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- Course name
- IB35AC DISC 105
- Institution
- UC Berkeley
- Instructor
- Tesla Monson
- Wikipedia Expert
- Ian (Wiki Ed)
- Subject
- Biology
- Course dates
- 2017-08-24 00:00:00 UTC – 2017-12-01 23:59:59 UTC
- Approximate number of student editors
- 20
Human Biological Variation
Timeline
Week 1
- Course meetings
-
- Monday, 16 October 2017
- Assignment - Get started on Wikipedia
- Due before you arrive at discussion on October 16th.
- Create an account and join this course page, using the enrollment link your instructor sent you. (To avoid hitting Wikipedia's account creation limits, this is best done outside of class. Only 6 new accounts may be created per day from the same IP address.)
- 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.
- Please also review the following handouts:
- Editing Wikipedia pages 1–5
- Evaluating Wikipedia
- When you finish the trainings, practice by introducing yourself to a classmate on that classmate’s Talk page.
- In class - October 16th Discussion Section
Introduction to the Wikipedia project
Welcome to our 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.
Our class will be responsible for critically evaluating a Wikipedia stub article, drafting a few new sentences and adding several references to improve the article.
This page breaks down editing a Wikipedia article into a series of steps, or milestones. These steps include online trainings to help you get started on Wikipedia.
Our 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.
Topics for editing
- Review page 6 of your Editing Wikipedia guidebook.
- Review the list of "available articles" for your section and discuss which one you want to move forward with.
- Once your group has a topic selected, each group member should head to the Home tab of this course page and assign themselves your group topic in the "My Articles" section.
- Assignment - Homework Assignment
Due before discussion on October 23rd
Individually complete each of these trainings in preparation for our next meeting.
- Milestones
This week, everyone should have a Wikipedia account.
Week 2
- Course meetings
-
- Monday, 23 October 2017
- In class - October 23rd Discussion Section
Today we will discuss the culture of Wikipedia, citations, plagiarism. During section, we will thoroughly critique the article we've selected and outline a plan for fixing it. We will assign groups specific tasks for helping improve the article.
Discussion prompts
- 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?
Evaluation
Each group will read and evaluate your group article (selected last week). Each of you should create a section in your sandbox titled "Article evaluation" where we'll leave notes about your observations and learnings. While you read and take notes, consider these questions:
- 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?
- Are there viewpoints that are overrepresented, or underrepresented?
- Check a few citations. Do the links work? Does the source support the claims in the article?
- Is each fact referenced with an appropriate, reliable reference? Where does the information come from? Are these neutral sources? If biased, is that bias noted?
- Is any information out of date? Is anything missing that could be added?
- Check out the Talk page of the article. What kinds of conversations, if any, are going on behind the scenes about how to represent this topic?
- How is the article rated? Is it a part of any WikiProjects?
- How does the way Wikipedia discusses this topic differ from the way we've talked about it in class?
Once we've evaluated our articles, we'll discuss which sections we want to improve and will break teams up so that each team is responsible for one portion of the article improvement. In your sandbox, make notes of which section you will be working on and list your group members and their sections as well.
Best practices for working in groups
- Make sure everyone in your group is assigned to the same Wikipedia article on the Students tab of this course page.
- Select one group member whose Sandbox space you'll all share to post your drafts. Each person should link to that shared Sandbox from their own Sandbox page. A sandbox is like any other page on Wikipedia, and anyone can edit it.
- Wikipedia doesn't allow multiple people to edit from different devices at the same time. If you're working together in person, one person should add the work to the Sandbox. If you are all working independently, make small edits and save often to avoid "editing conflicts" with classmates. Make sure that you're logged in under your own Wikipedia account while editing in your classmate's sandbox to ensure your edits are recorded.
- Don't create a group account for your project. Group accounts are prohibited.
- Milestones
Everyone has evaluated their assigned article and noted bias, missing citations, out of date information, etc. Every team has been assigned an area of the article for improvement (two teams will contribute 1-2 sentences each, and two teams will add 2-3 references each for a maximum class contribution of 2-4 sentences and 4-6 references).
- Assignment - Homework
Due before discussion on October 30th.
Individually
- Review Wikipedia's rules for topics related to medicine, human health, and psychology (training linked below).
- Read the Illustrating Wikipedia handout.
- Review the training for "Contributing Images and Media Files" (linked below).
- Review the "Sandboxes and Mainspace" training.
With your group
In your group sandbox, create an outline of the current article, with sections that exist included and sections that you plan to add to highlighted. Write a few sentences about what you plan to contribute to your selected sections or areas for improvement, and why your contribution is an important addition.
- Think back to when you did the article critique. What can you add? Post some of your ideas to the article's talk page, too.
- With your group, create a section in your group sandbox titled "Bibliography" and start compiling 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.
- When you arrive at the discussion section next week your group should have at least 5 sources picked out to discuss for article improvements.
Week 3
- Course meetings
-
- Monday, 30 October 2017
- In class - Oct 30th Discussion
- Begin to draft your article improvements
You've picked a topic and found your sources. Now it's time to start writing.
Discussion prompts
- What do you think of Wikipedia's definition of "neutrality"?
- What are the impacts and limits of Wikipedia as a source of information?
- On Wikipedia, all material must be attributable to reliable, published sources. What kinds of sources does this exclude? Can you think of any problems that might create?
- If Wikipedia was written 100 years ago, how might its content (and contributors) be different? What about 100 years from now?
With your group
In your group sandbox, keep working on the outline of the current article, with sections that exist included and sections that you plan to add to highlighted. Write a few sentences about your progress and plans for your selected sections.
- Think back to when you did the article critique. What can you add? Post some of your ideas to the article's talk page, too.
- Make sure to check in on the Talk page to see if anyone has advice on your bibliography.
- When you arrive at the discussion section next week your group should have made significant progress towards working on your drafted contributions. You will have to discuss and justify why your contributed sentences or references are essential for this article stub.
Keep reading your sources, too, as you prepare to update your section of the article.
Resources: Editing Wikipedia pages 7–9
- In class - Lecture
This week during lecture we will provide some time for groups to meet and continue working on their article improvements. You should have a draft (including your 1-2 sentences or 2-3 references) ready to be moved live at your discussion sections next week.
- Resources: Editing Wikipedia pages 7–9
- Click the "Get Help" button in your sandbox to request notes from our Wikipedia content expert.
- Milestones
Everyone has begun drafting their proposed article contributions (1-2 sentences or 2-3 references).
- Assignment - Homework
- Expand your draft improvements
Due before Discussion on November 6th
- Keep working on transforming your article stub into a complete first draft that includes your 1-2 sentences or 2-3 references. Get draft ready for peer-review.
- If you'd like a Wikipedia Expert to review your draft, now is the time! Click the "Get Help" button in your sandbox to request notes.
Week 4
- Course meetings
-
- Monday, 6 November 2017
- In class - November 6th Discussion
Today it's time to come together, discuss our drafted improvements, and move our work live!
In groups:
With your group, finalize your proposed improvements to your article, based on suggestions and your own critique. Discuss why these improvements are important for the Wikipedia stub article.
- Read Editing Wikipedia page 15 to review a final check-list before completing your assignment.
- Remember to contact your Content Expert at any time if you need further help!
When we're ready to move your work live
Each group will have some time to finalize their drafted improvements during discussion. One by one, each group will move their improvements (1-2 sentences or 2-3 references) live to the Wikipedia article you are working on.
- Only copy your edits into the specific section you are working on.
- NEVER copy and paste your draft of an article over the entire article. Instead, edit small sections at a time.
- Make many small edits, saving each time, and leaving an edit summary. Never replace more than one to two sentences without saving!
- Be sure to copy text from your sandbox while the sandbox page is in 'Edit' or 'Edit source' mode. This ensures that the formatting is transferred correctly.
- Milestones
Every group has finalized their edits and their improved Wikipedia article stub has gone live. Students are working on their individual reflective essays and peer reviews (due at the beginning of Discussion on November 13th)
- Assignment - Homework
- Peer review
Due in discussion on November 13th
Complete your individual peer review for your group members. This will be turned in at the beginning of class on November 13th
- Assignment - Homework
- Reflective Essay
Due at the beginning of Discussion on November 13th
Write a reflective essay (2–5 pages) on your Wikipedia contributions.
Consider the following questions as you reflect on your Wikipedia assignment:
- Critiquing articles: What did you learn about Wikipedia during the article evaluation? How did you approach critiquing the article you selected for this assignment? How did you decide what to add to your chosen article?
- Summarizing your contributions: include a summary of your groups overall contributions. Reflect on why you felt those contributions were a valuable addition to the article. How does your group final article compare to earlier versions?
- Group work: reflect on your group dynamics, your role as part of your group, and the overall contribution your group made. What part of the overall contributions did you specifically draft and edit?
- Feedback: Did you receive feedback from other Wikipedia editors, and if so, how did you respond to and handle that feedback?
- Wikipedia generally: What did you learn from contributing to Wikipedia? How does a Wikipedia assignment compare to other assignments you've done in the past? How can Wikipedia be used to improve public understanding of our field/your topic? Why is this important?
Week 5
- Course meetings
-
- Monday, 13 November 2017
- In class - November 13th Discussion Section
Today in discussion you should turn in your project reports, including your reflective essay. We will spend some time discussing the overall project and each of you will complete a survey of the project’s effectiveness, to be done at the end of section.