Wikipedia:United States Education Program/Courses/Western Carolina University: Public Policy Analysis (Chris Cooper)/Timeline

Monday, January 9- Introduction to Policy Analysis and to the course
Policy Tool: Understanding policy analysis

Wiki: Introduction to Wikipedia part of the course

Handout “Welcome to Wikipedia” brochure

Reading due next class

5 pillars of Wikipedia

Mintrom People Skills, Chapter 1

Mintrom Contemporary Policy Analysis, chapters 2, 3, 4

Assignment due next class

Article summary (1-2 pages) (HW#1)

Monday, January 23 Problem Definition
People Skill: Understanding people skills

Policy Tool: Problem Definition

Wiki:

Basics of editing

Anatomy of Wikipedia articles, what makes a good article, how to distinguish between good & bad articles

Tips & recommendations for best articles to work on for the class

Handout: "Creating an account" how-to, "Evaluating Wikipedia article quality" brochure

Readings due next week: o	Mintrom People Skills,, Chapter 2 o	Mintrom Contemporary Policy Analysis, Chapters 5 and 6 •	Writing Assignment: Problem Definition (Due next class) (HW #2) •	Wiki Assignments: o	Create a Wikipedia user account, create a user page, and add your name to the course page's list of students (on the WikiProject) (WCU) o	Contact an Online Ambassador (via his/her Wikipedia user talk page) as a mentor. Mentors will be available to offer advice and assistance as you start editing (WCU) o	To practice the editing features of Wikipedia, leave a message for a few classmates on their user talk pages (WCU).

Monday, January 30: Policy Process and Policy Agendas
Policy tool: Models of the policy process

People skill: Managing your resources

Excel Exercise #1&2 (HW #3)

Wiki:

Introduce students to IRC (online chat system) where student can get live support and show students how to contact online ambassador mentors

Readings due next week:

Mintrom, Contemporary Policy Analysis, Chapters 7, 8, and 9

Wiki Assignments

Critically evaluate an existing Wikipedia article related to the class and leave suggestions for improving it on the article’s discussion page (WCU)

Research and list 3 articles on your Wikipedia user page that you will consider working on as your main project. Ask your online ambassador for comments (WCU).

Monday, February 6: Ethics of Policy Analysis; economic rationality and its impact on policy
People skill: Building expert knowledge, interviewing informants

Policy tool: Ethics; understanding the implications of the market for democracy

Wiki:

Discuss referencing on Wikipedia

Excel Exercise #3 & #4 (HW #4)

Reading due next week:

Mintrom People Skills, Chapter 3, 4

Mintrom Contemporary Policy Analysis, Chapters 10 & 11

Wiki Assignments:

Decide which article you will work on and list it on the course page (WCU)

Compile a bibliography of relevant sources, and begin researching the topic (WCU)

Monday, February 13: Policy and Criteria Beyond Efficiency
People skill: Building Expert Knowledge, interviewing informants

Policy tool: Understanding societal values other than efficiency

Wiki:

Talk about Wikipedia sandboxes and culture/etiquette

Reading due next week:

Mintrom People Skills,, Chapter 5

Mintrom Contemporary Policy Analysis, Chpater 12

Wiki Assignments:

Write 3-4 paragraph summary version of your article (with citations) in your Wikipedia sandbox (WCU)

Begin working with your online ambassador mentor to polish your short starter article and fix any major transgressions of Wikipedia norms

Continue research in preparation for expanding your article.

Monday, February 20: Critical Thinking, Research Design and Measurement
People Skill: Giving Presentations

Policy Tool: Applying proper research design

Wiki

Handout: Moving article from sandbox into main space, handout “did you know nominations”

Wiki assignments

Move your sandbox article into Wikipedia’s main space (live articles) (WCU)

Nominate your article for “Did you know” status, and monitor the nomination for any issues identified by other editors (WCU)

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

Monday, February 27: Midterm Exam
Reading due March 10:

Mintrom People Skills,, Chapter 6

Monday, March 5: Making Sense of Numbers
People Skill: Working in teams

Policy Tool: Presenting data

Wiki

Article ratings on Wikipedia and how to get there

Adding images to Wikipedia articles

Homework Assignment: Presenting data homework (HW#5)

Wiki assignment: expand your article into an initial draft of a comprehensive treatment of the topic (WCU)

Reading due next week:

Mintrom People Skills,, Chapter 7

Monday, March 12: A little bit of stats, regression
Policy tool: regression

People skill: Facilitating Meetings

Reading due next week:

Mintrom People Skills,, Chapter 8

Homework Assignment: regression (HW#6)

Wiki Assignment:

Peer review two classmates’ articles

Leave suggestions and comments on those classmates’ article discussion pages (WCU)

Copy-edit peers’ articles (WCU)

Monday, March 19: Forecasting continued
Policy tool: Forecasting

People Skill: Writing for multiple audiences

Reading due this week:

Homework Assignment: forecasting (HW#7)

Wiki Assignment:

Revise your article based on peers’ feedback (WCU)

Nominate your article for “good article” status (WCU)

Prepare for in-class presentation about your Wikipedia-editing experiences

Monday, March 26: More Forecasting
Policy Tool: Forecasting, forecasting, and more forecasting practice

Homework Assignment: forecasting (HW#8)

Reading due next week

Mintrom People Skills, Chapter 9

Monday, April 9: Cost-Benefit Analysis
Policy tool: Cost Benefit Analysis

People Skill: Conflict Management

Reading due next week:

Ashworth, April

Homework Assignment: CBA (HW#9)

Monday, April 16: Cost Benefit Analysis, Qualitative Tools
Policy Tool: More CBA, more CBA and a bit more CBA

Policy tools: focus groups, and DELPHI

Writing Assignment: Written Public Comment (due next class)

Reading due April 28:

Mintrom People Skills,, Chapter 11

Homework Assignment: CBA (HW#10)

Wiki Assignment:

Add final touches to your Wikipedia article

Write a reflective essay on your Wikipedia contributions and editing experiences (WS)

Monday, April 30: Final Exam
Wiki

Presentation on your Wiki experience: ¾ substance, ¼ on Wikipedia editing experience. (WP)

Final Wikipedia entry graded (WS)

([ Click to return to your main course page and continue.])