Wikipedia:Wiki Ed/Portland State University/Women Scientists (Fall 2020)

The story usually goes that with few exceptions women could not be scientists until late into the twentieth century when they finally elbowed their way into laboratories. This course, focusing primarily on American scientists, will show that women have been actively studying and advancing the sciences for centuries, though their legacies have often been ignored or erased. Going beyond the celebrity scientists who make their way into popular biographies, we will read about the multiple ways common women and men have practiced science; how race, gender, and class impacted credibility; how educational access transformed over time; and how scientists fought for space to follow their passion. More than just learning about the historical erasures and inequities, students will actively counter them. Over the course of the term, students write new articles or significantly edit existing articles on women in science on Wikipedia. Through that process, students will mine the digital resources and databases at PSU’s library, learn how to evaluate these sources for accuracy and authority, and discover how Wikipedia works behind the scenes.

Week 1
Welcome to your Wikipedia assignment's course timeline. This page guides you through the steps you'll need to complete for your Wikipedia assignment, with links to training modules and your classmates' work spaces.

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 3
Biographies

History

Women's Studies

Week 5
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

Everyone has begun writing their article drafts.

Week 7
Every student has finished reviewing their assigned articles, making sure that every article has been reviewed.

Week 8
You probably have some feedback from other students and possibly other Wikipedians. Consider their suggestions, decide whether it makes your work more accurate and complete, and edit your draft to make those changes.

Resources:


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

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.

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 9
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!

Week 10
Post your brief, 5-minute video (as a link or using embedded code) to the D2L discussion. Comment or add questions to your classmates' videos and then respond to the questions on your own by 12/4.

Your essay should be approximately 500 words long. See D2L for more information.

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