Wikipedia:Wiki Ed/UC Berkeley/Grappling with Global Poverty (Spring 2018)
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- Course name
- Grappling with Global Poverty
- Institution
- UC Berkeley
- Instructor
- Clare Talwalker
- Wikipedia Expert
- Shalor (Wiki Ed)
- Subject
- Poverty/Inequality Alleviation: History, Debates, Approaches
- Course dates
- 2018-01-16 00:00:00 UTC – 2018-06-01 23:59:59 UTC
- Approximate number of student editors
- 40
This assignment supports students’ preparation for the required “practice experience” (PE) of the Global Poverty and Practice (GPP) Minor at UC Berkeley. Each student will work on at least two Wikipedia articles – one of them focused on an aspect of the history/sociology of the site of their PE organization (eg. a country such as the U.S., Chile, Kenya, Malaysia ... or it could be a city or region such as Lima, Peru or the San Francisco Bay Area); and the second focused on an aspect of key debates/approaches present in their PE organization’s sector (eg. water sanitation, community health, microfinance, worker-cooperatives, collective action, food justice, affordable housing).
(For example, one student who worked with an organization connecting community organizers in the U.S. with Cuban health professionals, and facilitating the former learning from the latter, edited and added to "Healthcare in Cuba" for her history article. And, another student who worked in a community health clinic in San Francisco, edited and added to "Community health centers in the United States" for her sector article.)
Over time, the GPP program hopes and anticipates that current cohorts of GPP 105 students will return to past 105WikiR-edited articles and so learn from and build upon the work of preceding cohorts .... all the while honing their critical media literacy skills.
Timeline
Week 2
- Course meetings
-
- Tuesday, 23 January 2018
- In class - Introduction to 105WikiR
Welcome to the timeline for 105WikiR. This page will guide you through the Wikipedia project for GPP 105, breaking down GPP-related Wikipedia editing/adding into a series of steps, or milestones. These steps include online trainings to help you get started on Wikipedia.
Our 105WikiR course has also been assigned a Wikipedia Expert, who is a resource for you in addition to Clare Talwalker. Check your Talk page for notes from the course Wikipedia Expert or reach them through the "Get Help" button on this page. You can also contact Prof Talwalker in class, or at any time via email or bCourses, with questions or concerns.
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 105WikiR page, using the enrollment link Clare Talwalker 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 3
- Course meetings
-
- Tuesday, 30 January 2018
- Assignment - Selecting possible articles
- Review page 6 of your Editing Wikipedia guidebook and complete this week's training modules.
- Think of topics that tackle relevant background knowledge you would like to research for your PE. Make two lists, one for area and one for sector.
- Spend some time looking for Wikipedia articles that tackle these aspects, all the time following your own interests (what you would like to learn more about in order to understand the site of your PE org and its sector).
- Remember, you are not looking for Wikipedia articles or article sections that you already know about and feel confident adding to; rather, you are looking for articles and article sections for which you would like to do research because doing so will prepare you for your PE.
- Review the content of the articles and check their Talk pages to see what other Wikipedians are already contributing. Keep in mind the question: what is not here? what could I possible add here? (Remember you should aim to pick stub or start articles over well-developed articles since they are easier to improve.)
- Choose 2-3 potential articles for each (area and sector - so, total 4-6 articles), and list them in your sandbox under a new section "Selecting possible articles".
- Submit a 1-2 page memo listing your choices to bCourses (assignment, "Selecting possible articles"). Make two separate lists of possible Wikipedia articles, one for area and one for sector. Under each article, explain how working on it could prepare you for your PE org and briefly note your ideas for adding/editing/improving it (including your thoughts on any activity on their Talk pages).
Week 4
- Course meetings
-
- Tuesday, 6 February 2018
- Assignment - Copyedit an article, and add a citation
1. Choose one of the articles on your list. Read through it, thinking about ways to improve the language, such as fixing grammatical mistakes. Then, make the appropriate changes. You don’t need to contribute new information to the article. Be sure to describe your change before you hit "Save".
2. Add a citation to one of the articles on your lists. There are two ways you can do this:
- Add 1-2 sentences to one of your articles, and cite that statement to a reliable source, as you learned in the online training.
- The Citation Hunt tool shows unreferenced statements from articles. First, evaluate whether the statement in question is true! An uncited statement could just be lacking a reference or it could be inaccurate or misleading. Reliable sources on the subject will help you choose whether to add it or correct the statement.
3. No matter what your topics, complete the "Editing Medical Topics" training module and read at least 2 of the "Guides for writing articles in your topic area". I recommend looking especially at the History guide and honing in on the paragraph about precisely how (it offers two golden tips) to go about incorporating underrepresented voices on Wikipedia.
- Assignment - Review the rules for medical topics
Review Wikipedia's rules for topics related to medicine, human health, and psychology.
- Guide(s) for writing articles in your topic area
Week 5
- Course meetings
-
- Tuesday, 13 February 2018
- Assignment - Evaluate Wikipedia
This assignment gets you thinking more deeply and critically about Wikipedia articles. You'll evaluate one article each for area and sector (of your list of possibles), articulate this in your sandbox, and leave suggestions for improving it on the article's Talk page.
- First, complete the "Evaluating Articles and Sources" training (linked below).
- Create a section in your sandbox titled "Evaluating two articles" where you'll articulate your observations and learning.
- Select articles (one for area and one for sector) to read and evaluate. As you read and articulate your evaluation in your sandbox, 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?
- What avenues do you find here for further learning that is relevant to your PE preparation?
- 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?
- Look for links to other Wikipedia articles. Can you think of more such links that are relevant and that you could add?
- 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?
- What about your learning in GPP so far is different from how Wikipedia discusses this topic?
- Choose 1-2 points that you make in your sandbox evaluation and share these on the article's Talk page. Be sure to sign your feedback with four tildes — Ctalwalker (talk) 21:53, 30 August 2018 (UTC).
Week 6
- Course meetings
-
- Tuesday, 20 February 2018
- Assignment - Beginning Bibliography (also finalize article selection)
- Having discussed and confirmed your choice of articles with Prof Talwalker (ideally in person, in class or in office hours), assign your chosen articles to yourself on the Students tab.
- In your sandbox, under your section "Selecting possible articles", update your plan for contributing to your selected articles. Think back to what you wrote for your article evaluations. What do you hope to add, and where?
- Start a new section in your sandbox entitled "Bibliography". Here, for each article, begin lists of relevant, reliable books, journal articles, or other sources. For each source, write a line or two summarizing its argument and another line or two describing how it is relevant to your Wikipedia writing plans (highlighting both facts and concepts/frameworks/arguments you will borrow). Both these two lines are important. Your annotation is not just a summary but also a statement of your plan for using this source.
- Do not paste a link to the electronic version of the article -- rather, instead, use Wikipedia's Citation Tool (doing so in your sandbox is good practice for when you eventually move to Mainspace). Keep in mind that 105WikiR will ask you eventually to have 7-10 scholarly sources each for area and sector (total 14-20 sources). You can use non-scholarly sources too, but they will not count towards your total required sources. For this assignment, list at least 6 scholarly sources (roughly 3 for area and 3 for sector.
- Note that the training module "Evaluating Articles and Sources" will nudge you away from overly specialized articles and away from strongly opinionated articles to overview/review articles. This is mostly fabulous advice. If you hunt for review articles on the topics you've selected, they will serve you very well for 105WikiR, and you must aim to do so. Having said that, it's also important to keep in mind that certain strong opinions, certain currents and frameworks of critical thinking, can also be important to bring to Wikipedia. The challenge is to do so in a neutral, encyclopedic tone, with proper citation, and with a view to reframing issues, where necessary, as we encourage you to do throughout GPP coursework. For example, the mainstream view of "human trafficking" would benefit from considering scholarship that reframes it as a form of migration since the former victimizes individuals and the latter highlights individual choices made/actions taken in difficult circumstances. A sentence stating as such (citing sources) would be a valuable addition to a Wikipedia article on human trafficking (see it's section "Problems with the concept").
- Optional: Consider posting your ideas for contributing and your beginning bibliography to the articles' Talk pages (certainly if you've had feedback already to your earlier posts here, but consider doing so even if not). Remember to check in regularly on the Talk pages to see if anyone has advice on your plans or bibliography.
- Submit your Bibliography (list of at least 6 full citations with explanatory lines) to bCourses (assignment, "Beginning Bibliography").
Week 7
- Course meetings
-
- Tuesday, 27 February 2018
- Assignment - Begin drafting your contributions (summarizing and synthesizing)
You've picked articles and begun finding your scholarly sources. Now it's time to start writing. Specifically, it's time to begin summarizing and synthesizing sources, while at the same time finding more sources as you need them (the better to summarize and synthesize).
- Start a new Header (to create a new section) in your sandbox and call it "Summarizing and synthesizing". Here, drawing on your sources, begin writing phrases/sentences/paragraphs that could be added to your articles. Create sub-heads to indicate where your contributions would go in each article. Do this separately for area and sector.
- Beginning to draft is likely to prompt you to search for more sources. Update your Bibliography in your sandbox, as you find more sources. As you read new sources, add in lines describing what they say and how you might use them, mentioning both facts and concepts/frameworks/arguments you will borrow. This is not merely a summary; this should be your notes to yourself to help your later drafting. Remember to use the Wikipedia citation tool (no link to articles).
Most of you will be planning to improve two (or more) existing articles, one related to your PE org area and one to your PE org sector. If any of you is considering creating a new article, then make note of the following:
- In your sandbox, write an outline of the article in the form of a standard Wikipedia article's "lead section."
- 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.
Resources: Editing Wikipedia pages 7–9
- Milestones
Everyone has begun writing their article drafts.
Week 8
- Course meetings
-
- Tuesday, 6 March 2018
- Assignment - Expand your draft contributions
- Keep working on transforming your contributions to both articles into complete first drafts. Your goal should be to keep working in small and regular steps, daily if possible. Wikipedia tracks when and what you do (and Prof Talwalker is able to follow this). Your grades will be based on your consistent movement forward. Get draft ready for peer-review.
- You may discover that your contributions work best not just directed at two articles, but in smaller offerings over three or four articles (1-2 for area, and 1-2 for sector). This is fine. Keep updating your "Selecting possible articles", "Bibliography" and "Summarizing and synthesizing" sections in your sandbox accordingly.
- 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.
Week 9
- Course meetings
-
- Tuesday, 13 March 2018
- Assignment - Peer review and copy edit
- First, take the "Peer Review" online training. Wikipedia shares some brilliant tips that you will need for this assignment.
- During our individual meetings this week, you will each pick the names of two classmates in the other section (150.2 if you are in 150.1, and vice versa) whose draft contributions you will peer review and copy edit. You may need to check back in with me about their usernames, if their real names do not provide a sufficient guide! Be sure to give yourself time to ask about this. Alternatively (this is recommended and I'd appreciate it AND it might be quicker for you) you can send a message to the student via bCourses and ask them directly yourself.
- Go to their sandboxes, one at a time. There you will learn about which articles each is working on.
- OPTIONAL: On the Articles tab, find the articles of your two assigned (there will be at least 4, if not more); then in the "My Articles" section of the Home tab, assign these to yourself to review.
- In the sandboxes of your two assigned classmates whose work you have been assigned, go to their sections "Summarizing and synthesizing" and read through their draft contributions. Peer review your classmates' contributions. Go to the Talk pages of these classmates' sandboxes and leave your detailed suggestions there (as per the guidelines in the tutorial) in a new section. Be sure to clearly marking your name as the author of this feedback.
- As you review, make spelling, grammar, and other adjustments. Catch any unclear, wordy, or passive voice sentences (suggest rewording). Pay attention to the tone of the article. Is it encyclopedic?
- Milestones
Every student has finished reviewing their assigned articles, making sure that every article has been reviewed.
Week 10
- Course meetings
-
- Tuesday, 20 March 2018
- Assignment - Continue improving your drafts
Week 11
- Course meetings
-
- Tuesday, 3 April 2018
- Assignment - Finalize 14-20 sources to prepare for this week's Individual Meetings
We will meet individually again to review your final tally of scholarly sources. The sign-up tool is on bCourses. To prepare for this meeting, do the library research (finding sources, combing through them, selecting the useful ones) to bring your list of sources to the total of 14-20 and to write draft annotations (final annotations due along with analytical paper during exam week). Do this in time for your meeting slot.
Note on non-scholarly sources: We agreed that you could use some (0-3 each for area and sector). This still holds. However, I ask any of you considering this to review your choices and confirm them with me when we meet this week. Keep in mind that even if yours is a very new poverty action topic, it is always possible to find scholarly sources that shed light on the immediate background to that topic (eg. "criminalization of the homeless" for the poverty action topic of the Homeless Bill of Rights). Keep in mind also that if you are using non-scholarly sources for up-to-date statistics, that is great -- but it does not preclude your finding scholarly sources to learn how scholars have made sense of similar data.
In-class Presentations next week! Be sure to go over the guidelines and ask me if you have any questions.
Week 12
- Course meetings
-
- Tuesday, 10 April 2018
- Assignment - Polish your work/Move to Mainspace
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.
It's time to move your work to Wikipedia proper - the "mainspace."
- 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.
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 13
- Course meetings
-
- Tuesday, 17 April 2018
- In class - In-class presentation
Present about your 105WikiR editing experience and about what you have learned in the process about your PE org area and sector.
Your presentation should be 5 minutes long. You may share a handout with your classmates on the day of presentation, or you may use Google slides/Prezi. Please do not take us directly to your Talk page or Mainspace, but represent the activity and your points through oral presentation or through handout/Prezi etc. Remember that you can keep updating your presentation after you share the link.
In your 5 minutes, aim to:
- Summarize your contributions: briefly state the focus and goal of your various edits. How did you approach critiquing the article you selected for this assignment? How did you decide what to add to your chosen article and what makes these valuable additions? How does your article compare to earlier versions? Comment on if and how your editing experience relates to your PE org area and sector. Highlight one or a few of your sentences to illustrate some aspect of your contribution/approach. (1.5 mins)
- Scholarly sources: Tell about your search for scholarly sources (ups and downs, any fascinating or unexpected findings, interesting detours and cul de sacs you discovered). Describe the key historical events that pertain to your PE org/site and the debates or approaches you uncovered that animate your sector, also including here where you and your PE org fit into those debates. Again, if appropriate, closely examine a sentence or two as illustration. (3 mins)
(Optional) If you have time, you can also talk about:
- Peer Review: What did you contribute in your review of your peers article? What did your peers recommend you change on your article?
- Feedback: Did you receive feedback from other Wikipedia editors, and if so, how did you respond to and handle that feedback?
- Remaining tasks: Briefly state your plan for finding new sources, exploring some issue more fully, and improving your contributions.
Week 14
- Course meetings
-
- Tuesday, 24 April 2018
Week 15
- Course meetings
-
- Tuesday, 1 May 2018
- Assignment - Finalize Wikipedia contributions/Incorporate In-Class Peer Review
It's the final week to develop your contributions. We will devote some Week 15 class time to peer review what you have brought to Mainspaces so that you can make these final edits, and also outline your contributions and update your Bibliography in your sandbox (see below).
- 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!
- Review also the following 105WikiR check-list:
- Update your "Bibliography" section in your sandbox with your final sources, along with your draft annotations.
- Add a new section in your sandbox titled "My Contributions", and here briefly list your work throughout this semester (eg. minor edits throughout the History section of "x" article; updated 4 citations on "y" article; added 3 new citations on "x" article; wrote 4 sentences on "z" article, major rewriting of 'Recent Contributions' section of "z" article, creating of new section in "x" article with # sentences in it ... etc.)
- Milestones
Everyone should have finished all of the work they'll do on Wikipedia, and be ready for grading.
- Assignment - 105WikiR analytical paper
This is due during exam week (Week 17) not Week 16. See bCourses for the assignment guidelines.