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Course name
UNIV 190L - Demystifying Library Research
Institution
University of Massachusetts, Amherst
Instructor
Kate Freedman
Wikipedia Expert
Adam (Wiki Ed)
Subject
Information Literacy
Course dates
2017-01-23 00:00:00 UTC – 2017-05-11 23:59:59 UTC
Approximate number of student editors
20


This course is an exploration of the process of college-level research. In this course, students will learn efficient and effective methods for managing "information overload" and for finding, using, evaluating, organizing, and presenting information.

The way that students will learn these skills will largely be through evaluating and editing Wikipedia articles. Wikipedia is a major secondary source for advanced research, used by both college students and scholars alike. By placing Wikipedia at the center of this course, students will gain an intimate understanding of how Wikipedia works and where this key information resource fits in the research process.

Timeline

Week 1

Course meetings
Wednesday, 25 January 2017
In class - Topic
Wikipedia essentials
  • Overview of the course.
  • Introduction to how Wikipedia will be used in the course.
  • Wikipedia is a community: a brief overview of its rules, expectations, and etiquette.

Week 2

Course meetings
Wednesday, 1 February 2017
Assignment - Topic
Editing Basics (2 of 3)

Please complete the Editing Basics Training this week.

Assignment - Topic
Editing Basics (3 of 3)

Part three of your Wikipedia training!

Assignment - Topic
Editing Basics (1 of 3)
  • Basics of editing in Wikipedia.
  • Anatomy of Wikipedia articles, what makes a good article, how to distinguish between good and bad articles.
  • Collaborating and engaging with the Wiki editing community.


Week 3

Course meetings
Wednesday, 8 February 2017
In class - Exploring your topic area & Scope

This week, you'll be exploring topic areas, and you'll be introduced to the basics of the library catalog & library databases.

We'll talk about scope and understanding the breadth and depth of your area of interest.

You'll have the opportunity to spend time in Wikipedia searching for a potential topic of interest. While you search, take note of:

  • Areas with missing information
  • Short articles
  • Articles with few references
  • The structure of Wikipedia articles

Your notes will help you figure out good candidates for the Wikipedia article you will edit!

Week 4

Course meetings
Wednesday, 15 February 2017
In class - Planning your search
  • Planning your search
  • Developing strategies to find the information you need


Week 5

Course meetings
Wednesday, 22 February 2017
In class - Gathering information
  • Different sources of information (e.g., popular, scholarly, & trade publications)
  • Reading through a source to determine its relevance to you!
  • Citations

Week 6

Course meetings
Wednesday, 1 March 2017
In class - Annotated bibliographies
  • Evaluating sources 
  • Writing an annotated bibliography

Week 7

Course meetings
Wednesday, 8 March 2017
In class - Managing information, plagiarism, and beginning your article
  • How to manage information you've collected -- including how to avoid plagiarism and the importance of citing.
  • Begin working on your article!

Week 8

Course meetings
Wednesday, 22 March 2017
In class - Continuing research & presenting information
  • Continue your research
  • Means of presenting information

Week 9

Course meetings
Wednesday, 29 March 2017
In class - Continue to improve article & Visual Literacy
  • Improve your article
  • Visual literacy
  • DUE 3/29: Annotated Bibliography!


In class - Training
Contributing Images and Media Files

Please complete the Wikipedia training on contributing images and media to Wikipedia.

Week 10

Course meetings
Wednesday, 5 April 2017
In class - Move your article to mainspace & Media Literacy
  • Move your article from your sandbox to Wikipedia mainspace.
  • Discussion of the concepts of neutrality, media literacy, and the impact and limits of Wikipedia.


In class - Training
Sandboxes and Mainspace

Please complete the sandboxes and mainspace training.

Week 11

Course meetings
Wednesday, 12 April 2017
In class - Continue to improve articles & Peer review #1
  • Continue revising your article
  • Complete peer review training
  • Review one of your classmate's articles

Week 12

Course meetings
Wednesday, 19 April 2017
In class - Continue to improve articles & Peer Review #2
  • Continue to improve articles.
  • Peer review #2

Week 13

Course meetings
Wednesday, 26 April 2017
Final article
  • Add final touches to your Wikipedia article.


Cumulative Reflection
  • Reflect on your research process and how you've grown as a lifelong learner. See Assignment page in Moodle for more detailed information!

Week 14

Course meetings
Wednesday, 3 May 2017
In class - Finals Week!

Please have everything in to me by 11:55PM, May 5, 2016. 

This include your Wikipedia article edits and your cumulative reflection.

Final examinations this year:
April 28: Reading Day
April 29: Final examinations begin
May 1: Second reading day
May 2: Final examinations resume
May 5: Last day of final examinations, semester ends.

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