This is a very short description of the course, intended to give Wikipedians and other interested individuals an idea of what your class is about and what the broader context for your assignment is.
Assignment overview
This describes the assignment. It is intended for both students and Wikipedians, to explain in broad strokes what the students will be doing on Wikipedia, and what related assignment activities will happen outside of Wikipedia.
Assignment timeline
This is a summary of the key due dates and the expected timeline for the Wikipedia-related assignment(s). The following is a sample timeline that the Wikimedia Foundation put together in collaboration with other instructors who have previously used Wikipedia in their classes -- please feel free to adapt, trim, cut, and use it (or replace it wholesale with your timeline) as you see fit. You can find more information about the thinking and experience behind this example assignment timeline in our
Example Syllabus.
Week 1
In class
Overview of the course
Introduction to how Wikipedia will be used in the course
Handout:
Welcome to Wikipedia (available in print or online from the Wikimedia Foundation)
Assignment (due week 2)
Read
Five pillars, a explanation of Wikipedia's basic rules and principles
Week 2
In class
Campus Ambassadors introduce:
Basics of editing
Anatomy of Wikipedia articles, what makes a good article, how to distinguish between good & bad articles
Tips on finding the best articles to work on for class assignments
Create a Wikipedia account, create a user page, and sign up on the list of students on the course page.
To practice editing and communicating on Wikipedia, introduce yourself to one of the class's Online Ambassadors (via talk page), and leave a message for a classmate on their user talk page.
Milestone
All students have Wikipedia user accounts and are listed on the course page.
Critically evaluate an existing Wikipedia article related to the class, and leave suggestions for improving it on the article's discussion page.
Research and list 3–5 articles on your Wikipedia user page that you will consider working on as your main project. Ask your class's Online Ambassadors for comments.
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, write a summary version 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 Online Ambassadors to polish your short starter article and fix any major transgressions of Wikipedia norms.
Continue research in preparation for expanding your article.
Milestone
All students have started editing articles or drafts on Wikipedia.
For new articles or qualifying expansions of stubs, compose a one-sentence "hook," nominate it for "Did you know," and monitor the nomination for any issues identified by other editors.
Begin expanding your article into a comprehensive treatment of the topic.
Week 8
In class or outside of class
Campus Ambassadors lead Wikipedia lab/workshop, covering:
Expand your article into an initial draft of a comprehensive treatment of the topic.
Select two classmates' articles that you will peer review and copy-edit. (You don't need to start reviewing yet.)
Week 9
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.
Wiki assignments (due week 10)
Peer review two of your classmates' articles. Leave suggestions on the article talk pages.
Copy-edit the two reviewed articles.
Milestone
All articles have been reviewed by others. All students have reviewed articles by their classmates.
Week 10
In class
Open discussion of the concepts of neutrality, media literacy, and the impact and limits of Wikipedia
Wiki assignments (due week 11)
Make edits to your article based on peers' feedback.
Nominate your article for Good Article status.
Prepare for an in-class presentation about your Wikipedia editing experience.
Week 11
In class
Students give in-class presentations about their experiences editing Wikipedia.
Wiki assignments (due week 12)
Add final touches to you Wikipedia article. Try to address issues from Good Article reviews.
Write a reflective essay (2-5 pages) on your Wikipedia contributions.
Week 12
Milestone
Students have finished all their work on Wikipedia that will be considered for grading, and have submitted reflective essays.
Students
This is a list of the students in your class (or rather their Wikipedia usernames), along with their Wikipedia articles (which students will select at the appropriate time).
This is a very short description of the course, intended to give Wikipedians and other interested individuals an idea of what your class is about and what the broader context for your assignment is.
Assignment overview
This describes the assignment. It is intended for both students and Wikipedians, to explain in broad strokes what the students will be doing on Wikipedia, and what related assignment activities will happen outside of Wikipedia.
Assignment timeline
This is a summary of the key due dates and the expected timeline for the Wikipedia-related assignment(s). The following is a sample timeline that the Wikimedia Foundation put together in collaboration with other instructors who have previously used Wikipedia in their classes -- please feel free to adapt, trim, cut, and use it (or replace it wholesale with your timeline) as you see fit. You can find more information about the thinking and experience behind this example assignment timeline in our
Example Syllabus.
Week 1
In class
Overview of the course
Introduction to how Wikipedia will be used in the course
Handout:
Welcome to Wikipedia (available in print or online from the Wikimedia Foundation)
Assignment (due week 2)
Read
Five pillars, a explanation of Wikipedia's basic rules and principles
Week 2
In class
Campus Ambassadors introduce:
Basics of editing
Anatomy of Wikipedia articles, what makes a good article, how to distinguish between good & bad articles
Tips on finding the best articles to work on for class assignments
Create a Wikipedia account, create a user page, and sign up on the list of students on the course page.
To practice editing and communicating on Wikipedia, introduce yourself to one of the class's Online Ambassadors (via talk page), and leave a message for a classmate on their user talk page.
Milestone
All students have Wikipedia user accounts and are listed on the course page.
Critically evaluate an existing Wikipedia article related to the class, and leave suggestions for improving it on the article's discussion page.
Research and list 3–5 articles on your Wikipedia user page that you will consider working on as your main project. Ask your class's Online Ambassadors for comments.
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, write a summary version 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 Online Ambassadors to polish your short starter article and fix any major transgressions of Wikipedia norms.
Continue research in preparation for expanding your article.
Milestone
All students have started editing articles or drafts on Wikipedia.
For new articles or qualifying expansions of stubs, compose a one-sentence "hook," nominate it for "Did you know," and monitor the nomination for any issues identified by other editors.
Begin expanding your article into a comprehensive treatment of the topic.
Week 8
In class or outside of class
Campus Ambassadors lead Wikipedia lab/workshop, covering:
Expand your article into an initial draft of a comprehensive treatment of the topic.
Select two classmates' articles that you will peer review and copy-edit. (You don't need to start reviewing yet.)
Week 9
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.
Wiki assignments (due week 10)
Peer review two of your classmates' articles. Leave suggestions on the article talk pages.
Copy-edit the two reviewed articles.
Milestone
All articles have been reviewed by others. All students have reviewed articles by their classmates.
Week 10
In class
Open discussion of the concepts of neutrality, media literacy, and the impact and limits of Wikipedia
Wiki assignments (due week 11)
Make edits to your article based on peers' feedback.
Nominate your article for Good Article status.
Prepare for an in-class presentation about your Wikipedia editing experience.
Week 11
In class
Students give in-class presentations about their experiences editing Wikipedia.
Wiki assignments (due week 12)
Add final touches to you Wikipedia article. Try to address issues from Good Article reviews.
Write a reflective essay (2-5 pages) on your Wikipedia contributions.
Week 12
Milestone
Students have finished all their work on Wikipedia that will be considered for grading, and have submitted reflective essays.
Students
This is a list of the students in your class (or rather their Wikipedia usernames), along with their Wikipedia articles (which students will select at the appropriate time).