Wikipedia:GLAM/Expeditions/Maastricht University

At Maastricht University (NL), a bachelor research course titled On Expedition was organized from February till June 2014. In the scope of the project Expedition Wikipedia, Wikipedian in Residence Sandra Fauconnier assisted participating students in contributing some of their acquired knowledge to Wikipedia.

Project background

At Maastricht University (NL), a bachelor research course titled On Expedition was organized from February till June 2014. This course fell into the scope of the university's MARBLE programme, which focuses on research-based learning.

The course On Expedition was open to students from the university's Faculty of Art and Social Sciences (Cultuurwetenschappen/Arts and Culture and European Studies) and the University College Maastricht, as well as from other faculties.

During the course, students were assigned to read and analyze a travel report from the rich collection of the Maastricht Jesuit Library. Goals of the course were:

Teaching students to study reports of expeditions with utmost care, taking into account
- the heterogeneous agendas of the explorers
- their cultural perceptions and prejudices
- their scientific frames of reference
- how and why they wrote about the results of their travels
Helping students gain a better understanding of the exchange of knowledge in the past
The exploitation of the wealths of the Maastricht Jesuit Library

Students wrote a research paper about their chosen travel report. In addition, they were invited to contribute some of their acquired knowledge to Wikipedia (the English Wikipedia or other) and, if relevant, donate digitized illustrations from the books to Wikimedia Commons. Sandra Fauconnier, Wikipedian in Residence for the project Expedition Wikipedia, tutored and assisted the students in this process.

Contact info

Sandra Fauconnier, Wikipedian in Residence, provides introduction to Wikipedia and Wikimedia Commons to course participants
User:Taketa gives an introductory Wikipedia course at Maastricht University in February-March 2014, which participating students are invited to attend
Annemieke Klijn, lecturer/assistant professor, Department Arts and Social Sciences/History and curator Arts and Heritage Commission of University Maastricht
Ernst Homburg, professor History of Science and Technology, Department Arts and Social Sciences/History at Maastricht University
Odin Essers, conservator Special Collections and e-learning expert, Maastricht University Library
User:Romaine, experienced Wikipedia user who can help you with various questions.

Timeline

March 2014

Each student selects one book and does first research.
19 March: Wikipedia introduction by Sandra.

April 2014

Books are discussed in weekly class.
Students start working on their bachelor theses.
Students write short proposals on their Wikipedia contributions.

May 2014

7 May 2014: Wikipedia edit-a-thon at Maastricht University.
First steps writing on Wikipedia.
18 May 2014: draft thesis submitted
Last weeks of May: further Wikipedia editing

June 2014

Wikipedia contribution finished and assessed
Final version of bachelor thesis due.

Resources for students

Brochure on editing Wikipedia, which includes a very handy cheatsheet

Intro presentation On Expedition course, Maastricht University, 19 March 2014

Wikipedia: getting started

Three great starting points for beginners:

By all means, do the online Wikipedia Training program, which is specifically designed for students! It takes approximately one hour to complete, and gives you your first hands-on experience writing on Wikipedia.
You can also watch this very informative video, which focuses on academic writing on Wikipedia (also one hour): http://vimeo.com/64973792
Download and print the brochure on the right and keep it next to you while you work. It is extremely concise and covers all the basics very well.

Further tips and tricks

Five Pillars

Wikipedia's Five Pillars:

Wikipedia is an online encyclopedia
Wikipedia has a neutral point of view
Wikipedia is free content
Wikipedians should interact in a respectful and civil manner
Wikipedia does not have firm rules

Quick links to general guidelines

Verifiability
Topics on Wikipedia must be notable
Cite reliable sources
No original research

How to write Wikipedia articles about books and authors

Wikiproject:Books

Lots of useful tips and guidelines can be found at the Wikiproject Books.
Such as this template for writing a Wikipedia article on a non-fiction book.

Biographies

An overview of guidelines on biographies on Wikipedia: Manual of Style: Biographies

Reading list

Every student is assigned one book from this list. There is also a longlist with many more titles.

Region	Images	Student	Travel timespan	Year of publication	Author	Citation	Further info
(North) America	Title page of Vol. I More images: Commons category	Pie7	1492	1782-1788	Joachim Heinrich Campe	Campe, Joachim Heinrich (1782). Kolumbus oder die Entdekkung von Westindien, ein angenehmes und nüzliches Lesebuch für Kinder und junge Leute. Tübingen: Wilh. Heinr. Schramm.	...
(North) America	Title page More images: Commons category	ZDellink	1671	1671	Arnoldus Montanus (1625-1683)	Montanus, Arnoldus (1671). De nieuwe en onbekende weereld: of Beschryving van America en't Zuid-land: vervaetende d'oorsprong der Americaenen en Zuidlanders, gedenkwaerdige togten derwaerds ... t'Amsterdam: by Jacob Meurs ...	...
(North) America	Noticia de la California	Maurmink	1739	1757	Miguel Venegas	Venegas, Miguel (1757). Noticia de la California y de su conquista temporal, y espiritual hasta el tiempo presente sacada de la historia manuscrita, formada en Mexico año de 1739. por el padre Miguèl Venegas ... añadida de algunos mapas particulares ... dedicada al rey N.tro señor por la provincia de Nueva-España SJ. Madrid: En la imprenta de la viuda de Manuel Fernandez ...	...
China	Title page More images: Commons category	PaulVanO	1655-1657	1665	Johan Nieuhof (1618-1672)	Nieuhof, Johan; Jacob van Meurs (1665). Het gezantschap der Neêrlandtsche Oost-Indische Compagnie, aan den grooten Tartarischen Cham, den tegenwoordigen Keizer van China: waar in de gedenkwaerdighste geschiedenissen, die onder het reizen door de Sineesche landtschappen, Quantung, Kiangsi, Nanking, Xantung en Peking, en aan het Keizerlijke Hof te Peking, sedert 1655 tot 1657 zijn voorgevallen, op het bondigste verhandelt worden : beneffens een naukeurige beschryving der Sineesche steden, dorpen, regeering ... [etc.] : verçiert met over de 150 afbeeltsels, na 't leven in Sina getekent, en beschreven. t'Amsterdam: Jacob van Meurs.	Scan of whole book (Internet Archive) Transcription in progress on nl.wikisource.org
China	Eberhard Isbrand Ides: Dreyjaehrige Reise nach China - Title page	Equinox78	1692-1694	1710	Evert Ysbrants Ides (1657-1708/09) & Nicolaes Witsen (1641-1717)	Ides, E. Ysbrants; Nic Witsen (1710). Driejaarige reize naar China, te lande gedaan door den Moskovischen afgezant, E. Ysbrants Ides, van Moskou af, over Groot Ustiga, Siriania, Permia, Sibiriën, Daour, Groot Tartaryen tot in China ...: hier is bygevoegt, eene beknopte beschryvinge van China, door eenen Chineesen schryver t'zamengestelt,. T'Amsterdam: Gedrukt by Pieter de Coup ...	...
Japan	...	ThomasGidney	1811-1813	1818	Vasily Golovnin, Jean-Baptiste Benoît Eyriès (trad)	Eyriès, Jean-Baptiste Benoît (1818). Voyage de m. Golovnin ... contenant le récit de sa captivité chez les japonois, pendant les années 1811, 1812 et 1813, et ses observations sur l'empire du Japon suivi de la relation du voyage de m. Ricord ... A Paris: Gide fils.	...
Japan	Title page of part 1 More images: Commons category	Anikoch91	1819-1820	1824-1825	Isaac Titsingh (1745-1812)	Titsingh, Isaac; Johannes (wed Allart, 's-Gravenhage) (1824). Bijzonderheden over Japan, behelzende een verslag van de huwelijks plegtigheden, begrafenissen en feesten der Japanezen, de gedenkschriften der laatste Japansche keizers, en andere merkwaardigheden nopens dat rijk. 's-Gravenhage: Wed. J. Allart.	...
Africa	...	Elinamarble	1843-1846	1868	Mansfield Parkyns	Parkyns, Mansfield (1868). Life in Abyssinia : being notes collected during three years' residence and travels in that country / by Mansfield Parkyns. London: John Murray.	Scan of Volume 1 (Internet Archive)
Africa	Illustration: Roi de Tchoumbiri More images: Commons category	EMMA_HINE	1886	1886	Charles de Martrin-Donos (1858-1904)	Martrin-Donos, Charles de (1886). Les Belges dans l'Afrique centrale: voyages, aventures et découvertes d'après les documents et journaux des explorateurs. Bruxelles: P. Maes.	Scan of Volume 2 (Internet Archive) Scan of Volume 3 (Internet Archive)