This course page is an automatically-updated version of the main course page at dashboard.wikiedu.org. Please do not edit this page directly; any changes will be overwritten the next time the main course page gets updated.
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 "Get Help" button on this page.
To get started, please review the following handouts:
Create an account and join this course page, using the enrollment link your instructor sent you.
It's time to dive into Wikipedia. Below, you'll find the first set of online trainings you'll need to take. New modules will appear on this timeline as you get to new milestones. Be sure to check back and complete them! Incomplete trainings will be reflected in your grade.
When you finish the trainings, practice by introducing yourself to a classmate on that classmate’s Talk page.
Milestones
This week, everyone should have a Wikipedia account.
Week 2
Course meetings
Tuesday, 20 September 2016 | Thursday, 22 September 2016
Assignment - Critique an article
It's time to think critically about Wikipedia articles. You'll evaluate a Wikipedia article, and leave suggestions for improving it on the article's Talk page.
Complete the "Evaluating Articles and Sources" training (linked below).
Choose an article, and consider some questions (but don't feel limited to these):
Is each fact referenced with an appropriate, reliable reference?
Is everything in the article relevant to the article topic? Is there anything that distracted you?
Is the article neutral? Are there any claims, or frames, that appear heavily biased toward a particular position?
Where does the information come from? Are these neutral sources? If biased, is that bias noted?
Are there viewpoints that are overrepresented, or underrepresented?
Check 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Is any information out of date?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?
Choose at least 2 questions relevant to the article you're evaluating. Leave your evaluation on the article's Talk page. Be sure to sign your feedback with four tildes — ~~~~.
Week 3
Course meetings
Tuesday, 27 September 2016 | Thursday, 29 September 2016
Week 4
Course meetings
Tuesday, 4 October 2016 | Thursday, 6 October 2016
In class - Discussion
Thinking about sources and plagiarism
Blog posts and press releases are considered poor sources of reliable information. Why?
What are some reasons you might not want to use a company's website as the main source of information about that company?
What is the difference between a copyright violation and plagiarism?
What are some good techniques to avoid close paraphrasing and plagiarism?
Choose 3–5 potential articles that you can tackle, and post links to them on your Wikipedia user page. For articles that already exist, check the Talk page to see what other Wikipedians might be doing. Finally, present your choices to your instructor for feedback.
Be aware that while you're individually proposing a topic, the final decision will be for a group project. You may want to discuss what your individual proposals are with other students in the class.
Week 5
Course meetings
Tuesday, 11 October 2016
Assignment - Finalize your topic / Find your sources
On the Students tab, assign your chosen topic to yourself. Everyone in the class should assign themselves the same topic. You may find it easier to use one student's sandbox for all of your work.
In
your sandbox, write a few sentences about what you plan to contribute to the selected article.
Think back to when you did an article critique. What can you add? Post some of your ideas to the article's talk page, too.
Compile a list of relevant, reliable books, journal articles, or other sources. Post that bibliography to the talk page of the article you'll be working on, and in your sandbox. Make sure to check in on the Talk page to see if anyone has advice on your bibliography.
Assignment - Draft your article
You've picked a topic and found your sources. Now it's time to start writing.
Creating a new article?
Write an outline of that topic in the form of a standard Wikipedia article's "lead section." Write it in
your sandbox.
A "lead" section is not a traditional introduction. It should summarize, very briefly, what the rest of the article will say in detail. The first paragraph should include important, broad facts about the subject. A good example is
Ada Lovelace. See
Editing Wikipedia page 9 for more ideas.
Improving an existing article?
Identify what's missing from the current form of the article. Think back to the skills you learned while critiquing an article. Make notes for improvement in
your sandbox.
Keep reading your sources, too, as you prepare to write the body of the article.
Tuesday, 18 October 2016 | Thursday, 20 October 2016
Assignment - Expand your draft
Keep working on transforming your article into a complete first draft. Get draft ready for peer-review.
If you'd like a Content Expert to review your draft, now is the time! Click the "Get Help" button in your sandbox to request notes.
Week 7
Course meetings
Tuesday, 25 October 2016 | Thursday, 27 October 2016
Week 8
Course meetings
Tuesday, 1 November 2016 | Thursday, 3 November 2016
Assignment - Begin moving your work to Wikipedia
Once you've made improvements to your article based on peer review feedback, it's time to move your work to Wikipedia proper - the "mainspace."
Editing an existing article?
NEVER copy and paste your draft of an article over the entire article. Instead, edit small sections at a time.
Copy your edits into the article. Make many small edits, saving each time, and leaving an edit summary. Never replace more than one to two sentences without saving!
Creating a new article?
Read
Editing Wikipedia page 13, and follow those steps to move your article from your Sandbox to Mainspace.
You can also review the [[../../../training/students/sandboxes|Sandboxes and Mainspace]] online training.
Week 9
Course meetings
Tuesday, 8 November 2016 | Thursday, 10 November 2016
Assignment - Continue improving your article
Do additional research and writing to make further improvements to your article, based on suggestions and your own critique.
Read
Editing Wikipedia page 12 to see how to create links from your article to others, and from other articles to your own. Try to link to 3–5 articles, and link to your article from 2–3 other articles.
Week 10
Course meetings
Tuesday, 15 November 2016 | Thursday, 17 November 2016
Assignment - Polish your work
Continue to expand and improve your work, and format your article to match Wikipedia's tone and standards. Remember to contact your Content Expert at any time if you need further help!
Week 11
Course meetings
Tuesday, 22 November 2016
Assignment - Final article
It's the final week to develop your article.
Read
Editing Wikipedia page 15 to review a final check-list before completing your assignment.
Don't forget that you can ask for help from your Content Expert at any time!
Assignment - Reflective essay
Write a reflective essay (2–5 pages) on your Wikipedia contributions.
Week 12
Course meetings
Tuesday, 29 November 2016 | Thursday, 1 December 2016
Milestones
Everyone should have finished all of the work they'll do on Wikipedia, and be ready for grading.