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![]() | This course page is an automatically-updated version of the main course page at dashboard.wikiedu.org. Please do not edit this page directly; any changes will be overwritten the next time the main course page gets updated. |
An introductory keystone course, COM 2000 surveys electronic and print media in America, including newspapers, magazines, radio, music, television, movies, photography, the internet, video games, interactive media, advertising, and journalism. The course examines the history of mass communication forms, their economic, social, and cultural functions, along with current controversies surrounding media.
Required Reading:
Homework Assignment – “Oral history activity”: Interview a person from a different generation (i.e. your parents, grandparents, aunt or uncle, a family friend, etc.) about his or her memories of a new technology that was first introduced during their time and what they thought/felt about it. Post this to your Journal in Canvas. (10 points)
Welcome to your Wikipedia project's course timeline. This page will guide you through the Wikipedia project for your course.
You should be regularly accessing this site and our course in Canvas.
This page breaks down writing a Wikipedia article into a series of steps, or milestones. These steps include online trainings to help you get started on Wikipedia.
Your course has also been assigned a Wikipedia Content Expert. Check your Talk page for notes from them. You can also reach them through the "Get Help" button on this page.
To get started, please review the following handouts:
You may have heard (or been told) that you shouldn’t use Wikipedia, or that it's not a legitimate site for research. But the fact is that it is one of the most visited sites on the internet, right up there with Facebook, Google, and YouTube. For many, Wikipedia is a major source of information and a means of finding answers. People use Wikipedia as a way to become familiar with a topic that they don’t know much about or to find routes to new and more detailed information on the topic as a way to begin their research. While some of what you have heard may, at least partly, be valid, there is in fact a lot of work, and whole set of policies and guidelines – Wikipedia’s “Five Pillars” and other standards, as you will learn – that provide a firm foundation for the site. Wikipedia can actually be a valuable space for learning.
This semester you will learn to use Wikipedia by developing, editing, and contributing to articles. In addition to our course page on Canvas, we will be using this course page, hosted by Wikipedia. You will be using this site to select and access your articles and to complete self-guided training modules and assignments, which will be graded (please see grading rubric at the bottom of this page). You are required to regularly access both our Wikipedia course page and our Canvas page. I suggest that you take this URL and bookmark it on your computer, tablet, phone, etc.
The goals for this project are that you will:
This week, everyone should have a Wikipedia account.
Required Reading:
On Wednesday, January 25th, Alex Kustanovich (akustanovichsfc.edu), a specialist from the SFC library, will be coming to our class to demonstrate how to use the library for research for the Wikipedia project.
It's time to think critically about Wikipedia articles. You'll evaluate a Wikipedia article, and leave suggestions for improving it on the article's Talk page.
Required Reading:
Quiz #1 on Friday Feb 3rd on Chapters 1 & 2 from textbook.
Familiarize yourself with editing Wikipedia by adding a citation to an article. There are two ways you can do this:
Now that you're thinking about what makes a "good" Wikipedia article, consider some additional questions.
Required Reading:
It's time to choose an article and assign it to yourself.
Required Reading:
Quiz #2 on Monday Feb. 13th on Chapters 10, 13, & 3.
You should have picked a topic and found some of your sources through the library. Start the process of writing this week. Try to get as much written as you can this week so that you can focus on studying for the midterm next week.
Please take over the weekend to work on your drafts in your sandbox! Submit your drafts by the end of day on Sunday, Feb. 19th along with a link to it on the Talk page for your article.
Creating a new article?
Improving an existing article?
Keep reading your sources, too, as you prepare to write the body of the article.
Resources: Editing Wikipedia pages 7–9
Everyone has started the process of writing their article drafts.
Required Reading:
Every student has finished reviewing their assigned articles, making sure that every article has been reviewed.
Required Reading:
You probably have some feedback from other students and possibly other Wikipedians. It's time to work with that feedback to improve your article!
Once you've made improvements to your article based on peer review feedback, it's time to move your work to Wikipedia proper - the "mainspace."
Editing an existing article?
Creating a new article?
Required Reading:
Homework Assignment: Covering news stories in different news media, worth 5 points (due Sunday, March 26th)
Do additional research and writing to make further improvements to your article, based on suggestions and your own critique.
Required Reading:
Quiz #3 on Monday March 27th on Chapters 6, 7, & 8.
Continue to expand and improve your work, and format your article to match Wikipedia's tone and standards. Remember to contact your Content Expert at any time if you need further help!
Required Reading:
Optional Reading:
Required Reading:
Take-home Quiz #4 due on Canvas, Monday April 24th on Chapters 9, 11, 12, & 14 - Questions to be provided on Friday, April 21st
It's the final week to develop your article.
Everyone should have finished all of the work they'll do on Wikipedia, and be ready for grading by Friday, April 28th at 11:59 PM.