Wikipedia:United States Education Program/Courses/Writing as Communication (Zachary McDowell)/Timeline

Wikipedia Timeline
Note: Course Materials not engaging Wikipedia will be available at the Course Moodle site

Week 1: Wikipedia Essentials

 * In class
 * Overview of the course
 * Introduction to how Wikipedia will be used in the course
 * Handout: Welcome to Wikipedia (available in print or online from the Wikimedia Foundation)


 * Assignment
 * Read Five pillars, an explanation of Wikipedia's basic rules and principles
 * Create Wikipedia Account

Week 2: Basics

 * In class
 * Introduction:
 * Basics of editing
 * Anatomy of Wikipedia articles, what makes a good article, how to distinguish between good & bad articles
 * Tips on finding the best articles to work on for class assignments
 * Handouts and videos: Video on creating an account, Talk pages tutorial video, Evaluating Wikipedia article quality brochure, Account and user page creation handout, Wikimarkup cheatsheet
 * Handout: Advice for choosing articles


 * Academic Readings / Discussion
 * Discussion: What does it mean to communicate?
 * Read: Briankle Chang - Communication as Communicability
 * Read: Claudio Moreira - A Life in So Many Acts


 * Assignments
 * Create a user page, and sign up on the list of students on the course page.
 * To practice editing and communicating on Wikipedia, introduce yourself to one of the class's Online Ambassadors (via talk page), and leave a message for a classmate on their user talk page.
 * Critically evaluate an existing Wikipedia article related to the class, and leave suggestions for improving it on the article's discussion page. (optional)
 * Research and list 3–5 articles on your Wikipedia user page that you will consider working on as your main project. Ask your class's Online Ambassadors for comments.
 * Milestone:
 * All students have Wikipedia user accounts and are listed on the course page.

Week 3: Exploring your topic area

 * In class
 * Discussion: Writing a proposal
 * Handouts and videos: Referencing handout, Referencing: Wikicode handout, Plagiarism handout, Citing sources tutorial video, RefToolbar citation tool tutorial video


 * Academic Readings / Discussion
 * Read: Shimpach and Jhally


 * Assignment
 * Add 1–2 sentences of new information, backed up with a citation to an appropriate source, to a Wikipedia article you are interested in.

Week 4: Choosing a Project

 * In class
 * Discuss the range of topics students will be working on and strategies for researching and writing about them.


 * Academic Readings / Discussion
 * Discussion: Writing in Communication Studies
 * Read: Gencarella, Cooks, and Fuentes-Bautista


 * Assignments
 * Project Proposal Due
 * Add article link to course page


 * Milestone
 * All students have submitted Project Proposals on Moodle

Week 5: Consultation Week - Begin to Draft Article

 * Consultation week: Students will meet one-on-one with instructor to discuss proposal
 * Instructor will discuss Wikipedia culture & etiquette and introduce the concept of sandboxes and how to use them.
 * Video resource: Sandbox tutorial

Week 6: Drafting Sandbox Articles

 * In class
 * Q&A session with instructor and/or Campus Ambassadors about interacting on Wikipedia and getting started with writing


 * Assignments
 * 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, write a summary version reflecting the content the article will have after it's been improved, and post this along with a brief description of your plans on the article's talk page.
 * Begin working with classmates and Online Ambassadors to polish your short starter article and fix any major transgressions of Wikipedia norms.
 * Begin expanding your article into a comprehensive treatment of the topic.
 * Get ready to move your article out of the sandbox.
 * Handout: Moving into main space
 * Milestone
 * All students have started editing articles or drafts on Wikipedia.

Week 7: Building articles / Did You Know?

 * In class or Computer Lab
 * Campus Ambassadors lead Wikipedia lab/workshop, covering:
 * Article ratings on Wikipedia & how to get there
 * Uploading images, and adding images to articles
 * Handouts and videos: Uploading images handout, Uploading files to Wikimedia Commons video, Evaluating Wikipedia article quality brochure (handed out originally in week 2), Article assessments video, Evolution of an article video


 * Wiki assignments
 * Expand your article into an initial draft of a comprehensive treatment of the topic
 * Select two classmates' articles that you will peer review and copy-edit. (You don't need to start reviewing yet.)
 * For new articles or qualifying expansions of stubs, compose a one-sentence "hook," nominate it for "Did you know," and monitor the nomination for any issues identified by other editors.
 * Handout: Submitting articles to Did You Know

Week 8: Getting and giving feedback

 * In class
 * 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.


 * Discussion: Mediated Writing / Writing and the Web
 * Readings: Geddes, Lessig (on Moodle)


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


 * Milestone
 * All articles have been reviewed by others. All students have reviewed articles by their classmates.

Week 9: Responding to feedback

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


 * Discussion: Collective Intelligence
 * Readings: Levy and Lessig (On Moodle)


 * Wiki assignments
 * Make edits to your article based on peers' feedback.
 * Nominate your article for Good Article status.
 * Prepare for an in-class presentation about your Wikipedia editing experience.

Week 10: Library Week

 * Students will meet with instructor at arranged times to discuss Critical Reflection Paper.

Week 11: Public Writing

 * Discussion: Public Writing and Critique
 * Readings: Carbaugh; Castaneda; Geisler; Gencarella; Jhally; Morgan; Servaes


 * Wiki assignments
 * Continue to work on article

Week 12: Academia and the Public

 * Discussion: Project Reflection / Academia and the Public


 * Wiki assignments
 * Add final touches to you Wikipedia article. Try to address issues from Good Article reviews.

Week 13: Class presentations / Project Due

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

Week 14: Project Critical Reflection Due

 * Project Reflection Discussions
 * Project Critical Reflection Due 12/12

You made it!


 * Milestone
 * Students have finished all their work on Wikipedia that will be considered for grading, and have submitted reflective essays.

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