User:Fransplace/WRIT1001

Course name: WRIT1001

Institution: University of Sydney, Australia

Instructor: Dr Frances Di Lauro

Subject: Academic Writing - The Essay

Course dates: 2014-12-01 – 2014-12-18

Approximate number of student editors: 40

The required output for this course is a 1500 word essay. Along the way they carry out basic research, conduct a literature review and critique of sources, begin to plan the essay structure and type, then draft some paragraphs and eventually bring it all together into an essay.

In their Wikipedia activities, they are usually introduced to Wikipedia editing and complete the training, then practice various of the techniques discussed above in Wikipedia sandboxes before moving their changes into the mainspace. Those changes include:

verify facts and add source material structure and add subheadings to an article write paragraphs and peer review them proofread and edit articles

Timeline

Week 1 : Wikipedia essentials

In class

Overview of the course
Introduction to how Wikipedia will be used in the course
Handout: Editing Wikipedia (available in print or online from the Wiki Education Foundation)

Week 2 : Editing basics

In class

Basics of editing
Anatomy of Wikipedia articles, what makes a good article, how to distinguish between good and bad articles
Tips on finding the best articles to work on for class assignments
Handouts: Using Talk Pages handout and Evaluating Wikipedia brochure

Assignment (due Week 3)

Create an account and then complete the online training for students. During this training, you will make edits in a sandbox and learn the basic rules of Wikipedia.

Create a User page, and then click the "enroll" button on the top left of this course page.

To practice editing and communicating on Wikipedia, introduce yourself to any Wikipedians helping your class (such as a Wikipedia Ambassador), and leave a message for a classmate on their user talk page.

Milestones

All students have Wikipedia user accounts and are listed on the course page.

Week 3 : Exploring the topic area

In class

Handouts: Choosing an article and How to get help

Assignment (due Week 4)

Critically evaluate an existing Wikipedia article related to the class, and leave suggestions for improving it on the article's talk page.

Choose one article, identify ways in which you can improve and correct its language and grammar, and make the appropriate changes. (You do not need to alter the article's content.)

Week 4 : Using sources and choosing articles

In class

Handouts: Citing sources on Wikipedia and Avoiding plagiarism on Wikipedia

Assignment (due Week 5)

Add 1–2 sentences of new information, backed up with a citation to an appropriate source, to a Wikipedia article related to the class.

Your instructor has created a list of potential topics for your main project. Choose the one you will work on.

For next week

Instructor evaluates student's article selections, by Week 5.

Week 5 : Finalizing topics and starting research

In class

Discuss the range of topics students will be working on and strategies for researching and writing about them.

Assignment (due Week 6)

Compile a bibliography of relevant reliable sources and post it to the talk page of the article you are working on. Begin reading the sources.

Week 6 : Drafting starter articles

In class

Talk about Wikipedia culture and etiquette, and (optionally) revisit the concept of sandboxes and how to use them.
Q&A session with instructor and/or Wikipedia Ambassadors about interacting on Wikipedia and getting started with writing.

Assignment (due Week 7)

If you are starting a new article, write a 3–4 paragraph summary version of your article—with citations—in your Wikipedia sandbox. If you are improving an existing article, create a detailed outline reflecting the content the article will have after it's been improved, and post this along with a brief description of your plans on the article’s talk page.
Begin working with classmates and other editors to polish your short starter article and fix any major issues.
Continue research in preparation for expanding your article.

Milestones

All students have started editing articles or drafts on Wikipedia.

Week 7 : Moving articles to the main space

In class

Handout: Moving out of your sandbox

Assignment (due Week 8)

Move sandbox articles into main space.

Optional: For new articles or qualifying expansions of stubs, compose a one-sentence “hook,” nominate it for “Did you know,” (see detailed instructions) and monitor the nomination for any issues identified by other editors. Wiki Education Foundation staff and/or Wikipedia Ambassadors can provide support for this process.

Begin expanding your article into a comprehensive treatment of the topic.

Week 8 : Building articles

Workshop in class or outside of class

Demo uploading images and adding images to articles.
Share experiences and discuss problems.
Handouts: "Uploading images" and "Evaluating Wikipedia article quality" (handed out originally earlier in the course)

Assignment (due Week 9)

Expand your article into an initial draft of a comprehensive treatment of the topic.

Select two classmates’ articles that you will peer review and copyedit. (You don’t need to start reviewing yet.)

Week 9 : Getting and giving feedback

In class

As a group, have the students offer suggestions for improving one or two of the students' articles, setting the example for what is expected from a solid encyclopedia article.

Assignment (due Week 10)

Peer review two of your classmates’ articles. Leave suggestions on the article talk pages.
Copy-edit the two reviewed articles.

Milestones

All articles have been reviewed by others. All students have reviewed articles by their classmates.

Week 10 : Responding to feedback

In class

Open discussion of the concepts of neutrality, media literacy, and the impact and limits of Wikipedia.

Assignment (due Week 11)

Make edits to your article based on peers’ feedback.

Prepare for an in-class presentation about your Wikipedia editing experience.

Week 11 : Class presentations

In class

Students give in-class presentations about their experiences editing Wikipedia.

Assignment (due Week 12)

Add final touches to your Wikipedia article.

Put together a Wikipedia portfolio.

Week 12 : Due date

Milestones

Students have finished all their work on Wikipedia that will be considered for grading.

Grading

5%

Completion of Wikipedia training

15%

Early Wikipedia exercises

10%

Quality of bibliography and outline

10%

Peer reviews and collaboration with classmates

50%

Quality of your main Wikipedia contributions

10%

Supplementary assignments