User:ProfTAH/Academic Writing & the Meaning of Knowledge

This class will teach the basics of academic writing and research -- while also promoting digital literacy -- through a rigorous inquiry of the world’s sixth most visited website. According to its own entry, Wikipedia is “a free-access, free content Internet encyclopedia, supported and hosted by the non-profit Wikimedia Foundation. Anyone who can access the site can edit almost any of its articles…[it] constitutes the Internet’s largest and most popular general reference work.”

This class will require 2 major writing assignments: (1) a ~10-15 page academic research paper due at the end of the semester, and (2) a Wikipedia article written and edited by you. In order to successfully produce both, we will have to explore a variety of conventions related to writing, as well as some theoretical ideas related to epistemology. We will familiarize ourselves with the policies and procedures set forth by Wikipedia’s community of contributors. We will evaluate print and digital texts by conducting research in the library and online. We will hone your skills in academic writing, research, and discourse. We will practice summarizing, paraphrasing, quoting, analyzing, and synthesizing the views of other writers. Ultimately, you will begin to apprehend the fundamental role of rhetoric (i.e., persuasion) within the world of academic discourse, while also learning about knowledge creation, bias, credibility, objectivity, and community writing in the digital world. In sum, through classroom discussions, writing assignments, and your own online inquiries, this class promises to make you a better writer, reader, researcher, and thinker.

Week 1 (2015-06-08):  Wikipedia essentials, Editing basics, Exploring the topic area

 * 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 (available in print or online from the Wiki Education Foundation)


 * 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 handout and Evaluating Wikipedia brochure


 * Be prepared to discuss some of your observations about Wikipedia articles your topic area that are missing or could use improvement.
 * Handouts: Choosing an article


 * 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 on the user talk page of one of your classmates, who should also be enrolled in the table at the bottom of the 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.


 * Review pages 4-7 of the Evaluating Wikipedia brochure. This will give you a good, brief overview of what to look for in other articles, and what other people will look for in your own.


 * Evaluate an existing Wikipedia article related to the class, and leave suggestions for improving it on the article's talk page.
 * A few questions to consider (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?


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

Week 2 (2015-06-15):  Using sources and choosing articles

 * Handouts: Citing sources on Wikipedia and Avoiding plagiarism on Wikipedia.
 * Be prepared to explain close paraphrasing, plagiarism, and copyright violations 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. 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.


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

Week 3 (2015-06-22):  Finalizing topics and starting research, Drafting starter articles

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


 * 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.


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


 * By the start of our next class, find an article you want to work on and mark the article's talk page with a banner to let other editors know you're working on it. To add the banner, add this code in the top section of the talk page:


 * Add a link to your selected article to the table at the bottom of this course 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.


 * 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.


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

Week 4 (2015-06-29):  Moving articles to the main space

 * We'll discuss moving your article out of your sandboxes and into Wikipedia's main space.
 * Handout: Moving out of your sandbox
 * 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.


 * 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 these instructions on how to move your work.


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

Week 5 (2015-07-06):  Building articles, Creating first draft, Getting and giving feedback

 * Demo uploading images and adding images to articles.
 * Share experiences and discuss problems.
 * Handouts: "Illustrating Wikipedia" (pgs 4-7) and "Evaluating Wikipedia article quality" (handed out originally earlier in the course)


 * As a group, offer suggestions for improving one or two other students' articles, based on your ideas of what makes a solid encyclopedia article.


 * 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.)


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


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


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

Week 6 (2015-07-13):  Responding to feedback, Continuing to improve articles

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


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


 * 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.


 * 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.


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


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

Week 7 (2015-07-20):  Finishing touches

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


 * Add final touches to your Wikipedia article. You can find a handy reference guide here.


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


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

Week 8 (2015-07-27):  Due date

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