Wikipedia Entry Project

Before you come to today's class: Look for a TOPIC. YOU MUST USE A BOOK THAT YOU FIND IN THE LIBRARY.
YOU MUST NOT USE A WEBSITE.
YOU MUST NOT UPDATE A PAGE ON YOUR TOWN, YOUR SCHOOL, UNI, THE PLACE THAT YOU WORK
Rod library is filled with books on any topic IMAGINABLE; FIRST TRY THE READING ROOM on the first floor (enter Rod, take an immediate right), where newly released books have just hit the shelves).

YOUR TOPIC MUST BE A SERIOUS ACADEMIC TOPIC.
NOT on a sports hero;

NOT on your favorite website, and once again, NOT your hometown or high school. 
It might be something you are already interested in, something you know absolutely nothing about. 
It should have NOTHING to do with UNI, your workplace, or anything you may have any PERSONAL connection to.
Select a book that both fascinates you and that would add dimension to a topic on Wikipedia. 

 

 

This assignment is about contributing significant contributions to Wikipedia and participating in the Wikipedia community.  You will be working on your own individual entry, but you may want to pick a friend from class to go through the Wikipedia tutorials with you.

If the topic already is listed in Wikipedia (make sure you look under multiple titles), go to OPTION A
If yours is a NEW topic to Wikipedia, go to OPTION B

 

You may want to check out 1-2 additional books on the subject as backup/triangulation. 

 

OPTION A. If your topic already exists in Wikipedia

 

1. Print out the existing entry you’re about to add to. (YOU’LL STAPLE YOUR NEW CONTRIBUTIONS TO THIS PAGE!).  If it’s a LONG entry, just print out the page closest to your contribution.

2 Read these HOW TO EDIT A PAGE instructions, and make sure you follow them carefully. 
(
This is where your buddy will come in handy).

3. Log in/Create an account (you don’t have to enter an email address, so you’re safe).

4. At the top of the page you want to change, select “edit this page”.

5. Choose some wonderfully interesting and important new elements of research (from books and other sources you can reference, not from your head) and write up your content.  Make sure you follow the style guidelines, which include:
NO SPELLING/GRAMMAR ERRORS; NO SECOND PERSON.
You must post significant, relevant information about your subject area and add references.  Refer to the HOW TO EDIT A PAGE document again, for help.

6. Reference your information with at least one footnote!!!!

7. Link to existing Wikipedia pages. You should have at least one external Wikipedia article referenced.

Here is my editing cheat sheet.

8. Write a short edit summary in the small field below the edit-box.

9. Print out your final content submission, staple it to the original entry you printed out earlier, put your name on it, highlight the new stuff, and bring it to class on the day the assignment is due.


OPTION B. If there is no current entry for your topic

1. Print out the “Article Not Found” page from Wikipedia (YOU’LL STAPLE YOUR NEW ARTICLE TO THIS PAGE!)

2. Log in/Create an account (you don’t have to enter an email address, so you’re safe).

3. Read these HOW TO EDIT A PAGE instructions, and make sure you follow them carefully.  This is where your buddy will come in handy.

4.  Go back to the “Article Not Found” screen, and underneath “No page with that title exists, “ choose “Create this page.”

5. Choose some wonderfully interesting and important new elements of research (from books and sources you can reference, not from your head) and write up your content.  Make sure you follow the style guidelines, which includes NO SPELLING/GRAMMAR ERRORS; NO SECOND PERSON, and referencing your information with footnotes!!!! You must post significant, relevant information about your subject area.

6. Reference your information with at least one footnote!!!! add a reference.

7. Link to existing Wikipedia pages. You should have at least one external Wikipedia article referenced.

Here is my editing cheat sheet.

8. Write a short edit summary in the small field below the edit-box.

9. Save your article so all Wikipedia users can see it.  Make SURE YOU SAVE IT!!!!

10. Print out your final content submission, staple it to the “Article Not Found” page you printed out earlier, put your name on it, and bring it to class on the day the assignment is due.

   

THESE GUIDELINES APPLY TO EVERYBODY:

Don’t have any spelling and grammatical errors.
Adopt Wikipedia's NPOV (Neutral POV)
Adopt Wikipedia's Style Guidelines.

Don’t use “you”.  Make sure you write in objective-style third person.

Contribute a minimum of TWO full sentences to Wikipedia.

Make sure you site your sources;  these sources should be legitimate sources/books from Rod Library.

 

YOU WILL BE GRADED ON FOLLOW-THROUGH AND AMBITION. THIS ASSIGNMENT IS WORTH 10 POINTS.