Wikipedia:Wiki Ed/University of Alabama at Birmingham/Comparative Developmental Biology (Spring 2023)

The goal of this course is to introduce you all to mechanisms regulating how organisms develop from a single cell, and how this process continues throughout life. Students will learn how to critically think about developmental biology and science in general. Students will gain an understanding of the complexities of how life begins and results in a multi-cellular organism (in some cases), gain an understanding of the evolution of complexity in the animal kingdom, understand how the environment shapes development and evolution, and understand controversial topics in developmental biology from a scientific perspective.

This assignment will focus on filling gaps on Wikipedia in relation to ecological and evolutionary biology. From adding context pages on key developmental biologists (from diverse backgrounds), to new content pages on key ecological developmental biology concepts (developmental plasticity, environmental epigenetics, developmental symbioses, teratogenesis, endocrine disruptors, developmental origin of disease, etc.). This assignment will build on weekly journal reflection entries required for the course and will add key competencies in writing and critical thinking.

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
Content list: 

Category - people of interest

Rachel Carson

Tyrone Hayes

David Barker

James Van Gundia Neel

Aldo Leopold

Lucille Farrier Stickel

Sidney Green

Darryl B. Hood


 * Can you locate other people that might be good additions?

Category - main topics

Evolutionary developmental biology

Ecological evolutionary developmental biology

Developmental plasticity

Developmental symbiosis

Environmental epigenetics

Teratogenesis

Endocrine disruptors

Developmental Origins of Health and Disease

Environment, evolution, and development


 * Can you identify a topic not on this list that might be a good addition?

Biographies

Environmental Sciences

Genes and Proteins

Medicine

Science Communication

Species

Week 5
Resource: Editing Wikipedia, pages 7–9

Everyone has begun writing their article drafts.

Week 6
Guiding framework

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

Week 7
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.

Week 8
Now that you've improved your draft based on others' feedback, it's time to move your work live - to the &quot;mainspace.&quot;

Resource: Editing Wikipedia, page 13

Week 9
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.

Week 10
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 11
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 12
Everyone should have finished all of the work they'll do on Wikipedia, and be ready for grading.