User:Rhododendrites/Test course name

This is a test course covering test subjects. Students will be tested and write about tests or test-related subjects throughout the test semester.

Week 1 (2015-02-02):  Wikipedia essentials

 * Overview of the course
 * Introduction to how Wikipedia will be used in the course
 * Wikipedia is a community: a brief overview of its rules, expectations, and etiquette
 * Handout: Editing Wikipedia (available in print or online from the Wiki Education Foundation)

Week 2 (2015-02-09):  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 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 on the user talk page of one of your classmates, who should also be enrolled in the table at the bottom of the page.


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

Week 3 (2015-02-16):  Exploring the topic area

 * 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


 * Read through this brochure on evaluating Wikipedia articles, especially pages 4-7. 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 biased 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?


 * Choose one article, identify ways in which you can improve and correct its language and grammar, and make the appropriate changes. (You do not need to alter the article's content.)

Week 4 (2015-02-23):  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 5 (2015-03-02):  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. Make sure to check in on the talk page (or watchlist) to see if anyone has advice on your bibliography.

Week 6 (2015-03-09):  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 about interacting on Wikipedia and getting started with writing.


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

Week 7 (2015-03-16):  Moving articles to the main space

 * Handout: Moving out of your sandbox


 * Move 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.


 * 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 can provide support for this process.


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

Week 8 (2015-03-23):  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 a classmate's article that you will peer review and copyedit. (You don’t need to start reviewing yet.)

Week 9 (2015-03-30):  Creating first draft

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

Week 10 (2015-04-06):  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 your classmate's article. Leave suggestions on the article talk page.
 * Copy-edit the reviewed article.


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

Week 11 (2015-04-13):  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. If you disagree with a suggestion, use talk pages to politely discuss and come to a consensus on your edit.


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

Week 12 (2015-04-20):  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. 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 (2015-04-27):  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. 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 14 (2015-05-04):  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. 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.

Week 15 (2015-05-11):  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.


 * Put together a Wikipedia portfolio.


 * Write a paper going beyond your Wikipedia article to advance your own ideas, arguments, and original research about your topic.


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

Week 16 (2015-05-18):  Due date

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