Wikipedia:Meetup/Sonoma County/Sonoma State University

Love it or hate it, Wikipedia is the most heavily used reference source in the world. We encourage students to engage in the collaborative process of information expression and revision by attending the Wikipedia Edit-A-Thon on Thursday, November 17, from 1-4pm. Edit-A-Thons are a fun way to gain a better understanding of how Wikipedia articles are created, updated, and why there are concerns about reliability. For this edit-a-thon, we'll be strengthening entries related to Ta-Nehisi Coates's "Between the World and Me." You need not have read the book to participate, and we will supply some suggested topics. Want to know more? Contact Hilary Smith in the University Library.

Schedule

 * 1:00 to 1:15: Introductions.
 * 1:15 to 2:00: Introductory presentation followed by Q&A. What's unique about Wikipedia? Why was it founded, why is it so successful? How does it work without a centralized editorial control? How does the software work -- that is, how can you get started?
 * 2:00 to 4:00: Edit-a-thon. Bring your laptop or use one of ours, and any reference materials you like (you can also use online sources, of course). Suggested topics: see the potential articles listed below, or anything related to them. We will form small groups and work on articles together; beginners can work with more experienced editors to get coaching and advice.

What to expect
Participants will:
 * gain a hands-on understanding of how Wikipedia came to be, and
 * learn how to contribute their knowledge and skills

Potential articles to edit:
 * Ta-Nehisi Coates
 * Between the World and Me
 * Spiegel & Grau
 * The Fire Next Time

Participants
Feel free to add yourself below!


 * Hilary Smith (SSU Librarian)


 * John Broughton


 * David Dodd (Sonoma County Library)


 * Stephen Gold (old fart)

More information

 * Facebook page for this event