Wikipedia:Wiki Ed/University of Missouri/CL HUM 3250 Epic (Spring 2016)

An exploration of several major epics from ancient Greece and Rome, which are some of the best-known and most influential poems ever composed. By the end of this course, students should expect to be familiar with the plots, main characters, and primary themes of these poems; understand the cultural and historical contexts which gave rise to these epics; and appreciate the impact and importance of these epics, from the ancient world to modern times.

Week 1
We'll discuss the Wikipedia project briefly during the first day of class, and as we near the end of each epic we'll discuss Wikipedia articles and contributions that might be relevant or beneficial, but mostly this project is to be accomplished on your own time. You are always welcome to bring it up during class, though.


 * 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.

Handouts: Editing Wikipedia, , Evaluating Wikipedia

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

Week 2

 * Add 1–2 sentences of new information, backed up with a citation to an appropriate source, to a Wikipedia article related to the class.

Week 3
Identify an article that would benefit from illustration, create or find an appropriate photo, illustration, or audio/video, and add it to the article. THIS ARTICLE DOES NOT HAVE TO BE RELEVANT TO OUR CLASS, this is just to give you practice.


 * All media uploaded to Wikipedia must fall under a &quot;free license,&quot; which means they can be used or shared by anyone. Examples of media you can use are photos that you take yourself, images and text in the public domain, and works created by someone else who has given permission for their work to be used by others. For more information about which types of media can be uploaded to Wikipedia, see Commons:Help desk.
 * To add a media file to an article, you must first upload it to Wikimedia Commons. For instructions on how to upload files to Commons, refer to Illustrating Wikipedia. This brochure will also provide you with detailed information about which files are acceptable to upload to Wikipedia and the value of contributing media to Wikipedia articles.

If you want to add images to your assigned article later in the semester, the Mizzou Museum of Art and Archaeology (https://maa.missouri.edu/) is a great place to find local resources, as is Ellis Library's Special Collections; of course, you'll have to take your own photographs (make sure first that you have permission to do so, in Special Collections). (And if you're from Kansas City, Chicago, or somewhere else with a major museum, there are other options as well!)

Week 4
Plagiarism and source citation are just as relevant on the internet as off it.


 * Learn about close paraphrasing, plagiarism, and copyright violations on Wikipedia.

Handouts:  and

Research and list 3–5 articles on your Wikipedia user page that you will consider working on as your main project. Look at the talk page for existing topics for a sense of who else is working on it and what they're doing. Describe your choices to your instructor for feedback.

You may add potential topics as the semester progresses, since we'll be reading additional epics.

Week 5

 * 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

Week 6

 * Select an article to work on and add your topic on the course page.
 * Compile a bibliography of relevant, reliable sources and post it to the talk page of the article you are working on. Begin reading the sources. Make sure to check in on the talk page (or watchlist) to see if anyone has advice on your bibliography.

Week 7

 * 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.
 * 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.

All students have started editing articles or drafts on Wikipedia.

Week 9

 * Share experiences and discuss problems that you're encountering.

Resources: Illustrating Wikipedia and [http://wikiedu.org/evaluatingwikipedia Evaluating Wikipedia ]


 * Select a classmates’ article that you will peer review and copyedit. On the table at the bottom of this course page, add your username next to the article you will peer review. (You don’t need to start reviewing yet.)


 * Move your sandbox articles into main space.
 * 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.
 * Begin expanding your article into a comprehensive treatment of the topic.


 * 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.

Handout:

Expand your article into a complete first draft.

Week 10

 * 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 the classmate's article that you have chosen. Leave suggestions on the article talk page.
 * Copy-edit the reviewed article.

Week 11
Every student has finished reviewing their assigned articles, making sure that every article has been reviewed.


 * 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.

Week 12

 * Continue discussing how the articles can be further improved. Come up with improvement goals for each article for next week.


 * 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.

&quot;Students can present their work in a poster session format (or display) to their instructors and class peers, as well as any invited guests (i.e., faculty from the dept) and to undergraduates in OTHER classes that are also presenting their work. The Class Research Project Poster Day is less formal than the Spring Undergraduate Forum and ideal for students who have done a short individual or small team research project as part of a capstone course or other course with an end of the semester research project. The Office of Undergraduate Research will provide display boards/easels, push  pins, punch &amp; cookies, and a sign indicating the participating classes.&quot;

You may choose to present on your Wikipedia article and editing experience OR your final project/essay.

Week 13

 * Add final touches to your Wikipedia article.

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Handout:


 * Write a reflective essay (2–3 pages) on your Wikipedia contributions: both the editing process and how/why you chose and developed your article in the way you did.
 * Put together a Wikipedia portfolio, highlighting the stages of your research and editing process and your final article.

These, together, will form the basis of your presentation.

Week 14
Students have finished all their work on Wikipedia that will be considered for grading.

Present on your Wikipedia article and editing experience OR  your final project/essay during the Spring Class Research Project Poster/Presentation Day (5/3, 4:30-6pm, in the Atrium of the Bond Life Sciences Center).