Wikipedia:Wiki Ed/University of Maryland/Travel Writing in the Americas (Fall 2018)

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Course name
Travel Writing in the Americas
Institution
University of Maryland
Instructor
David Sartorius
Wikipedia Expert
Shalor (Wiki Ed)
Subject
Travel Writing in the Americas
Course dates
2018-08-28 00:00:00 UTC – 2018-12-17 23:59:59 UTC
Approximate number of student editors
15


The Americas, like most parts of the world, would not exist as we know them had it not been for the writings and journeys of centuries of travelers; writing and travel have been closely connected. The twin goals of this class are to understand the role of travel writing in shaping the history of the hemisphere, and to understand the historical contexts and influences on various forms of travel writing. From European conquest and colonization to the African slave trade through the growth of tourism and migration, human mobility is perhaps the most significant common denominator connecting the intertwined histories of North and South America. We will read a wide variety of accounts describing travel to or through the hemisphere, as well as critical scholarship that helps us shed new analytical light on those primary sources. Ultimately, the course will allow students to contribute to those critical understandings on Wikipedia.

Student Assigned Reviewing
Amateragi
IsaiahSmith12
Ecorbie
Dcruz34 Olaudah Equiano Olaudah Equiano
Micahabresch
Ethomp20
Rtejada775 Chicano literature

Timeline

Week 1

Course meetings
Tuesday, 28 August 2018   |   Thursday, 30 August 2018

Week 2

Course meetings
Tuesday, 4 September 2018   |   Thursday, 6 September 2018
In class - Introduction to the Wikipedia assignment

Welcome to your Wikipedia assignment's course timeline. This page guides you through the steps you'll need to complete for your Wikipedia assignment, with links to training modules and your classmates' work spaces.

Your course has been assigned a Wikipedia Expert. You can reach them through the Get Help button at the top of this page.

Resources:

Week 3

Course meetings
Tuesday, 11 September 2018   |   Thursday, 13 September 2018
Assignment - Get started on Wikipedia

Create an account and join this course page, using the enrollment link your instructor sent you. (Because of Wikipedia's technical restraints, you may receive a message that you cannot create an account. To resolve this, please try again off campus or the next day.)

Week 4

Course meetings
Tuesday, 18 September 2018
Milestones

This week, everyone should have a Wikipedia account.

Assignment - Evaluate Wikipedia

Exercise

Evaluate an article

Week 5

Course meetings
Tuesday, 25 September 2018   |   Thursday, 27 September 2018
Assignment - Add to an article

Exercise

Add a citation

Week 6

Course meetings
Tuesday, 2 October 2018   |   Thursday, 4 October 2018
Assignment - Exercise

Copyedit an article

In class - Discussion

What's a content gap?

Guide(s) for writing articles in your topic area

Books

History

Week 7

Course meetings
Tuesday, 9 October 2018   |   Thursday, 11 October 2018
Assignment - Choose possible topics

Exercise

Choose a topic

Resource: Editing Wikipedia, page 6

Week 8

Course meetings
Tuesday, 16 October 2018   |   Thursday, 18 October 2018

Week 9

Course meetings
Tuesday, 23 October 2018   |   Thursday, 25 October 2018
Assignment - Start drafting your contributions

Reach out to your Wikipedia Expert if you have questions using the Get Help button at the top of this page.

Resource: Editing Wikipedia, pages 7–9

Week 10

Course meetings
Tuesday, 30 October 2018   |   Thursday, 1 November 2018
Milestones

Everyone has begun writing their article drafts.

Week 11

Course meetings
Tuesday, 6 November 2018   |   Thursday, 8 November 2018

Week 12

Course meetings
Tuesday, 13 November 2018   |   Thursday, 15 November 2018
Assignment - Peer review an article

Guiding framework

In class - Discussion

Thinking about Wikipedia

Assignment - Begin moving your work to Wikipedia

Now that you've improved your draft based on others' feedback, it's time to move your work live - to the "mainspace."

Resource: Editing Wikipedia, page 13

Week 13

Course meetings
Tuesday, 20 November 2018
Milestones

Every student has finished reviewing their assigned articles, making sure that every article has been reviewed.


Assignment - Continue improving your article

Exercise

Add links to your article

Now's the time to revisit your text and refine your work. You may do more research and find missing information; rewrite the lead section to represent all major points; reorganize the text to communicate the information better; or add images and other media.

Week 14

Course meetings
Tuesday, 27 November 2018   |   Thursday, 29 November 2018
Assignment - Respond to your peer review

You probably have some feedback from other students and possibly other Wikipedians. Consider their suggestions, decide whether it makes your work more accurate and complete, and edit your draft to make those changes.

Resources:

  • Editing Wikipedia, pages 12 and 14
  • Reach out to your Wikipedia Expert if you have any questions.


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 Wikipedia Expert at any time if you need further help!

Week 15

Course meetings
Tuesday, 4 December 2018   |   Thursday, 6 December 2018
In class - In-class presentation

Guiding questions

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 Wikipedia Expert at any time!

Week 16

Assignment - Reflective essay

Guiding questions

Milestones

Everyone should have finished all of the work they'll do on Wikipedia, and be ready for grading.