Wikipedia talk:Education program archive/Consumer Reports/Wikipedia Volunteer Corps Course (winter 2015)/Timeline

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Before class

 * Bookmark this course page!
 * Review this syllabus
 * Class will start Tuesday 13 January at 1pm EST / 12pm CST / 11 am MST / 10 AM PST
 * Drop-in office hours start Wednesday 14 January at the same time, 1pm EST / 12pm CST / 11 am MST / 10 AM PST


 * Assignment to complete before class:
 * Go on the Wikipedia Adventure, an online training which will help you set up your account and test basic Wikipedia features.
 * While logged into your Wikipedia account, click here to enroll in this class.

Tuesday 13 January: Why edit Wikipedia?

 * In class
 * Discuss purpose of course
 * Overview of the course
 * Introduction to how Wikipedia will be used in the course


 * Assignment - Please complete by 20 January
 * Please complete the "before class" assignment if you have not done so already.
 * Browse Wikipedia and find a Wikipedia article which you might wish to edit. Start thinking about this for next week. Imagine also that when you edit it, the goal is to move published information from an existing reliable source into that article, so also begin to browse sources that you might cite.
 * Edit any Wikipedia article at least once. Do this by clicking "edit" at the top of a Wikipedia article or on the right side of the screen at the top of any section heading in an article. Try to see how the interface works and change anything you see. This will be confusing and you likely will have no idea what you are doing. The lesson for this is Tuesday 21 January, but try now for at least 10 minutes to change something. This might be the most confusing website you have ever visited. I promise I will explain next week.
 * Options for making a change include the following:
 * improve an existing sentence in any article
 * fix a typo, rearrange anything
 * delete information which is incorrect, not backed by a good source, or inappropriate for Wikipedia
 * If you are feeling bold, add a sentence followed by a citation - we do this for sure next week
 * Optional - if you want more training beyond the Wikipedia Adventure, complete the online training for students. During this training, you will make edits in a sandbox and learn the basic rules of Wikipedia.
 * Reading material for next week - Using Talk Pages handout and Evaluating Wikipedia brochure


 * Milestone:
 * All students have Wikipedia user accounts and are listed on this course page.

Tuesday 20 January: Editing basics
see slides online
 * In class
 * Basics of editing
 * Anatomy of Wikipedia articles, what makes a good article, how to distinguish between good and bad articles
 * Tips on finding articles to develop
 * Talk pages and communication on Wikipedia


 * Assignment - Please complete by 27 January
 * By now, you have chosen a Wikipedia article to edit. The assignment this week will be to add at least one statement to that article followed with a citation to a source which verifies that the statement is accurate.
 * Start by going to your personal sandbox, which is a play area for you. Anyone can see it, but others leave this space alone.
 * Click "edit" or "create" at the top of the page.
 * Type a sentence in the textbox. Click "save page" at the bottom. You should now see your sentence published on the page. This is published online for anyone to see, but still in your sandbox.
 * Click edit at the top again. This time, add a citation after the statement that you made. The easiest way is described at WP:CITEFOOT. Click "save" again.
 * You now have a statement with a citation. Click edit. Select all of your text including the statement and code for the citation, then copy it. In another tab or window of your browser, go to Wikipedia article where you wish to add your statement. Click edit at the top. You will see the article's text. Paste your sentence into the place you like in the article. You will see computer code. You cannot break anything.
 * You now have experience managing your sandbox and adding content into a Wikipedia article. Many people have had enough after adding their first sentence, but do more if you like. It gets easier after thinking about it for a while.


 * Reading material for next week - Choosing an article and How to get help


 * Milestone:
 * Everyone has edited a Wikipedia article at least once.

Tuesday 27 January: How to ask for assistance

 * In class
 * Review of Wikipedia's community oversight processes
 * 10 ways to ask a human on Wikipedia for help
 * Discussion of the kinds of help that people request


 * Assignment - Please complete by 3 February
 * At this point, everyone has edited Wikipedia a little. Choose an article which you want to develop and which will be what you showcase as the result of the class.
 * At minimum, plan to add or revise 5-7 sentences in any Wikipedia article you choose, backed up with a citation to an appropriate source. This will actually be next week's assignment, but start planning now.
 * When you have chosen your Wikipedia article, go to the bottom of this course page and add it next to your name so that your colleagues in class can see what you have chosen.
 * Also this week, send a message to anyone else on Wikipedia in any context. Either ask a question or respond to a request for help. Here are some options:
 * Go to the bottom of this course page, choose any of your classmates, and send them a message. Perhaps go to their page, click "user contributions" on the right side of the screen, look at what they have done, then comment on their work on their own userpage
 * Go to WP:TEAHOUSE and ask any question about Wikipedia to Wikipedia's help service
 * Wikipedians are often asking for help. Here are some problem boards. If you like, go to any of these boards, go to the bottom to find the latest requests for help, then answer the request as if you were an expert.
 * Questions about reliable sources - reliable sources noticeboard
 * Questions about maintaining a neutral point of view - neutral point of view noticeboard
 * Feel free to write me! I am user:bluerasberry, find my talk page at the top
 * Reading material for next week - Citing sources on Wikipedia and Avoiding plagiarism on Wikipedia


 * Milestone:
 * Everyone has exchanged a message with another person on Wikipedia.

Tuesday 3 February: Tour of Wikipedia
see slides online
 * In class
 * Tour Wikipedia more broadly to understand how it works, especially behind-the-scenes functions
 * Who does checking for quality control?
 * How is copyright managed, and why should anyone care?


 * Assignment - Please complete by 10 February
 * Add 5-7 sentences of new information, backed up with a citation to an appropriate source, to a Wikipedia article related to the class.
 * At the bottom of this course page is a list of your colleagues and the articles which they are editing. Please comment on the changes any of your classmates have made to their article. Give the comment either on their user talk page or on the talk page of the article which they edited.


 * Milestone:
 * Away from the computer, all class participants can have a conversation with anyone about Wikipedia, how it works, and how it influences popular thought and education.