of the work they'll do on Wikipedia, and be ready for grading.