User:Benjamin Mako Hill/Test Course

Week 1 (2015-03-16):  Wikipedia essentials

 * Overview of the course
 * Introduction to how Wikipedia will be used in the course
 * Handout: Editing Wikipedia (available in print or online from the Wiki Education Foundation)

Week 2 (2015-03-23):  Editing basics

 * Basics of editing
 * Anatomy of Wikipedia articles, what makes a good article, how to distinguish between good and bad articles
 * Tips on finding the best articles to work on for class assignments
 * Handouts: Using Talk Pages handout and Evaluating Wikipedia brochure


 * Create an account and then complete the online training for students. During this training, you will make edits in a sandbox and learn the basic rules of Wikipedia.


 * Create a User page, and then click the "enroll" button on the top left of this course page.


 * To practice editing and communicating on Wikipedia, introduce yourself to any Wikipedians helping your class (such as a Wikipedia Ambassador), and leave a message for a classmate on their user talk page.


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

Week 3 (2015-03-30):  Exploring the topic area

 * Basics of editing
 * Anatomy of Wikipedia articles, what makes a good article, how to distinguish between good and bad articles
 * Tips on finding the best articles to work on for class assignments
 * Handouts: Using Talk Pages handout and Evaluating Wikipedia brochure


 * Critically evaluate an existing Wikipedia article related to the class, and leave suggestions for improving it on the article's talk page.

Week 4 (2015-04-06):  Using sources and choosing articles

 * Handouts: Citing sources on Wikipedia and Avoiding plagiarism on Wikipedia


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


 * Research and list 3–5 articles on your Wikipedia user page that you will consider working on as your main project. Ask your instructor for comment.


 * For next week
 * Instructor evaluates student's article selections, by next week.

Week 5 (2015-04-13):  Finalizing topics and starting research

 * Discuss the range of topics students will be working on and strategies for researching and writing about them.


 * Select an article to work on, removing the rest from your user page. Add your article to the class’s course page.


 * Mark your article's talk page with a banner to let other editors know you're working on it. Add this code in the top section of the 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.

Week 6 (2015-04-20):  Drafting starter articles

 * Talk about Wikipedia culture and etiquette, and (optionally) revisit the concept of sandboxes and how to use them.
 * Q&A session with instructor and/or Wikipedia Ambassadors about interacting on Wikipedia and getting started with writing.


 * All students have started editing articles or drafts on Wikipedia.

Week 7 (2015-04-27):  Moving articles to the main space

 * Handout: Moving out of your sandbox


 * Move sandbox articles into main space.


 * Optional: For new articles or qualifying expansions of stubs, compose a one-sentence “hook,” nominate it for “Did you know,” (see detailed instructions) and monitor the nomination for any issues identified by other editors. Wiki Education Foundation staff and/or Wikipedia Ambassadors can provide support for this process.


 * Begin expanding your article into a comprehensive treatment of the topic.

Week 8 (2015-05-04):  Building articles

 * Demo uploading images and adding images to articles.
 * Share experiences and discuss problems.
 * Handouts: "Uploading images" and "Evaluating Wikipedia article quality" (handed out originally earlier in the course)


 * Select two classmates’ articles that you will peer review and copyedit. (You don’t need to start reviewing yet.)

Week 9 (2015-05-11):  Creating first draft

 * Expand your article into an initial draft of a comprehensive treatment of the topic.

Week 10 (2015-05-18):  Getting and giving feedback

 * As a group, have the students offer suggestions for improving one or two of the students' articles, setting the example for what is expected from a solid encyclopedia article.


 * Peer review two of your classmates’ articles. Leave suggestions on the article talk pages.
 * Copy-edit the two reviewed articles.


 * All articles have been reviewed by others. All students have reviewed articles by their classmates.

Week 11 (2015-05-25):  Responding to feedback

 * Open discussion of the concepts of neutrality, media literacy, and the impact and limits of Wikipedia.


 * Make edits to your article based on peers’ feedback.


 * All articles have been reviewed by others. All students have reviewed articles by their classmates.

Week 12 (2015-06-01):  Continuing to improve articles

 * Continue discussing how the articles can be further improved. Come up with improvement goals for each article for next week.


 * Return to your classmates' articles you previously reviewed, and provide more suggestions for further improvement.
 * 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 (2015-06-08):  Continuing to improve articles

 * Continue discussing how the articles can be further improved. Come up with improvement goals for each article for next week.


 * Return to your classmates' articles you previously reviewed, and provide more suggestions for further improvement.
 * 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 14 (2015-06-15):  Continuing to improve articles

 * Continue discussing how the articles can be further improved. Come up with improvement goals for each article for next week.


 * Return to your classmates' articles you previously reviewed, and provide more suggestions for further improvement.
 * 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.


 * Prepare for an in-class presentation about your Wikipedia editing experience.

Week 15 (2015-06-22):  Finishing touches

 * Students give in-class presentations about their experiences editing Wikipedia.


 * Add final touches to your Wikipedia article.


 * Write a reflective essay (2–5 pages) on your Wikipedia contributions.


 * Put together a Wikipedia portfolio.


 * All articles have been reviewed by others. All students have reviewed articles by their classmates.

Week 16 (2015-06-29):  Due date

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