Wikipedia:Wiki Ed/UCSB/Fantasy and the Fantastic (Summer Session B)

What is so other about the Middle Ages that it consistently appears as an element in fantastic literature? What exactly do we mean when we categorize a work as fantasy or fantastic? Does the nature of fantasy and the fantastic change over time? These are questions we will seek to answer as we analyze the fantastic from the Middle Ages to Game of Thrones, including works by Marie de France, Chrétien de Troyes, Théophile Gautier, Edgar Allan Poe, Jules Verne, and George R.R. Martin (both on screen and on paper). Our discussions will be supplemented by a few critical articles, including J.R.R. Tolkien’s “Beowulf: The Monsters and the Critics.”

Week 1

 * Introduction to how Wikipedia will be used in the course
 * How is writing for Wikipedia different from other writing assignments?
 * Just the facts: You won't be making arguments. Instead, you'll aim to summarize existing information about your topic, cited to reliable sources.
 * Formal tone, simple language: Write clearly and formally, but in terms an 8th grader could understand.
 * Avoid quotations: Paraphrase when you can. Use your own words, using your sources to guide you. For more information, review the &quot;Sources and Citations&quot; training.
 * Check your Talk Page for a welcome note from your Wikipedia Content Expert. You can leave your content expert a note on their talk page, or use the &quot;GET HELP&quot; button at the top right of this page.

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Resources for this week: Editing Wikipedia,, Evaluating Wikipedia


 * Create an account and join this course page.
 * Complete the introductory training modules. During this training, you will make edits in a sandbox and learn the basic rules of Wikipedia.
 * Create a User page.
 * To practice editing and communicating on Wikipedia, introduce yourself to another student on their user talk page.
 * Explore topics related to your topic area to get a feel for how Wikipedia is organized. What areas seem to be missing? As you explore, make a mental note of articles that seem like good candidates for improvement.

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


 * Basics of editing
 * Anatomy of Wikipedia articles, what makes a good article, how to distinguish between good and bad articles
 * Collaborating and engaging with the Wiki editing community
 * Tips on finding the best articles to work on for class assignments


 * Be prepared to discuss some of your observations about Wikipedia articles in your topic area that are missing or could use improvement.

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Handouts:


 * Choose one article, identify ways in which you can improve and correct its language and grammar, and make the appropriate changes. (You do not need to alter the article's content.)

Week 2

 * Be prepared to explain close paraphrasing, plagiarism, and copyright violations on Wikipedia.

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Handouts: and

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Supplementary training: Sources and Citations


 * Compile a bibliography of 5 relevant, reliable sources and post it to the Talk page of the article, and in your sandbox. Make sure to check in on the Talk page to see if anyone has advice on your bibliography.


 * Discuss the topics students will be working on, and determine strategies for researching and writing about them.

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Supplementary training: Sandboxes and Mainspace


 * 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.
 * Begin working with classmates and other editors to polish your short starter article and fix any major issues.
 * Continue research in preparation for expanding your article.

Week 3

 * Talk about Wikipedia culture and etiquette, and (optionally) revisit the concept of sandboxes and how to use them.
 * Q&amp;A session with instructor about interacting on Wikipedia and getting started with writing.

Either add to an article related to your class, or add/ find a citation for an uncited claim in the article.


 * Find some supporting evidence in a reliable source. Then, follow the instructions in your training to cite that source in the article.
 * When you make a small claim, clearly state the fact in your own words, and then cite the source where you found the information.
 * The Citation Hunt tool shows unreferenced statements from articles.
 * First, evaluate whether the statement in question is true! An uncited statement could just be lacking a reference or it could be inaccurate or misleading. Reliable sources on the subject will help you choose whether to add it or correct the statement.

All students have started editing articles or drafts on Wikipedia.


 * We'll discuss moving your article out of your sandboxes and into Wikipedia's main space.
 * 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.

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Handout:

Make improvements based on your peer review feedback. Return to your draft or article and take a look at the peer review suggestions. Decide which to implement, and start improving! Be sure to reach out to your content expert or your instructor if you have questions.

Begin moving your work to live on Wikipedia


 * Take the training on moving your sandbox to mainspace.
 * Now, you can move your work to mainspace. See Editing Wikipedia, page 13.
 * 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.
 * Begin expanding your article into a comprehensive treatment of the topic.


 * Choose a secondary source from the bibliography you assembled in Week 2. Read it at least once, taking notes on it by hand, in preparation for citing it as part of your edits.

Week 4

 * Demo uploading images and adding images to articles.
 * Share experiences and discuss problems.

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Resources: Illustrating Wikipedia and Evaluating Wikipedia


 * Complete a first draft of your edits, including your citation of your secondary source. Confirm with your peer editor that they can access your edits for peer review.


 * Select a classmates’ work that you will peer review and copyedit. On the table at the bottom of this course page, add your username next to the classmate you will peer review.

Week 5

 * As a group, offer suggestions for improving one or two other students' articles, based on your ideas of what makes a solid encyclopedia article.

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Supplementary training: Peer Review


 * Peer review and copy-edit your classmates’ edits. Leave suggestions on the article talk pages.

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


 * Return to your classmates' articles you previously reviewed, and provide more suggestions for further improvement. If there is a disagreement, suggest a compromise.
 * Do additional research and writing to make further improvements to your article, based on your classmates' suggestions and any additional areas for improvement you can identify.

Week 6

 * 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.


 * Discuss how the article could be further improved. Discuss the usefulness of such an article within the context of a literature class in general, and our class in particular.


 * Add final touches to your Wikipedia article.

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Handout:


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

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