Wikipedia:Wiki Ed/Liberty University/HIST 306 Digital History (Spring 2018)

Introduces the use of digital tools and sources to collect, analyze, organize, and present historical material in digital form. Students will gain hands-on experience by creating public digital history projects such as museum websites, digital archives, and online publications. Students will collaborate on a Wikipedia entry for historic New London, Virginia.

All dates and assignment descriptions are subject to change. Additional information provided on the syllabus, in Blackboard, and/or in class.

Week 3
This is the Wikipedia project course timeline. Due dates, deadlines, and assignments will be based on the syllabus and in-class instruction. Assignment dates are also reflected in the title of each block. 

This page breaks down writing a Wikipedia article into a series of steps, or milestones. These steps include online trainings to help you get started on Wikipedia.

Your course has also been assigned a Wikipedia Expert. Check your Talk page for notes from them. You can also reach them through the &quot;Get Help&quot; button on this page.

To get started, read the following handouts:


 * Editing Wikipedia pages 1–5
 * Evaluating Wikipedia


 * Create an account and join this course page, using the enrollment link your instructor sent you.
 * It's time to dive into Wikipedia. Below, you'll find the first set of online trainings you'll need to take. New modules will appear on this timeline as you get to new milestones. Be sure to check back and complete them! Incomplete trainings will be reflected in your grade.
 * When you finish the trainings, practice by introducing yourself to a classmate on that classmate’s Talk page.

It's time to think critically about Wikipedia articles. You'll evaluate a Wikipedia article related to the course and leave suggestions for improving it on the article's Talk page.


 * Complete the &quot;Evaluating Articles and Sources&quot; training (linked below).
 * Create a section in your sandbox titled &quot;Article evaluation&quot; where you'll leave notes about your observations and learnings.
 * Evaluate the Wikipedia articles about Campbell County and New London .   Evaluate the Wikipedia articles about Campbell Countyand Bedford County. As you read, consider the following questions (but don't feel limited to these):
 * Check a few citations. Do the links work? Does the source support the claims in the article?
 * Is each fact referenced with an appropriate, reliable reference? Where does the information come from? Are these neutral sources? If biased, is that bias noted?
 * Is any information out of date? Is anything missing that could be added?
 * Check out the Talk page of the article. What kinds of conversations, if any, are going on behind the scenes about how to represent this topic?
 * How is the article rated? Is it a part of any WikiProjects?
 * What new sections might we add to the New London article to make it a more full, comprehensive review of the community?


 * Review page 6 of your Editing Wikipedia guidebook.
 * We will all work together to update the New London, Virginia article on Wikipedia. You will be assigned a section or aspect of this page to improve.
 * In your sandbox, write a few sentences about how you might contribute to the New London article.
 * Think about how an article on New London will fit into the larger context of Wikipedia. How might the article be structured? What content is essential and what else might be included? Post some of your ideas to the article's talk page.
 * Start compiling a list of relevant, reliable books, journal articles, or other sources. Add at least two new sources to the talk page of the New London article and in your sandbox. Make sure to check in on the talk page to see make sure you are adding new sources or to see if anyone has advice for your bibliography.


 * Once your group has a Wikipedia article to work on, make sure everyone in the group is assigned to that article on the Students tab of this course page.
 * Select one group member whose Sandbox space you'll all share to draft your article. (It will be titled something like User:Diderot/sandbox .) Each person should link to that shared Sandbox from their own Sandbox page. A sandbox is like any other page on Wikipedia, and anyone can edit it.
 * Wikipedia doesn't handle multiple people editing from different devices at the same time very well. If you're working together in person, one person should add the work to the Sandbox. If you are all working independently, make small edits and save often to avoid &quot;editing conflicts&quot; with classmates. Make sure that you're logged in under your own Wikipedia account while editing in your classmate's sandbox to ensure your edits are recorded.
 * Don't create a group account for your project. Group accounts are prohibited.

Week 4
History


 * Blog posts and press releases are considered poor sources of reliable information. Why?
 * What are some reasons you might not want to use a company's website as the main source of information about that company?
 * What is the difference between a copyright violation and plagiarism?
 * What are some good techniques to avoid close paraphrasing and plagiarism?

You've picked a topic and found your sources. Now it's time to start writing.

Complete the tutorial before class Feb 20.

'''Improving an existing article:

'''


 * Identify what's missing from the current form of the article. Think back to the skills you learned while critiquing an article. Make notes for improvement in your sandbox.
 * Keep reading your sources, too, as you prepare to write the body of the article.

Resources: Editing Wikipedia pages 7–9


 * Keep working on transforming your article into a complete first draft. Get draft ready for peer-review.
 * If you'd like a Wikipedia Expert to review your draft, now is the time! Click the &quot;Get Help&quot; button in your sandbox to request notes.

Week 7
This training module is recommended, but not required.


 * What do you think of Wikipedia's definition of &quot;neutrality&quot;?
 * What are the impacts and limits of Wikipedia as a source of information?
 * On Wikipedia, all material must be attributable to reliable, published sources. What kinds of sources does this exclude? Can you think of any problems that might create?
 * If Wikipedia was written 100 years ago, how might its content (and contributors) be different? What about 100 years from now?


 * First, take the &quot;Peer Review&quot; online training.
 * The tutorials assume you will be working on separate articles. We will be conducting peer review by section. Furthur instructions will be provided in class.
 * Select a section (not your own) to peer review and copyedit.
 * Peer review your classmate's section. Leave suggestions on the Talk page of the article, or sandbox, that your fellow student is working on. Other editors may be reviewing your work, so look for their comments! Be sure to acknowledge feedback from other Wikipedians. Don't forget to sign your contributions and include editing comments.
 * As you review, make spelling, grammar, and other adjustments. Pay attention to the tone of the section. Is it encyclopedic? Does the writing style match the rest of the article?

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

You probably have some feedback from other students and possibly other Wikipedians. It's time to work with that feedback to improve your article!


 * Read Editing Wikipedia pages 12 and 14.
 * Return to your draft or article and think about the suggestions. Decide which ones to start implementing. Reach out to your instructor or your Wikipedia Expert if you have any questions.

Once you've made improvements to your article based on peer review feedback, it's time to move your work to Wikipedia proper - the &quot;mainspace.&quot;

'''Editing an existing article:

'''


 * NEVER copy and paste your draft of an article over the entire article. Instead, edit small sections at a time.
 * Copy your edits into the article. Make many small edits, saving each time, and leaving an edit summary. Never replace more than one to two sentences without saving!
 * Be sure to copy text from your sandbox while the sandbox page is in 'Edit' mode. This ensures that the formatting is transferred correctly.

Do additional research and writing to make further improvements to your article, based on suggestions and your own critique.


 * Read Editing Wikipedia page 12 to see how to create links from your article to others, and from other articles to your own. Try to link to 3–5 articles, and link to your article from 2–3 other articles.
 * Consider adding an image to your article. Wikipedia has strict rules about what media can be added, so make sure to take Contributing Images and Media Files training before you upload an image.

Week 8
It's the final week to develop your article.


 * 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!

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