wikipedia

Submitted by Duke University Libraries RIS Team on November 26th, 2019
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Short Description: 

This is an activity to get students to think critically about the sources and information presented in a Wikipedia article. Students are asked to look up an article on their own topic, or a topic related to the course, and examine the content and the “Talk” page to see what issues the article has related to Wikipedia’s 3 guiding principles for content: point of view (objectivity/bias), verifiability (quality of sources cited), and evidence of original researchNOTE: This activity works best for topics (people, events) that are current public debates and/or controversial.

Attachments: 
AttachmentSize
Directions for Instructordisplayed 941 times13.54 KB
Evaluating a Controversial Topic Activitydisplayed 1019 times1.01 MB
Learning Outcomes: 

Students will define Wikipedia’s guiding content principles

Students will evaluate a topic by investigating Wikipedia talk pages related to it

Discipline: 
Multidisciplinary

Individual or Group:

Course Context (e.g. how it was implemented or integrated): 
Additional Instructor Resources (e.g. in-class activities, worksheets, scaffolding applications, supplemental modules, further readings, etc.): 
Potential Pitfalls and Teaching Tips: 
Suggested Citation: 
RIS Team, Duke University Libraries. "Researching a Controversy." CORA (Community of Online Research Assignments), 2019. https://projectcora.org/assignment/researching-controversy.
Submitted by Amanda M. on April 12th, 2019
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Short Description: 

Each year, I host an Art+Feminism Wikipedia edit-a-thon and I often get students who are new to Wikipedia editing, as well as students who show up for class credit. To help engage students in different activities on Wikipedia, I created the following BINGO cards. These can be used by instructors or event organizers in any way that fits your approach to edit-a-thons. I always provide instruction and an Art+Feminism research and event guide to help everyone get started editing. These BINGO cards are especially useful for new editors and content creators.

Attachments: 
AttachmentSize
Wikipedia bingo small.pdfdisplayed 1570 times181.88 KB
Learning Outcomes: 

Students will build skills and knowledge in the variety of ways that they can improve Wikipedia pages.

Information Literacy concepts:

Individual or Group:

Suggested Citation: 
M., Amanda. "Wikipedia Edit-a-thon BINGO." CORA (Community of Online Research Assignments), 2019. https://projectcora.org/assignment/wikipedia-edit-thon-bingo.
Submitted by Susan Archambault on September 22nd, 2017
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Short Description: 

Lesson plan for a 1-hour introductory Communication Studies theory class. Emphasis is on getting students to use the appropriate tool for their information need while considering indicators of authority. Collection of exercises requiring students to do the following: 1) look up background information on a communication theory; 2) chase down further readings; 3) find a scholarly article that applies a communication theory using the ComAbstracts database. This supports an "interpersonal communication paper" where students outline and critique a communication theory and identify a study that applies the theory.

Attachments: 
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Library Exercisesdisplayed 1973 times4.11 MB
Answer Key- Library Exercisesdisplayed 1273 times4.1 MB
Script for Sessiondisplayed 1426 times20.91 KB
Learning Outcomes: 

*Find background information on a communication studies theory
*Find relevant previous research that is cited in encyclopedia articles
*Find a peer-reviewed study that applies a communication theory
*Pick out the main points in a theory-based scholarly article
*Demonstrate an understanding of APA citation format

Individual or Group:

Course Context (e.g. how it was implemented or integrated): 

This supports an "interpersonal communication paper" where students choose a communication theory to outline and critique. They also must identify a study published in a peer-reviewed journal that applies the theory.

Suggested Citation: 
Archambault, Susan. "Scaffolding: exercises for introductory communication theory classes." CORA (Community of Online Research Assignments), 2017. https://projectcora.org/assignment/scaffolding-exercises-introductory-communication-theory-classes.
Submitted by Elisa Acosta on March 20th, 2017
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Short Description: 

Students in an introductory Women's and Gender Studies course are required to critically analyze and edit an article in Wikipedia. Through class discussion and an active learning exercise, students begin to understand how and why women and many racial groups and individuals are underrepresented or systematically marginalized in Wikipedia. Students learn how to use the "Talk" tab to evaluate Wikipedia articles and learn about authority and power structures within that community.

Attachments: 
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Lesson Plandisplayed 967 times28.96 KB
Worksheet #1 displayed 899 times14.86 KB
Worksheet #2 displayed 786 times14.79 KB
Worksheet #3 displayed 803 times15.01 KB
Worksheet #1 (short version)displayed 845 times14.48 KB
Worksheet #2 (short version)displayed 854 times14.42 KB
Worksheet #3 (short version)displayed 775 times14.67 KB
Learning Outcomes: 

Identify voices missing or marginalized in Wikipedia Define "notability" Define "reliable sources" Explain how Wikipedia's policies and guidelines contribute to its gender gap in knowledge

Individual or Group:

Course Context (e.g. how it was implemented or integrated): 

One-shot library instruction. This exercise is a "warm up" for the Wikipedia edit-a-thon co-sponsored by the Women's and Gender Studies Department. http://librarynews.lmu.edu/2017/03/wikipedia-edit-thon-gender-race-sexua...

Additional Instructor Resources (e.g. in-class activities, worksheets, scaffolding applications, supplemental modules, further readings, etc.): 

Jackson, J. (2016, July 28). Building on Millions of Tiny Shoulders: Tips for Hosting a Wikipedia Edit-a-thon. [Blog article]. Retrieved from http://programminglibrarian.org/blog/building-millions-tiny-shoulders-ti...

Potential Pitfalls and Teaching Tips: 

If taught Fall Semester, most first year students don't know what peer-review is yet.

Suggested Citation: 
Acosta, Elisa. "The Gender Gap in Wikipedia." CORA (Community of Online Research Assignments), 2017. https://projectcora.org/assignment/gender-gap-wikipedia.

Teaching Resource

Blog with activities and assignments from the Oregon State University Libraries' Effective Research Assignments workshop. Categories include Audience, Topic Selection, Exploration, and Critical Reading & Evaluation.

Submitted by Jennifer Masunaga on June 17th, 2015
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Short Description: 

This assignment asks students to compare and contrast a Wikipedia article and an article from a subject specific Encyclopedia owned by the library. It asks the students to evaluate each resource by assessing its Relevance, Authority, Date, Accuracy and Rationale. Evaluation using these five criteria is known as the RADAR framework. Although the wikipedia article in this assignment is from biology, it can be switched out for any discipline.

Attachments: 
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This is the PDF version of the assignmentdisplayed 19812 times120.62 KB
This is the Word version of the assignment.displayed 765 times20.78 KB
Learning Outcomes: 

Learning Objectives: At the end of this assignment, the student should be able to 1. Recognize how Wikipedia and scholarly encyclopedias differ in content, authority and relevance to academia. 2. Learn how to check a Wikipedia article’s quality “grade”. 3. Use the RADAR framework to critically evaluate a background source.

Individual or Group:

Assessment or Criteria for Success
(e.g. rubric, guidelines, exemplary sample paper, etc.): 
AttachmentSize
rubric for wikipedia assignment.pdfdisplayed 751 times82.3 KB
Suggested Citation: 
Masunaga, Jennifer. "Wikipedia vs. Encyclopedia." CORA (Community of Online Research Assignments), 2015. https://projectcora.org/assignment/wikipedia-vs-encyclopedia.