Wikipedia:Wiki Ed/Leeward Community College, University of Hawaii/Introduction to Zoology (Spring 2022)

This course is an introduction to the study of animal life. We will discuss animal physiology, reproduction, and life histories, as well as evolution of animal life, the interaction of organisms in their environment, food chains and trophic levels, and ecological distributions. Representative animal phyla including both invertebrates and vertebrates are studied from the viewpoint of systematics and structural characters with special emphasis on Hawaiian species.

As part of this course you will improve an article on Wikipedia about an animal species native to Hawaiʻi. Currently, only very few species native to Hawaiʻi are on Wikipedia often including limited information. The writing of this Wikipedia article will be a step-wise process with several assignments throughout the semester which are all a part of your final course grade.

The Wikipedia assignment will 1) help you with digital literacy, improved understanding of plagiarism, use of references as well as improved communication skills, and 2) increase information on Wikipedia of Hawaiian animal species.

Week 3
Welcome to your Wikipedia assignment's course timeline. This page guides you through the steps you'll need to complete for your Wikipedia assignments, with links to training modules and your classmates' work spaces.

You will contribute to Wikipedia by adding 1 species entry of an animal species native to Hawaiʻi. You can chose anything within the taxonomic groups of arthropods (crustacenas, insects, etc.), mollusks, echinoderms, or vertebrates.

Your course has been assigned a Wikipedia Expert. You can reach them through the Get Help button at the top of this page.

Resources:


 * Editing Wikipedia, pages 1–5
 * Evaluating Wikipedia

Create an account and join this course page, using the enrollment link your instructor sent you. (Because of Wikipedia's technical restraints, you may receive a message that you cannot create an account. To resolve this, please try again off campus or the next day.)

This week, everyone should have a Wikipedia account.

Week 5
Resource: Editing Wikipedia, page 6

Choose an animal species from this list (link). This list includes arthropods, echinoderms, mollusk, or vertebrate species native to Hawaiʻi. Some of these species already have a very short article in Wikipedia (a so-called &quot;stub&quot;) that needs much more information and references to be useful or are only listed as so-called &quot;red-links&quot; in Wikipedia without a page. If you want to work on a different species not on that list, make sure it does not already have a solid article in Wikipedia and contact your instructor. You can also just add that species at the bottom on the list above.

Add at least one species you would like to work on in the Google sheet above (link) by adding your name. You can use these to find references and do some research on, before deciding on the species to work on for the rest of the semester.

Assignment: submit your chosen species under Assignments on Laulima

Week 6
If your chosen species is approved by me it is now highlighted in green on this list (link). If the species did not have a Wikipedia page before, it should now have a page. Your article to improve on is now alsom linked to your account on this Wikipedia class site.

You can start editing, however, be aware that your edits are being seen by the world and might be edited or even deleted if they are not of good quality by other Wikipedians.



You will need to add at least 5 reputable sources to your article. These sources can be available online or at our Leeward CC library.

Annemarie Paikai, our Hawaiʻi-Pacific Resource librarian, has put together this LibGuide (link) with useful resources for you. Check out these before you turn to Google Search. You can also contact her directly for help by following the instructions on the Home tab.

Use these references to start writing your article.

Assignment: Submit your references and sources to include in your article under Assignments on Laulima

Week 7
Reach out to your Wikipedia Expert if you have questions using the Get Help button at the top of this page.

Resource: Editing Wikipedia, pages 7–9

Species

Everyone has begun writing their article drafts.

By the end of this week your draft will have at least the following: lead section (including common, Hawaiian and scientific name), and Description (Anatomy &amp; morphology). Include in-text citations that are listed in a References section for all your information (every sentence should be connected to a specific reference). Check other Wikipedia articles to see how citations/references should look.

-&gt; Submit your draft as a Word document under Assignments on Laulima.

-&gt;Make sure your draft is in your Sandbox (needed for the peer review assignment in 2 weeks)

Week 8
Expand your sections on Description (Anatomy &amp; morphology), Distribution &amp; Habitat, and Human Use &amp; Cultural Importance. Include in-text citations and References for all information.

-&gt;Make sure your draft is in your Sandbox (needed for the peer review assignment next week)

Week 9


Expand your sections on Description (Anatomy &amp; morphology), Distribution &amp; Habitat, and Human Use &amp; Cultural Importance. Include References for all information.

-&gt;Make sure your draft is in your Sandbox (needed for the peer review assignment this week)

Guiding frameworkFollow the instructions on the Laulima page. You will review two drafts of your peers.

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

Week 10
Look at the feedback from other students from the peer reviews. Consider their suggestions, decide whether it makes your work more accurate and complete, and edit your draft to make those changes. Add your comment on the respective Wikipedia page. For more details check Laulima.

Resources:


 * Editing Wikipedia, pages 12 and 14
 * Reach out to your Wikipedia Expert if you have any questions.

Week 11
Now's the time to revisit your text and refine your work. You may do more research and find missing information; rewrite the lead section to represent all major points; reorganize the text to communicate the information better; or add images and other media (reach out to me if youʻd like to add media but donʻt have anything as I might have some).

Things to remember:


 * Each statement and sentence needs to have a citation/ be linked to a reference (see Adding citations training)
 * Check your spelling &amp; English
 * Make sure you write clearly for a worldwide audience. Include only facts from sources (no opinion or personal view).
 * Check overall format and sections
 * you dont need to have a classification section as that info is in part in the lead and in part in the taxabox
 * You only need one section for Description, Anatomy, and Morphology as those are just different names for how an animal looks
 * If you cannot find any information for a sction (for example cultural use), then just leave it out.

Week 12
Continue to expand and improve your work, and format your article to match Wikipedia's tone and standards. Remember to contact your Wikipedia Expert at any time if you need further help!

Week 13
It's the final week to develop your article.



I will give you feedback on your final draft of your article in your sandbox early in the week. Include this comment to add the final touches. Next week you will move your work live - to the &quot;mainspace.&quot;

Resources:


 * Read Editing Wikipedia page 15 to review a final check-list before completing your assignment.
 * Don't forget that you can ask for help from your Wikipedia Expert at any time!

Week 14
Make sure your article is polished, addresses all comments by your peers and instructor, has linked references throughout the text and is ready for prime time. Move it from your sandbox over to the main page.

'''I will grade this final version in the main space. you will find your grade in the gradebook on Laulima.'''

Week 15
This Essay is due on Laulima under assignments for Week 16

Everyone should have finished all of the work they'll do on Wikipedia, and be ready for grading.