Wikipedia:Wiki Ed/University of Alabama/Relational Communication - COM 563 (Summer)
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- Course name
- Relational Communication - COM 563
- Institution
- University of Alabama
- Instructor
- Josh Pederson
- Wikipedia Expert
- Shalor (Wiki Ed)
- Subject
- Communication Studies
- Course dates
- 2018-05-29 00:00:00 UTC – 2018-08-03 23:59:59 UTC
- Approximate number of student editors
- 15
This is an online master's course in Relational Communication in which students learn theory and research about how communication creates, develops, and maintains close relationships. For this Wikipedia assignmnet students will create new articles on Wikipedia about relational communication theories and concepts. The category of Interpersonal Communication on Wikipedia is underdeveloped and students in this course will help to build this content area on Wikipedia.
Timeline
Week 1
- Course meetings
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- Tuesday, 29 May 2018 | Wednesday, 30 May 2018 | Thursday, 31 May 2018 | Friday, 1 June 2018
- In class - Introduction to the Wikipedia project
Welcome to your 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.
This page breaks down writing a Wikipedia article into a series of steps, or milestones. These steps include online trainings to help you get started on Wikipedia.
Your course has also been assigned a Wikipedia Expert. Check your Talk page for notes from them. You can also reach them through the "Get Help" button on this page.
To get started, please review the following handouts:
- 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. (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.
- When you finish the trainings, practice by introducing yourself to a classmate on that classmate’s Talk page.
- Milestones
This week, everyone should have a Wikipedia account.
Week 2
- Course meetings
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- Sunday, 3 June 2018 | Monday, 4 June 2018 | Tuesday, 5 June 2018 | Wednesday, 6 June 2018 | Thursday, 7 June 2018
- Assignment - Evaluate Wikipedia
It's time to think critically about Wikipedia articles. You'll evaluate a Wikipedia article related to the course and leave suggestions for improving it on the article's Talk page.
- Complete the "Evaluating Articles and Sources" training (linked below).
- Create a section in your sandbox titled "Article evaluation" where you'll leave notes about your observations and learnings.
- Choose an article on Wikipedia related to your course to read and evaluate. As you read, consider the following questions (but don't feel limited to these):
- 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?
- Optional: Choose at least 1 question relevant to the article you're evaluating and leave your evaluation on the article's Talk page. Be sure to sign your feedback with four tildes — ~~~~.
- Assignment - Choose your topic / Find your sources
It's time to choose an article and assign it to yourself.
- Complete the "Sandboxes and Mainspace" training below.
- Review page 6 of your Editing Wikipedia guidebook.
- Find an article from the list of "Available Articles" on the Articles tab on this course page. When you find the one you want to work on, click Select to assign it to yourself.
- If you would like to create a new article (or edit an existing article) for a relational communication theory or concept that is not on the list, please email Dr. Pederson to have your article topic approved.
- In your sandbox, write a few sentences about what you plan to contribute to the selected article.
- Think back to when you did an article critique. What can you add? Post some of your ideas to the article's talk page.
- Compile 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.
- You are required to include at least five scholarly sources as references for your article.
Week 3
- Course meetings
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- Sunday, 10 June 2018 | Monday, 11 June 2018 | Tuesday, 12 June 2018 | Wednesday, 13 June 2018 | Thursday, 14 June 2018
- Assignment - Outline and draft your article
You've picked a topic and found your sources. Now it's time to start writing.
- First, complete the "Plagiarism" training below.
Creating a new article?
- Write an outline of that topic in the form of a standard Wikipedia article's "lead section." Write it in your sandbox.
- Think about adding the following sections for your article. Start outlining these sections.
- Lead: Describe in simple, straightforward language what the theory or concept is and why it is important. A "lead" section is not a traditional introduction. It should summarize, very briefly, what the rest of the article will say in detail. The first paragraph should include important, broad facts about the subject. A good example is Ada Lovelace. See Editing Wikipedia page 9 for more ideas.
- Background: Provide a short history of the development of the theory or concept including who originated the theory and subsequent evolution of the theory.
- Content sections: Describe the major tenets and elements of the theory in more detail here than described in your "lead" section. These sections will vary in number and length depending on your theory and can be organized as you see fit.
- Application: Provide examples of how scholars have applied your theory to various contexts.
- Critique: Describe several points of critique for readers to consider. Draw upon others’ criticisms or craft your own.
- References: Make sure to properly cite the information you write by using the Wiki reference tools. Make sure to use APA style citation for your sources.
Improving an existing article?
- Identify what's missing from the current form of the article. Think back to the skills you learned while critiquing an article. Make notes for improvement in your sandbox.
- Copy sections of your selected article into your sandbox and make edits to the content to improve its accuracy, readability, or depth of description.
- Look at the suggestions listed above under "creating a new article" for ideas about adding new content areas to your selected article.
- Keep reading your sources, too, as you prepare to write the body of the article.
Resources: Editing Wikipedia pages 7–9
- Milestones
Everyone has begun writing their article drafts.
Week 4
- Course meetings
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- Sunday, 17 June 2018 | Monday, 18 June 2018 | Tuesday, 19 June 2018 | Wednesday, 20 June 2018 | Thursday, 21 June 2018
- Assignment - Expand/complete your draft
- Keep working on transforming your article into a complete first draft. 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.
- Assignment - Continue improving your article
Do additional research and writing to make further improvements to your article.
- Read Editing Wikipedia page 12 to see how to create links from your article to others, and from other articles to your own. Try to link to 3–5 articles, and link to your article from 2–3 other articles.
- Consider adding an image to your article. Wikipedia has strict rules about what media can be added, so make sure to take Contributing Images and Media Files training before you upload an image.
Week 5
- Course meetings
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- Sunday, 24 June 2018 | Monday, 25 June 2018 | Tuesday, 26 June 2018 | Wednesday, 27 June 2018 | Thursday, 28 June 2018
- Assignment - Peer review and copy edit
- First, take the "Peer Review" online training.
- Select a classmate’s article that you will peer review and copyedit. On the Articles tab, find the article that you want to review. Then in the "My Articles" section of the Home tab, assign it to yourself to review.
- Peer review your classmate's draft. Leave suggestions on the Talk page of the sandbox, that your fellow student is working on. Other editors may be reviewing your work, so look for their comments! Be sure to acknowledge feedback from other Wikipedians.
- Please respond to the following questions as you read through your peer’s article. Put your responses to these questions into the Talk page of the sandbox.
1. Does the introduction section in the entry provide you with a basic knowledge of the theory or concept? What could be improved in this section?
2. What are the strengths of the content sections? Talk about the organization, flow, and what you learned from these sections.
3. What are the weaknesses in the content sections? What can the author do to improve these sections? Make sure to offer specific sections.
4. Does the “application” section make sense? What is lacking and how can it be improved?
5. Does the “critique” section offer a substantive critique of the theory or concept? What suggestions do you have to improve this section?
6. Discuss any issues with grammar, sentence structure, or other writing conventions.
- As you review, feel free to make spelling, grammar, and other adjustments directly into the article. Pay attention to the tone of the article. Is it encyclopedic?
- Grading for the peer review will be determined by your thoroughness, professionalism, and insightfulness of your contributions
- Milestones
Every student has finished reviewing their assigned articles, making sure that every article has been reviewed.
- Assignment - Begin moving your work to Wikipedia
Once you've made improvements to your article based on peer review feedback, it's time to move your work to Wikipedia proper - the "mainspace."
Editing an existing article?
- NEVER copy and paste your draft of an article over the entire article. Instead, edit small sections at a time.
- Copy your edits into the article. 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' mode. This ensures that the formatting is transferred correctly.
Creating a new article?
- Read Editing Wikipedia page 13, and follow those steps to move your article from your Sandbox to Mainspace.
- You can also review the Sandboxes and Mainspace online training.
Week 6
- Course meetings
-
- Sunday, 1 July 2018 | Monday, 2 July 2018 | Tuesday, 3 July 2018 | Wednesday, 4 July 2018 | Thursday, 5 July 2018
- Respond to your peer review
You probably have some feedback from other students and possibly other Wikipedians. It's time to work with that feedback to improve your article!
- Read Editing Wikipedia pages 12 and 14.
- Return to your draft or article and think about the suggestions. Decide which ones to start implementing. Reach out to your instructor or your Wikipedia Expert if you have any questions.
- 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!
- Milestones
Everyone should have finished all of the work they'll do on Wikipedia, and be ready for grading.