Wikipedia talk:Education program archive/Drake University/Global Youth Studies (Spring 2013)/Timeline

February 6: Wikipedia essentials

 * In class
 * Meet in Library with Wikipedia Campus Ambassador [mailto:carrie.dunham-lagree@drake.edu Carrie Dunham-LaGree]
 * To discuss in training
 * Basics of editing
 * Anatomy of Wikipedia articles, what makes a good article, how to distinguish between good and bad articles
 * Tips on finding the best articles to work on for class assignments
 * Handouts: Using talk pages, Evaluating Wikipedia article quality, Wikimarkup cheatsheet


 * Assignments due:
 * In addition to "Welcome to Wikipedia," please read “Wikipedia taps college ‘Ambassadors’ to broaden editor base.”
 * Bring to class, typed: A sentence of your area of research interest and three related pages from Wikipedia to explore in class.
 * Complete the online student orientation: (takes about one hour). During this training, you will create an account, make edits in a sandbox, and learn the basic rules of Wikipedia.
 * Successfully create your account and enroll on our course page (link in Blackboard starting 2/2)


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

Feb 13: Interaction and Editing basics, continued

 * Assignments
 * To practice editing and communicating on Wikipedia, introduce yourself to Profs Vandegrift and Dunham-LaGree on Wikipedia
 * Leave a message for a classmate on their user talk page.
 * Description on your user page of topic you plan to pursue. Describe your interests.  Post several candidates for articles to edit OR several potential titles for articles to draft.  This is a place to brainstorm for feedback.

Feb 20: Exploring the topic area

 * In class
 * Handouts: Advice for choosing articles and How to get help


 * Assignment due by Friday, February 22


 * Critical evaluation of an existing Wikipedia article related to the class: leave suggestions for improving it on the articles talk page using norms of conduct for the Wikipedia community.
 * Feedback on two classmates' talk pages about the ideas they posted on their user page.

February 27: Using sources, Choosing topics

 * In class
 * Handouts: “Referencing on Wikipedia” and “Wikipedia:Close Paraphrasing”
 * We will discuss the range of topics you will be working on and strategies for researching and writing about them.


 * Assignment (due March 1)
 * Add 1–2 sentences of new information, backed up with a citation to an appropriate source, to a Wikipedia article related to the class.
 * Consider how to refine your proposal turned in, given feedback on your user page, down to the one topic you will elaborate in your proposal next week.


 * For next week
 * Detailed (3 paragraph) proposal of planned research for Wikipedia article edit or composition turned in on your User Page. After getting Prof. V’s feedback, this will form the basis of finding your information on the 25th.

March 6: Discussion on drafting starter articles

 * In class
 * Talk about Wikipedia culture and etiquette, and (optionally) revisit the concept of sandboxes and how to use them.
 * Q&A session with instructor and/or Wikipedia Ambassadors about interacting on Wikipedia and getting started with writing.


 * Assignment
 * Detailed (3 paragraph) summary version of planned research (ideas for "starter article") for Wikipedia article posted on your talk page. After getting Prof. V’s feedback, this will form the basis of finding academic materials on the 25th.
 * Be sure to remove old information from your user page as you go.

March 13 & 20 (spring break): Nothing due, receive feedback from Prof. V

 * Assignment (ongoing)
 * Begin or continue research in preparation for expanding your article.
 * Begin reading classmates' work on their user pages

March 27: Library orientation and search for sources

 * Assignment
 * Due by the end of the class evening: A list of 3-5 sources on your Wikipedia user page that you will consider working on as your main project.  Send request on Prof. V’s talk page for comment.  Use her comments to consider how to continue obtaining quality sources for next week’s assignment.

April 3: Finalizing sources and posting them

 * In Class
 * Progress check-in
 * Handouts: “Uploading images”, and “Evaluating Wikipedia article quality”


 * Assignment (due April 5 - extended from original due date)
 * Compile a finalized bibliography of relevant reliable sources and post it to the talk page of the article you are working on.
 * Continue reading the sources for information to include in your draft.

April 10: The short article draft in Sandbox

 * Reminder: No class - work in library.


 * Assignment
 * Write a three – four paragraph short version of your article-with citations-in your Wikipedia sandbox.
 * If you are improving an existing article, write a summary version reflecting the content the article will have after it’s been improved, and post this along with a brief description of your plans on the article’s talk page.


 * Milestone
 * All students have started editing articles or drafts on Wikipedia.
 * Begin working with classmates and other editors to polish your short starter article and fix any major issues.

April 17: Building articles

 * Workshop in class or outside of class
 * Demo uploading images and adding images to articles.
 * Share experiences and discuss problems.
 * Handout: Moving out of your sandbox


 * Assignments
 * Clarify for yourself the outline of the article or article edits that you plan to write
 * Optional: for new articles or qualifying expansions of stubs, compose a one-sentence “hook,” nominate it for “did you know,” and monitor the nomination for any issues identified by other editors.
 * Expand your article into an initial draft of a comprehensive treatment of the topic.
 * Select two classmates’ articles that you will peer review and copy-edit. (You don’t need to start reviewing yet.)

April 24 : Getting and giving feedback

 * In class
 * As a group, offer suggestions for improving one or two of the students' articles, setting the example for what is expected from a solid encyclopedia article.


 * Assignments (due May 1)
 * Peer review two of your classmates' articles. Leave suggestions on the article talk pages and complete the rubric to send to them and to Prof. V.
 * Copy-edit the two reviewed articles while respecting each author's intent.


 * Milestone
 * All articles have been reviewed by others. All students have reviewed articles by their classmates.

May 1: Responding to feedback

 * In class
 * Open discussion of the concepts of neutrality, media literacy, and the impact and limits of Wikipedia.


 * Assignments after class meeting on May 1
 * Make edits to your article based on peers’ feedback. Prepare for an in-class presentation about your Wikipedia editing experience.

'''May 3, your article will be assigned a grade as a draft. Your drafts will be read and graded over the weekend - work towards having a draft of your article in place by the 3rd. You are encouraged to incorporate peer edits into place.'''
 * Important hard deadline: May 3

May 8: Nothing due, but continue working

 * In-class check-in and one hour "lab time." Bring your computer to class so we can edit and work.


 * Continue to improve your article.
 * If you wrote a new article, nominate your article for Did_you_know/Nomination
 * If you are going on a Mayterm travel study trip, please make an appointment to present your Wikipedia project.

Finals Week: Class Final Preparations

 * In class
 * Students collaborate to create final edits in live article. Students move their article live.  They can use tips from this pdf.
 * Discussion of insights gained from editing Wikipedia.


 * Assignments
 * Move article out of sandbox and integrated into edited article or posted as original (new) article
 * Edit final Wikipedia article using all feedback received.
 * Create links from other articles to your article.
 * Make sure all citation links in your article are functional.

You made it!


 * Milestone
 * Students have finished all their work on Wikipedia that will be considered for grading, and have presented on project in class.

([ Click to return to your main course page and continue.])