Wikipedia:School and university projects/Being Christian in the Roman Empire

Course and Project Description:

"Being Christian in the Roman Empire" is an undergraduate course taught by Brandon Cline at the University of Chicago during Spring 2012. It is designed as a thematic introduction to early Christian literature through the second century CE. As part of the course, students will assess related Wikipedia content, evaluating it not only as a source of information but also as a site of public discourse on the New Testament and other early Christian texts. Through a series of assignments, each student will engage Wikipedia as both a critic and a contributor, culminating in the authoring of new articles or substantive revisions of existing contributions.

Project Timeline

NOTE: Steps 1-3 should be completed by class time on Thurs, May 10.

1. Create an Account

Please do so using the following scheme for your username (so I can identify you at a glance): “BCRE-YourLastName”.

3. Make one small contribution to one of the three articles we discussed in class

• Pliny the Younger on Christians
• 1 Peter
• Persecution of Christians in the Roman Empire

Your intervention can take one of several forms:

1. Make an edit in one of the entries (for now, your intervention can largely be editorial, such as rewriting a poorly worded sentence or correcting a minor error).
2. Post feedback about the one of the articles in that article's Talk page
3. Respond to a Talk comment of one of your colleagues or of another Wikipedia member.

The point of this small (but meaningful) intervention is largely to break the ice and to get comfortable with the Wikipedia interface. Please email me by Thurs, May 10 to inform me of your contribution.

4. Identify a topic on which you would like to work by Wed, May 16

This may be a topic for which no article currently exists or for which the present entry could use a substantial revision (more likely). In the case of longer pre-existing articles, your project might consist mostly of authoring a new section or two within the entry. I am open to shared projects (pairs), if the topic is suitable. Some examples of articles that need to be written or that need significant revision include:

• First Epistle of Peter
• Pliny the Younger on Christians
• Persecution of Christians in the Roman Empire
• Persecution of Christians in the New Testament (You could revise the Luke-Acts section or add sections on Mark, 1 Peter, Revelation.)
• Passing of Peregrinus
• Martyrdom of Polycarp
• Ignatius of Antioch
• Letter to the Romans (Ignatius of Antioch) (Does not yet exist)
• Perpetua and Felicity
• First Apology of Justin Martyr
• Apologeticus (Tertullian)

These are just a few examples; you should start surfing Wikipedia immediately on topics that have piqued your interest. As you feel yourself drawn toward a topic on which you'd like to work, please talk to me AND post your inclinations on the Talk page of our project site. This will help broadcast your intentions to your colleagues and avoid duplicate projects. This might also facilitate the formation of working groups on certain topics (again, if I deem the topic suitable).

Your topic must be identified and approved by me by Wed, May 16, since preliminary research on your topic will be required to write your proposal (the next step). In addition, there is a quick turn-around between your proposal and your first draft, so your research should be well under way by the time you draft your proposal!

5. Write and upload to Chalk a Project Proposal by Mon, May 21. Also, prepare a brief 5 minute talk about your proposal for your colleagues for class on Tues, May 22

Your proposal should be at least one, single-spaced page in length and consist of:

1. Your topic
2. Commentary on the existing Wikipedia treatment of that topic (or anything closely related if it doesn't currently exist)
3. A description of your proposed article or revision
4. A list of at least five scholarly secondary sources (books or articles) you propose to use.

In your presentation, you should talk about the existing Wikipedia article and how you plan to approach your contribution.

8. On the basis of my comments, rewrite your entry and publish it to Wikipedia by Thurs, June 7. Graduating fourth years should do so by Friday, June 1.

When you do, please email me to let me know that it is online. Also, please send me PDF copies of both the before and after versions of the entry. To do so, click "Download to PDF" on the left toolbar within the Wikipedia interface; again, do this both immediately before and immediately after you publish your material so I have a record of both the original article and your contribution.

Completed Projects

Alexis and Emily: Pliny the Younger on Christians

Lauren, Nissa, and Eli: Persecution of Christians in the Roman Empire (Nissa: Nero to Trajan; Eli: Marcus Aurelius to Maximus Thrax)

Caroline: To the Romans (Ignatius of Antioch)

Matt: First Apology of Justin Martyr

Chauncey and Karen: First Epistle of Peter

Melissa: Perpetua and Felicity

Calvin, Seleste, and Aenea: Persecution of Christians in the New Testament

Selene: Apologeticus (Tertullian)

Marilyn: Martyrdom of Polycarp

Louis: Passing of Peregrinus

Kashira: Acts of the Apostles

Robert: Ignatius of Antioch