Wikipedia:Wiki Ed/Saint Joseph's University/COM 473 women's lives online (Spring 2016)

Week 1
To do


 * Create a Wikipedia username. You can join following the directions here:
 * http://femtechnet.newschool.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/Wikipedia-Assign-1.pdf
 * Enroll in this course page.

Please read and review the following information.

]
 * https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Your_first_article
 * Handout: Editing Wikipedia
 * Handouts: Using Talk Pages, Evaluating Wikipedia
 * Handout: Choosing an article[http://wikiedu.org/evaluatingwikipedia

Week 2

 * Overview of the course
 * Introduction to how Wikipedia will be used in the course
 * Discussion of topics for your article

Handouts:  and Supplementary training: Sources and Citations

All students have Wikipedia user accounts and are listed on the course page.


 * We will practice making a few edits to an article in class with Andy on Feb. 11

To class today, bring 2 or 3 sources you are considering using in your article. Links or digital copies are fine. Not that you can work in groups to create an article, but you should make that decision by today.

Read instructions for getting started with the research part of this assignment:  http://femtechnet.newschool.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/Wikipedia-Assign-2.pdf Review this Handout:

Advice on choosing articles


 * Good choice
 * Choose a well-established topic for which a lot of literature is available in its field, but which isn’t covered extensively on Wikipedia.
 * Gravitate toward “stub” and “start” class articles. These articles often have only 1–2 paragraphs of information and are in need of expansion. Relevant WikiProject pages can provide a list of stubs that need improvement.
 * Before creating a new article, search related topics on Wikipedia to make sure your topic isn’t already covered elsewhere. Often, an article may exist under another name, or the topic may be covered as a subsection of a broader article.
 * Not such a good choice:
 * Articles that are “not such a good choice” for newcomers usually involve a lack of appropriate research material, highly controversial topics that may already be well developed, broad subjects, or topics for which it is difficult to demonstrate notability.
 * You probably shouldn’t try to completely overhaul articles on very broad topics (e.g., Law).
 * You should probably avoid trying to improve articles on topics that are highly controversial (for example, Global Warming, Abortion, or Scientology). You may be more successful starting a sub-article on the topic instead.
 * Avoid anything related to the fields of medicine or psychology.
 * Don’t work on an article that is already of high quality on Wikipedia, unless you discuss a specific plan for improving it with other editors beforehand.
 * Avoid working on something with scarce literature. Wikipedia articles cite secondary literature sources, so it’s important to have enough sources for verification and to provide a neutral point of view.
 * Don’t start articles with titles that imply an argument or essay-like approach (e.g., The Effects That The Recent Sub-Prime Mortgage Crisis has had on the US and Global Economics). These type of titles, and most likely the content too, may not be appropriate for an encyclopedia.

Week 3

 * Save a full draft of the article in your Sandbox. If you are expanding an article, you can follow the instructions in the &quot;Sandbox and Mainspace&quot; training in order to add your work to Wikipedia.
 * Read instructions about how to get the article into the Sandbox: http://femtechnet.newschool.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/Wikipedia-Assign-3.pdf
 * 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, create a detailed outline reflecting your proposed changes, and post this for community feedback, along with a brief description of your plans, on the article’s talk page. Make sure to check back on the talk page often and engage with any responses.
 * Continue research in preparation for expanding your article.
 * Resources: Illustrating Wikipedia and Evaluating Wikipedia

All students have started editing articles or drafts on Wikipedia.

Everyone should bring three hard copies of the entire article (even if you are expanding an article, you should print the whole thing, including your additions) to class on Feb. 18.

We will complete this peer review in class: [http://femtechnet.newschool.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/Wikipedia-Assign-4.pdf http://femtechnet.newschool.edu/wp- content/uploads/2013/10/Wikipedia-Assign-4.pdf]


 * Once you have your peer review partners, on the table at the bottom of this course page, add your username next to the articles you will peer review.
 * Don't forget to leave suggestions on the articles talk page.

Supplementary Training: Peer Review


 * Make edits to your article based on peers’ feedback. If you disagree with a suggestion, use talk pages to politely discuss and come to a consensus on your edit.

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

Week 4

 * Add final touches to your Wikipedia article and be sure it is “live” on Wikipedia.
 * Please review the instructions for moving your article to mainspace above and these instructions for publishing your article: http://femtechnet.newschool.edu/wpcontent/uploads/2013/10/Wikipedia-Assign-5.pdf
 * If you are expanding an existing article, copy your edit into the article. If you are making many small edits, save after each edit before you make the next one. Do NOT paste over the entire existing article, or large sections of the existing article.
 * If you are creating a new article, do NOT copy and paste your text, or there will be no record of your work history. Follow the instructions in the &quot;Moving out of your sandbox&quot; handout.
 * Review the handout: Moving out of your Sandbox
 * A general reminder: Don't panic if your contribution disappears, and don't try to force it back in.
 * Check to see if there is an explanation of the edit on the article's talk page. If not, (politely) ask why it was removed.
 * Contact your instructor or Wikipedia Content Expert and let them know.
 * After publishing, track your article by monitoring the Talk page and Edit history. Here are instructions for tracking your article after publishing: http://femtechnet.newschool.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/Wikipedia-Assign-6.pdf

PLEASE NOTE:
 * For the next few days, keep an eye on the article’s Talk page and edit history. ***


 * If you get any of the comments or issues described in the link above (“Assignment 6”), do your best to engage the other editors. Contact me if you run into trouble or need help.

Week 5
Students have finished all their work on Wikipedia that will be considered for grading.

In 250-500 words, write about your experience of writing or significantly expanding a Wikipedia article. Consider the following questions:


 * What did you learn about the structure of Wikipedia that you did not know?
 * What did you learn about research? What was the hardest part of researching your article? Why?
 * What was the hardest barrier to overcome in adding material to Wikipedia?
 * Did adding material to Wikipedia make you more or less likely to use Wikipedia as a source for your own research? Why?
 * How difficult was it to write in the style required for Wikipedia? For example, how difficult was it to keep your own opinion out of the article?
 * What did you learn from tracking your article after publishing it?

Email the reflection to me no later than Sunday 2/28.