Wikipedia:Wiki Ed/University of Virginia/USEM-Seeking Truth in Research (Spring 2020)
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- Course name
- USEM-Seeking Truth in Research
- Institution
- University of Virginia
- Instructor
- Bethany Mickel
- Wikipedia Expert
- Shalor (Wiki Ed)
- Subject
- Course dates
- 2020-01-15 00:00:00 UTC – 2020-05-16 23:59:59 UTC
- Approximate number of student editors
- 18
Searching for truth in an age of misinformation means traversing a daunting landscape of truthiness (Colbert, 2005), intentional misdirection, and scientific research. Becoming a successful researcher requires rigor, perseverance, and knowledge. Using an information literacy lens, this course will explore the roles of truth and opinion in research through topics such as social justice, community engagement, and the impact of bias in an increasingly divided society. By understanding how to navigate a free market of information where dissemination is open to all, students will learn how to successfully generate high quality research; analyze the creation process; leverage their knowledge to craft strong lines of inquiry; and understand and protect their own contributions to scholarship. Focusing on the University of Virginia’s place amidst contemporary political and social issues, students will examine their own identity and role in this volatile landscape as they seek to further develop as critical thinkers and civic-minded future leaders.
This course will use active-learning strategies to examine a broad range of information literacies through readings, guest speakers, group discussion, and peer-to-peer learning. Class assignments will include on-going reflections and encourage collaboration while culminating in a Wikipedia editing project that will showcase students' contributions to a larger body of knowledge using factual evidence. Students will have the opportunity to deeply engage with the Library’s unique resources, including the Library’s making and digital humanities centers and the historic materials of the Albert and Small Special Collections Library.
Timeline
Week 3
- Course meetings
-
- Wednesday, 5 February 2020
- Assignment - 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.
- Assignment - Exercise
All you need to do is to select your article--please do not complete anything else in this section.
Week 4
- Course meetings
-
- Wednesday, 12 February 2020
- Assignment - Evaluate Wikipedia
For the 'Evaluate Wikipedia' article, we recommend that you select the article you are using for this course. Please make sure that you access the link within the exercise, answer the questions, AND publish it once complete. Doing so will expose some of the areas for improvement, content gaps, and further familiarize you with the existing content.
Week 5
- Course meetings
-
- Wednesday, 19 February 2020
- Assignment - Discussion
We will be talking more about content gaps; however, please select 2 of the questions posed and write a short (200-300 word) reflection to submit in Collab>Assignments>Content Gaps Discussion.
Week 6
- Course meetings
-
- Wednesday, 26 February 2020
- Assignment - Add to an article
- 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
- Milestones
Everyone has begun writing their article drafts.
Week 7
- Course meetings
-
- Wednesday, 4 March 2020
- Assignment - Discussion
Please select 2 of the questions posed and write a short (200-300 word) reflection to submit in Collab>Assignments>Thinking About Wikipedia Discussion.
Week 8
- Course meetings
-
- Wednesday, 18 March 2020
- Milestones
Every student has finished reviewing their assigned articles, making sure that every article has been reviewed.
- Assignment - Peer review an article
Week 9
- Course meetings
-
- Wednesday, 25 March 2020
- 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 - 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
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.
- 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 10
- Course meetings
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- Wednesday, 1 April 2020
- 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!
- Milestones
Everyone should have finished all of the work they'll do on Wikipedia, and be ready for grading.