Wikipedia:Wiki Ed/Colorado College/Human Impacts on Global Biogeochemical Cycles (Fall 2018)
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- Course name
- Human Impacts on Global Biogeochemical Cycles
- Institution
- Colorado College
- Instructor
- Rebecca Barnes
- Wikipedia Expert
- Ian (Wiki Ed)
- Subject
- Biogeochemical
- Course dates
- 2018-08-27 00:00:00 UTC – 2018-10-12 23:59:59 UTC
- Approximate number of student editors
- 16
In this course we will explore the large biogeochemical cycles of our planet, focusing on nitrogen, carbon, and water. By the end of the block (3.5 weeks) students should know how these cycles work (i.e. the chemical, biological, and geological mechanisms that drive them) and how humans have altered them. We will explore this intersection primarily through case studies that rely on multiple methods, using peer reviewed literature and modeling approaches.
Within this course students will write a biography of a woman scientist who works in the field of biogeochemistry and/or examines how society has affected critical global cycles. The list of potential biographies was crowdsourced via Twitter and Facebook discussion boards.
Course meets for 3.5 weeks, over 18 in class meetings.
Timeline
Week 1
- Course meetings
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- Monday, 27 August 2018 | Tuesday, 28 August 2018 | Wednesday, 29 August 2018 | Thursday, 30 August 2018 | Friday, 31 August 2018
- 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.
- In class - Discussion
- Assignment - Evaluate Wikipedia
Exercise
During this evaluation exercise, please look over the very complete and thorough biography of Rachel Carson and then read two of the following biographies of women scientists. Each has their strengths and weaknesses. Compare and constrast what is included (as well as what isn't included). Of the two you chose, which biography do you think is stronger and why?
Week 2
- Course meetings
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- Monday, 3 September 2018 | Tuesday, 4 September 2018 | Wednesday, 5 September 2018 | Thursday, 6 September 2018 | Friday, 7 September 2018
- Assignment - Choose possible topics
Exercise
Please review the list of scientists on the shared Google Doc - this list was crowd sourced on Twitter and Facebook discussion boards. I have done fairly preliminary searches on all the names and I feel fairly confident they meet the Wikipedia Notability Guidelines for academics.
Please also review these guidelines this week as they provide an excellent checklist of things to look for when gathering information about the subject of your biography.
Resource: Editing Wikipedia, page 6
- In class - Discussion
- Assignment - Finalize your topic, start finding sources
- 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
- Guide(s) for writing articles in your topic area
- Milestones
Everyone has begun writing their article drafts.
Week 3
- Course meetings
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- Monday, 10 September 2018 | Tuesday, 11 September 2018 | Wednesday, 12 September 2018 | Thursday, 13 September 2018 | Friday, 14 September 2018
- In class - First draft due
Your first draft is due on Friday. Have it ready in your Sandbox for peer review.
Review the Guiding Framework here to help you complete your peer review by Wednesday.
- In class - Discussion
- Milestones
Every student has finished reviewing their assigned articles, making sure that every article has been reviewed.
- Assignment - Peer review complete
You probably have some feedback from other students. Consider their suggestions, decide whether it makes your work more accurate and complete, and edit your draft to make those changes. You should implement your peer review notes by Monday.
Resources:
- Editing Wikipedia, pages 12 and 14
- Reach out to your Wikipedia Expert if you have any questions.
- 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
Week 4
- Course meetings
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- Monday, 17 September 2018 | Tuesday, 18 September 2018 | Wednesday, 19 September 2018 | Thursday, 20 September 2018 | Friday, 21 September 2018
- In class - Reflection
- Assignment - Final article
Exercise
It's the final week to develop your article. 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. Once you're done, 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.
To get points here, you'll need to have completed all the trainings, exercises, and modules throughout the assignment.