Wikipedia:Wiki Ed/University of Maryland College Park/LING272 Biophysics of Language (Fall 2019)
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- Course name
- LING272 Biophysics of Language
- Institution
- University of Maryland College Park
- Instructor
- John Locke
- Wikipedia Expert
- Shalor (Wiki Ed)
- Subject
- Biolinguistics
- Course dates
- 2019-08-26 00:00:00 UTC – 2019-12-10 23:59:59 UTC
- Approximate number of student editors
- 50
Course Description on University Website: This course examines the nature of mental representation of language in the physiology of the mind/brain, how it evolved, how it emerges in learners' minds, and how it decays through injury and illness. Insights from linguistics, cognitive psychology, neuroscience, animal behavior, molecular biology, and biophysics are brought to bear on how an abstract systematic behavior can arise within an animal brain.
Description from Syllabus: A classical debate concerns whether natural language is unique. While communication systems are common, the properties of human language have not been easy to find in other species. This I-series course debates that question, different sides of which are left for students to take. The only precondition is that the matter be approached scientifically, starting with notions from the Computational Theory of Mind. Depending on the majors that students seek, insights from linguistics, paleo-anthropology, cognitive psychology, animal behavior, neuroscience, molecular biology, biophysics, etc., may be brought to bear on how an abstract systematic behavior can arise within an animal brain, and what that says about language and evolution.
Course Goals: Students succeeding in the class should be able to: Critically evaluate the human and animal cognitive behavior literature (on communication and thinking), gain skills related to the analysis and production of written scientific studies, and formulate arguments related to central issues in the language sciences and science more generally.
The Wikipedia component of this course is meant to help students engage in science communication, begin to learn about and engage in the process of peer review, research topics that will inform the generation of proposals for potential experiments in biolinguistics for the end of semester presentations, and assist in the development of critical thinking and writing skills.
Timeline
Week 2
- Course meetings
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- Wednesday, 4 September 2019 | Friday, 6 September 2019
- 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:
- Editing Wikipedia, pages 1–5
- Evaluating Wikipedia
- 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.)
- Milestones
This week, everyone should have a Wikipedia account.
Week 3
- Course meetings
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- Monday, 9 September 2019 | Wednesday, 11 September 2019 | Friday, 13 September 2019
- In class - Discussion
Week 4
- Course meetings
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- Monday, 16 September 2019 | Wednesday, 18 September 2019 | Friday, 20 September 2019
- Assignment - Review the rules for health topics
- In class - Discussion
Week 5
- Course meetings
-
- Monday, 23 September 2019 | Wednesday, 25 September 2019 | Friday, 27 September 2019
- Assignment - Exercise
Week 6
- Course meetings
-
- Monday, 30 September 2019 | Wednesday, 2 October 2019 | Friday, 4 October 2019
- In class - Discussion
Week 7
- Course meetings
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- Monday, 7 October 2019 | Wednesday, 9 October 2019 | Friday, 11 October 2019
Week 8
- Course meetings
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- Monday, 14 October 2019 | Wednesday, 16 October 2019 | Friday, 18 October 2019
- Assignment - Start drafting your contributions
Resource: Editing Wikipedia, pages 7–9
- Milestones
Everyone has begun writing their article drafts.
Week 9
- Course meetings
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- Monday, 21 October 2019 | Wednesday, 23 October 2019 | Friday, 25 October 2019
- Assignment - Peer review an article
- Milestones
Every student has finished reviewing their assigned articles, making sure that every article has been reviewed.
- 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 - Continue improving your article
Exercise
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 10
- Course meetings
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- Monday, 28 October 2019 | Wednesday, 30 October 2019 | Friday, 1 November 2019
- 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
- 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!
- 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!
- Assignment - Reflective essay
- Milestones
Everyone should have finished all of the work they'll do on Wikipedia, and be ready for grading.