User:Kkmurray/CHEM 4558/Timeline

Timeline
Class is Tuesday/Thursday 1:30-2:50 starting January 15. February 17 is Mardi Gras break and April 7 and 9 is Spring Break. The last class is April 30.

Wikipedia essentials

 * In class January 20
 * 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)

Editing basics

 * In class January 27
 * 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


 * Assignments (due February 3)
 * 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 and 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.


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

Exploring the topic area

 * In class February 3
 * Handouts: Choosing an article and How to get help
 * Assignments (due February 10):
 * Critically evaluate an existing Wikipedia article related to the class, and leave suggestions for improving it on the article's talk page.
 * 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.

Using sources

 * In class February 10
 * Handouts: Citing sources on Wikipedia and Avoiding plagiarism on Wikipedia


 * Assignment (due February 24)
 * Add 1–2 sentences of new information, backed up with a citation to an appropriate source, to a Wikipedia article related to the class.


 * For next week
 * Instructor evaluates student's article selections, by February 24.

Choosing articles

 * In class February 24
 * Discuss the range of topics students will be working on and strategies for researching and writing about them.


 * Assignments (due March 5)
 * Select an article to work on, removing the rest from your user page. Add your article to the class’s course page.
 * Compile a bibliography of relevant research and post it to the talk page of the article you are working on. Begin reading the sources.

Drafting starter articles
interacting on Wikipedia and getting started with writing.
 * In class March 5
 * 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


 * Assignments (due March 12)
 * 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, write a summary version reflecting the content the article will have after it's been improved, and post this along with a brief description of your plans on the article’s talk page.
 * 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.


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

Moving articles to the main space

 * In class March 12
 * Handout: Moving out of your sandbox


 * Assignments (due March 19)
 * 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,” and monitor the nomination for any issues identified by other editors.
 * Begin expanding your article into a comprehensive treatment of the topic.

Building articles

 * In class March 19
 * Demo uploading images and adding images to articles.
 * Share experiences and discuss problems.
 * Handouts: “Uploading images” and “Evaluating Wikipedia article quality” (handed out originally January 22)


 * Assignments (due March 26)
 * Expand your article into an initial draft of a comprehensive treatment of the topic.
 * Select two classmates’ articles that you will peer review and copy-edit. (You don’t need to start reviewing yet.)

Getting and giving feedback

 * In class April 2
 * 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.


 * Assignments (due April 14)
 * Peer review two of your classmates' articles. Leave suggestions on the article talk pages.
 * Copy-edit the two reviewed articles.


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

Class presentations
and the impact and limits of Wikipedia.
 * In class April 12, 14, 19, 21
 * Students give in-class presentations about their mass spectrometry topic.
 * Open discussion of the concepts of neutrality, media literacy,
 * Make edits to your article based on peers’ feedback. Prepare for an in-class presentation about your Wikipedia editing experience.
 * Add final touches to your Wikipedia article.
 * Write a reflective essay (2-5 pages) on your Wikipedia contributions.

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