Wikipedia:Wiki Ed/University of Kansas/Relationships and Digital Media (Spring 2019)

This course examines the formation and maintenance of networked relationships via mediated platforms. The course explores theory and research on relationships across personal, mass, and masspersonal communication contexts. Topics may include the use of computer-mediated communication in identity-construction, romantic relationships, small groups, professional relationships, intercultural, and political communication. Ultimately, students should complete this course with the skills and understanding to function in corporeal environments (i.e., workplaces, relationships, etc.) that involve increasing mediated communication.

This page 1) introduces students to Wikipedia and 2) guides students through an original research project.

Week 2
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.

Exercise
Evaluate an article

Thinking about sources and plagiarism

Week 4
We have covered platforms and theories in class. As a group, consider how you can learn more about both platforms and theories to craft a meaningful literature review and method for investigating the platform.

Exercise
Choose a topic

Resource: Editing Wikipedia, page 6

What's a content gap?

Exercise
Add a citation

Copyedit an article

Finalize your topic / Find your sources

Week 6
Resource: Editing Wikipedia, pages 7–9

Cultural Anthropology

Psychology

Sociology

Everyone has begun writing their article drafts.

Week 7
Groups will develop an outside review of literature and appropriate questions or hypotheses about their chosen platform. The assignment includes the following elements: (1) A brief introduction detailing the specific platform your group has chosen to focus on. “Why do readers care?” (2) A review of literature. “What does existing research and theory tell you about this platform?” “What specifically will your group look at within your social computing space?” “What communication dynamics will your paper focus on?” “What theory(ies) will you apply to illuminate your chosen topic?” (3) A plan describing what &quot;field activities&quot; you have done to understand the platform and what do you plan to do? and what you anticipate to learn by exploring this media? Throughout the paper, students will be expected to cite and synthesize peer-reviewed academic journal articles as well as information from the popular press. The paper should include:

(a) a complete (APA style) reference page of sources used

(b) clear explanations of the independent and dependent variables, and findings (i.e. “Lampe and Resnik (2003) studied Slashdot.org.” is less informative than “Comment ratings on Slashdot.org are sufficiently dispersed to provide users with insight into comment quality” (Lampe &amp; Resnik, 2003).

Guiding framework

Thinking about Wikipedia

Week 9
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

Exercise
Add links to your article

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 13
Guiding questions

Week 14
Groups will develop a written report (including cover page and references) about the system, incorporating at least 3 relevant outside-of-class academic research articles per member of the group, a majority of which must be empirical (i.e offer data not just theory). This does not mean that you cannot use non-empirical sources to inform your final group project; you should find book chapters, summaries, or case studies that help illuminate your topic. Further, popular media (e.g., The New York Times, CNET Reviews, etc. can prove useful and are likely sources you would give to a manager at work). Papers will describe the site and students' experiences with it, focusing primarily on social interaction systems that the site enables. Some key questions might be: is the network fixed or flexible? Are identities corporeally linked or anonymous? What kinds of support does the site provide? Papers will relate their experiences to at least one other course topic, and identify connections to relevant theory(ies) of CMC. Additional information should be added to the paper to include how the system could be useful in the context for which it was designed (i.e., workplace, relationships, de-stressor, etc.) Several classes will be devoted to discussing your topics, please come prepared with questions for your instructor.