Wikipedia:GLAM/Expeditions/Maastricht University



At Maastricht University (NL), a bachelor research course titled On Expedition was organized from February till June 2014. In the scope of the project Expedition Wikipedia, Wikipedian in Residence Sandra Fauconnier assisted participating students in contributing some of their acquired knowledge to Wikipedia.

Project background
At Maastricht University (NL), a bachelor research course titled On Expedition was organized from February till June 2014. This course fell into the scope of the university's MARBLE programme, which focuses on research-based learning.

The course On Expedition was open to students from the university's Faculty of Art and Social Sciences (Cultuurwetenschappen/Arts and Culture and European Studies) and the University College Maastricht, as well as from other faculties.

During the course, students were assigned to read and analyze a travel report from the rich collection of the Maastricht Jesuit Library. Goals of the course were:
 * 1) Teaching students to study reports of expeditions with utmost care, taking into account
 * 2) *the heterogeneous agendas of the explorers
 * 3) *their cultural perceptions and prejudices
 * 4) *their scientific frames of reference
 * 5) *how and why they wrote about the results of their travels
 * 6) Helping students gain a better understanding of the exchange of knowledge in the past
 * 7) The exploitation of the wealths of the Maastricht Jesuit Library

Students wrote a research paper about their chosen travel report. In addition, they were invited to contribute some of their acquired knowledge to Wikipedia (the English Wikipedia or other) and, if relevant, donate digitized illustrations from the books to Wikimedia Commons. Sandra Fauconnier, Wikipedian in Residence for the project Expedition Wikipedia, tutored and assisted the students in this process.

Contact info

 * Sandra Fauconnier, Wikipedian in Residence, provides introduction to Wikipedia and Wikimedia Commons to course participants
 * User:Taketa gives an introductory Wikipedia course at Maastricht University in February-March 2014, which participating students are invited to attend
 * Annemieke Klijn, lecturer/assistant professor, Department Arts and Social Sciences/History and curator Arts and Heritage Commission of University Maastricht
 * Ernst Homburg, professor History of Science and Technology, Department Arts and Social Sciences/History at Maastricht University
 * Odin Essers, conservator Special Collections and e-learning expert, Maastricht University Library
 * User:Romaine, experienced Wikipedia user who can help you with various questions.

March 2014

 * Each student selects one book and does first research.
 * 19 March: Wikipedia introduction by Sandra.

April 2014

 * Books are discussed in weekly class.
 * Students start working on their bachelor theses.
 * Students write short proposals on their Wikipedia contributions.

May 2014

 * 7 May 2014: Wikipedia edit-a-thon at Maastricht University.
 * First steps writing on Wikipedia.
 * 18 May 2014: draft thesis submitted
 * Last weeks of May: further Wikipedia editing

June 2014

 * Wikipedia contribution finished and assessed
 * Final version of bachelor thesis due.

Wikipedia: getting started
Three great starting points for beginners:


 * 1) By all means, do the online Wikipedia Training program, which is specifically designed for students! It takes approximately one hour to complete, and gives you your first hands-on experience writing on Wikipedia.
 * 2) You can also watch this very informative video, which focuses on academic writing on Wikipedia (also one hour): http://vimeo.com/64973792
 * 3) Download and print the brochure on the right and keep it next to you while you work. It is extremely concise and covers all the basics very well.

Five Pillars
Wikipedia's Five Pillars:
 * 1) Wikipedia is an online encyclopedia
 * 2) Wikipedia has a neutral point of view
 * 3) Wikipedia is free content
 * 4) Wikipedians should interact in a respectful and civil manner
 * 5) Wikipedia does not have firm rules

Quick links to general guidelines

 * 1) Verifiability
 * 2) Topics on Wikipedia must be notable
 * 3) Cite reliable sources
 * 4) No original research

Wikiproject:Books

 * Lots of useful tips and guidelines can be found at the Wikiproject Books.
 * Such as this template for writing a Wikipedia article on a non-fiction book.

Biographies

 * An overview of guidelines on biographies on Wikipedia: Manual of Style: Biographies

Reading list
Every student is assigned one book from this list. There is also a longlist with many more titles.

Course participants

 * 1) Pie7 (talk) 11:41, 7 May 2014 (UTC)
 * 2) Anikoch91 (talk) 11:42, 7 May 2014 (UTC)
 * 3) Maurmink (talk) 11:44, 7 May 2014 (UTC)
 * 4) Elinamarble (talk) 11:43, 7 May 2014 (UTC)
 * 5) ThomasGidney (talk) 11:43, 7 May 2014 (UTC)
 * 6) ZDellink (talk) 11:47, 7 May 2014 (UTC)
 * 7) PaulVanO (talk) 11:47, 7 May 2014 (UTC)
 * 8) Equinox78 (talk) 11:48, 7 May 2014 (UTC)
 * 9) EMMA HINE (talk) 11:49, 7 May 2014 (UTC)

Authors

 * 1) Joachim Heinrich Campe, improved by Pie7
 * 2) Arnoldus Montanus (English) and Arnoldus Montanus (Dutch), improved by ZDellink
 * 3) Johan Nieuhof (English) and Joan Nieuhof (Dutch) improved by PaulVanO
 * 4) Mansfield Parkyns, new article by Elinamarble
 * 5) Isaac Titsingh, improved by Anikoch91
 * 6) Miguel Venegas, improved by Maurmink
 * 7) Andrés Marcos Burriel, improved by Maurmink

Books

 * 1) An embassy from the East-India Company and in Dutch: Het Gezantschap Der Neerlandtsche Oost-Indische Compagnie, new articles by PaulVanO
 * 2) Illustrations of Japan, new article by Anikoch91
 * De Nieuwe en Onbekende Weereld (Dutch), new article by ZDellink
 * 1) The Discovery of America, new article by Pie7 - featured on the homepage of the English Wikipedia, in the Did you know... section, on 10 July 2014

Other Wikipedia articles

 * 1) The Golovnin Incident, new article by ThomasGidney
 * 2) Habesha people, improved by Elinamarble
 * Jacob van Meurs (Dutch), prominent publisher, new article by ZDellink
 * Cornelis de Pauw (German), improved by Pie7

Images uploaded to Wikimedia Commons
For a general overview, see the Commons category Images from Universiteitsbibliotheek Maastricht.