Wikipedia:Wiki Ed/University of Louisville/Writing in Women's and Gender Studies (Fall 2017)

An Intermediate Composition course focusing on topics and methodologies central to Women's &amp; Gender Studies.

Week 1
Welcome to your Wikipedia project's course timeline. This page will guide you through the Wikipedia project for your course. Be sure to check with your instructor to see if there are other pages you should be following as well.

This page breaks down writing a Wikipedia article into a series of steps, or milestones. These steps include online trainings to help you get started on Wikipedia.

Your course has also been assigned a Wikipedia Content Expert. Check your Talk page for notes from them. You can also reach them through the &quot;Get Help&quot; button on this page.

Resources:


 * Using Talk Pages,
 * Evaluating Wikipedia
 * Editing Wikipedia pages 1–5

'''From your course syllabus:

To Prepare'''


 * Find a credible, current article on a topic that you identify as being relevant to gender studies. Links to qualified sources are included on Blackboard. The Assignment sheet is entitled, “Find-An-Article.”
 * Read
 * Crenshaw – Why Intersectionality Can’t wait at: http://wapo.st/1OVzQIT?tid=ss_mail&utm_term=.a33df9ff545a
 * Emba – Intersectionality, a Primer at: http://wapo.st/1QT9mH5?tid=ss_mail&utm_term=.f4bd66144ddf
 * Optional – Kimberlé Crenshaw Discusses 'Intersectional Feminism (9:56) at: https://youtu(.)be/ROwquxC_Gxc

In Class


 * Discussion of topics from your “Find-An-Article” finds.
 * Application of key concepts and vocabulary to topics from your readings (gender, social construction, intersectionality, privilege, etc.)

Journal Prompt to complete on Blackboard by Friday, midnight

Week 2
To Prepare


 * Read Chapter 2 in Graff &amp; Birkenstein: “Her Point Is”: The Art of Summarizing
 * Review the How-To-Summarize Handout in “Helps and Handouts”
 * Summarize your article in a page or less; Conclude your summary with a complete citation of your chosen article in either APA or MLA format. You can find examples of correct citation formats here: https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/section/2/. Submit the summary on Blackboard.
 * Bring a copy of your summary to class.

In Class


 * Discussion of summary skills
 * Application of key concepts and vocabulary to topics from your readings (gender, social construction, intersectionality, privilege, etc.)
 * Examining citations and citation resources
 * Introduction to gender bias in Wikipedia

To Prepare


 * Read Wikipedia’s article on Intersectionality
 * Read the Talk page of the Intersectionality article, with particular attention to the subheadings: “Needs a critique section” and “Violates the ‘Neutral Point of View’ Policy,” including the hyperlink to the policy statement itself.

In Class


 * Discussion of “neutrality,” power dynamics, and claims of gender bias
 * Discussion of user name selection

Resources:


 * Using Talk Pages
 * Evaluating Wikipedia

Journal Prompt to complete on Blackboard by Friday, midnight

Week 3
'From now until you begin work on your analytical essay in late October, you will work primarily through the Wiki Dashboard. Journals, Discussion Board and some Assignment sheets will still be accessed through Blackboard.'

See “Assignments” on Blackboard for more detailed instructions. Here is a summary:


 * Review Wikipedia’s username policy and read “Guidance for New Users” and “Real Names.” Make a decision about how anonymous you want to be.
 * Set up your User Account in Wikipedia and enroll in this course by:
 * Clicking on the enrollment link here or found on Blackboard Announcements
 * Sign up (see button in middle of page) then . ..
 * Click the “enroll” button at the top left of the course page.
 * You are now an official member of the course in Wikipedia; you can view the course schedule and find links to training and other assignments in the course dashboard.

Look around Wikipedia to see how the topic you chose for the Find-An-Article assignment is represented on Wikipedia


 * Read pages 4 – 7 of Evaluating Wikipedia to get an idea of what to look for in an article (and what other people will look for in your work).
 * Think about how coverage of the same topic differs between Wikipedia and the article you read for the Find-An-Article Assignment.

Resources:
 * Wikipedia's UserName Policy.
 * Evaluating Wikipedia

In Class - Discussion Topic

Exploring the organization and construction of knowledge

To Prepare


 * Read Evaluating Wikipedia
 * Open a second window and follow along by evaluating a real article as you read
 * Complete Wikipedia Essentials Training linked below via the Wikipedia dashboard

CLASS WILL MEET TODAY IN EKSTROM W102

In Class

Introduction to Wikipedia Editing – Bring earbuds to class


 * Reminder: How Wikipedia will be used in the course and community expectations and etiquette
 * Practice editing in your sandbox and format your User Page as you complete the Editing Basics training. At a minimum, complete these tasks:
 * On your User Page, add a sentence or two about yourself and your potential topics of interest in gender studies.
 * Include at least one formatting edit (bold, italics, etc.)
 * Include at least one link to either a Wikipedia page or an outside source.
 * Add an image from Wikimedia Commons (See handout in class for simple how-to instructions for adding an image).
 * Introduce yourself on the User Talk Page of one of your classmates who should also be enrolled in the table at the bottom of the course dashboard page. You can also find a list of usernames on Blackboard under Helps And Handouts.

Journal prompt to complete on Blackboard by midnight on Friday, 9/8

Week 4
'Your first task in Wikipedia will be to explore some articles and make a minor improvement. We begin that phase here.'

To Prepare


 * Read Wikipedia’s Manual of Style/Words to Watch
 * Read one of these articles:
 * “It’s No Accident” (https://nyti.ms/2jFos8E)
 * “Losing it in the Anti-Dieting Age”(https://nyti.ms/2uj9NVb)
 * Browse Wikipedia articles of interest to you to find examples of word choices or phrases that seem important in light of these two readings. Reflect on your observations by responding to the Words-Words-Words prompt via Discussion Board on Blackboard.

Resources:
 * Wikipedia’s Manual of Style/Words to Watch 
 * “It’s No Accident”
 * “Losing it in the Anti-Dieting Age”

In Class Discussion Topic:

Working with diction, WGST concepts, social positioning, audience

To Prepare


 * Read Editing Wikipedia Articles on Women’s Studies and review Evaluating Wikipedia
 * Be thinking about topic areas of interest to you and looking to see if there are stubs or start class articles or articles with problems to be resolved.
 * Complete the Wikipedia training for Evaluating Articles and Sources

''

''Resources:


 * Editing Wikipedia Articles on Women’s Studies;
 * Evaluating Wikipedia;
 * Choosing An Article

CLASS MEETS TODAY IN EKSTROM W103

In Class:

Working with our librarians to find and evaluate appropriate sources for topics of interest to you.

Week 5
Due Today


 * Choose one or more articles, and identify ways in which you can improve language and/or grammar. Make the changes you think advisable and explain them on the article talk page. (Remember to sign your comments).
 * You might improve the clarity of a sentence or two.
 * You might suggest a change in diction (word choice)
 * You might identify a claim that needs citation support
 * You might make a technical edit (grammar, spelling, syntax, etc.)

To Prepare
 * In your sandbox Page, list 3 – 5 Wikipedia articles that you will consider working on as your focus for the rest of the course. You will, eventually, choose just one.
 * Look at the talk and history pages to discover who is working on the articles you choose and what they are doing.
 * Apply the Wikipedia standards of excellence to the articles you are considering. What about the articles satisfies the Wikipedia standards? What needs work in order to satisfy the Wikipedia standards?

In Class Discussion Topics

-   Discussion of interests and areas of overlap – preliminary discussion of topics and work groups


 * How to develop research questions

'This marks the beginning of your work to make substantive contributions to one article. Time to make a selection of topic and article focus.'

CLASS TODAY MEETS IN EKSTROM W103

To Prepare


 * Develop a list of research questions you will use to guide your activity in the library.
 * Submit your list to the “Research Questions” assignment via Blackboard “Assignments” no later than the beginning of class.
 * Complete the Wikipedia training for Sources and Citations

In Class

Search for quality resources with the help of a research librarian


 * After finding resources pertinent to your topic(s), add a statement about one of your topics to your Sandbox Page. Include a citation. This statement can be as simple as: One resource that looks useful for illustrating XYZ in John Smith’s article in Nature entitled “XYZ Explored.”
 * Include a Wikipedia appropriate citation.

Resources:

There is no journal prompt this week. Instead, complete the Discussion Board activity on Blackboard entitled &quot;Engaging with Your Librarians&quot; by midnight on Friday, September 22.

Week 6
Due Today


 * Add a few sentences of new information (backed up with a citation to an appropriate source), to a Wikipedia article related to the class (hopefully one that you plan on working with further).
 * Announce and explain your addition on the article’s talk page. Remember to sign your post.

To Prepare


 * Monitor the talk page for feedback, and check back to the talk pages of the article(s) you edited in the Copy Editing segment. Watch for any discussion your activities prompted.
 * Select an article that will be the focus for the rest of your work in the course.

In Class Discussion Topics:


 * Announce and discuss your chosen article as well as:
 * Current trends and discussions on the talk pages
 * Who (from the talk pages) is interested in your topic

No Journal prompt due on Friday.

HOWEVER - the next prompt is due Tuesday, 10/3, so be aware that you have an unusual journal deadline in the week ahead.

Week 7
'This marks the beginning of your  most substantive contribution to Wikipedia. You should have selected one article for further work. A substantive contribution will consist of a minimum of 500 words and will adhere to Wikipedia's standards of excellence.'

CLASS MEETS TODAY IN EKSTROM W102

To Prepare

-   Continue your search for relevant, reliable resources for your topic and your chosen article. As you find materials, create a list on your Sandbox Page, along with complete citation information. By the time you contribute to your chosen article, you should have a minimum of 8 quality sources.

-   As you have time, begin reading the sources. You are working toward making a statement on the talk page of your chosen article, a statement that explains the contribution you plan to make to the article itself.

In Class

This is a research day for you to make progress toward your list of 8 required sources.

There is a journal prompt to complete on Blackboard by midnight on TUESDAY, October 3

THERE IS NO FORMAL CLASS MEETING TODAY.

I AM AVAILABLE FOR CONFERENCING IN MY OFFICE OR VIA BLACKBOARD'S COLLABORATE ULTRA FUNCTION. YOU ALSO HAVE WORK TO DO. SEE BELOW.

Due Today

-   A minimum of 4 quality resources are due today in the evolving bibliography on your Wikipedia Sandbox Page.

To Prepare

-   Select one resource that you believe will be central to your contribution to an article. Create a one-page summary that conforms to Wikipedia standards for neutrality and language choice. Post the summary to your group’s Discussion Board by the beginning of our class meeting time.

-   Comment on at least two of your work colleagues’ Discussion Board posts. Comments that receive full credit will consist of at least 200 words and will give attention to:

o Wikipedia standards as specified in the assignment

o Wikipedia standards for quality sources

o How the WGST concept of Intersectionality might inform the evaluation or use of the source that is described.

'''Comments are due by midnight. '''

Week 8
There is no class meeting on Tuesday, October 10 due to Fall break.

To Prepare

-   Review pages 4-7 of the Evaluating Wikipedia brochure to remind you of what to look for in other articles and what other people will look for in your own contributions.

-   Evaluate your chosen Wikipedia article and develop suggestions for improving it. Substantive contributions will consist of at least 500 words and will adhere to Wikipedia standards.

-   Create an outline or summary of your plans. You will need it for the next week’s assignment.

-   Submit your outline or plan summary to the “Contribution Plan” assignment via Assignments on Blackboard. You may be asked to present your plan in class.

-   A few questions to consider (don’t feel limited to these):

oIs each fact referenced with an appropriate, reliable reference?

oIs everything in the article relevant to the article topic? Is there anything that distracted you?

oIs the article neutral? Are there any claims, or frames, that appear heavily biased toward a particular position?

oWhere does the information come from? Are these neutral sources? If biased, is that bias noted?

oAre there viewpoints that are overrepresented, or underrepresented?

oCheck a few citations. Do the links work? Is there any close paraphrasing or plagiarism in the article?

Is any information out of date? Is anything missing that could be added?

Resources:

In Class Discussion Topic:

Be prepared to present your plans and to critique/comment on the plans of others.

Journal prompt to complete on Blackboard by midnight, Friday, 10/13

Week 9
CLASS MEETS TODAY IN EKSTROM W102

To Prepare

-   After making any changes you think are appropriate based on the last period’s workshopping, post your suggestions for improvement to the talk page of your article. The summary/outline you created last week (and any feedback you received on it) should be useful here.

-   Monitor the talk page for feedback on your suggestions for the article.

In Class

Come to class prepared to develop support for your plans. This is a day for making use of library resources and/or consultation with your colleagues.

To Prepare

-   Review carefully the talk pages feedback you’ve received on your suggestions. If you have received feedback on your article’s Talk Page, come to class with written drafts of your responses to the feedback.

-   Bring to class a complete draft of your planned contribution to the Wikipedia article you are working on.

In Class

-   Ask for help if you need it.

-   Offer help if asked.

-   Everyone should leave class with a firm plan for proceeding with their Wikipedia article.


 * Introduction to citation exercise

There is a journal prompt to complete on Blackboard by midnight on Friday, 10/20

Week 10
Due Today

-   Your complete list of 8 quality resources should be posted to your Sandbox Page by today. For each resource, include a brief summary of how it supports your plans for the article you are working on.

-   On the talk page of your article:

o Respond to comments on your plans AND/OR

o Revise your planned contribution as a response to comments OR

o Refine your planned contribution in your Sandbox, if you think you can improve on it.

In Class

We may use this day for conferencing and/or workshopping. Precise plans will be announced.

Due Today

-   Final contributions to the article are due today. You should move out of your sandbox and incorporate your revised and polished contribution into the main article.

-   Continue to monitor your contributions for feedback during the next week. Deadline for responding to others in the conversation (for course credit) is 11/7.

To Prepare

-   Read Chapters 1 &amp; 4 in They Say, I Say (Review Chapter 2)

Come to class prepared to discuss and write about the differences between writing for a Wikipedia audience and writing for an academic or other persuasive purpose.

There is a journal prompt to complete on Blackboard by midnight on Friday, October 27

We have come to the end of your concentration on Wikipedia. You will be transitioning to a formal analytical essay that will be built on the research you have collected in the course of your work with Wikipedia.

I will continue to monitor your work in Wikipedia through 11/7. You should continue to keep an eye on the talk page of the article you've been working on. Your work is not complete until you have responded effectively to any feedback you have received from the community of editors as of 11/7.

From this point on, all of your assignments and deadlines are enumerated in your syllabus and on Blackboard.