Preparing For Your Wikipedia Assignment

Preparing For Your Wikipedia Assignment

CSC 104 The How and Why of Computing

Joanna Szurmak, Liaison LibrarianMartha Harris, Learning Strategist

Goals for Today• Identify tasks your assignment requires

• Define the principles of Wikipedia

• Interpret a sample Wikipedia entry

• Identify types of sources

• Determine how to find sources

Your Objectives

• Two Wikipedia pages

• Specs– 3-4 pages– Define your topic– Relate to CSC topic– Researched material

• Looking for…– Well-rounded entry– Neutral writing– Clear expression of

debates or controversy– Links & footnotes

The Wikipedia Format• What a Wiki article does:

– Informs readers– Provides consensus

• Well-researched and verifiable!

• Aspects of format:– Definition– Topic-specific headers– TOC– References– Related Links

• Sample page: 1 & 2

The Wikipedia Format

• A Wiki entry is NOT:– A dictionary– Original research– A “soapbox”– A data repository– A directory– A manual– A FAQ

• How do we avoid mistakes?– The Five Pillars

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia_talk:What_Wikipedia_is_not

The Five Pillars

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:5P

Encyclopedia with verifiable acccuracy

Neutral point of view

Free, editable content

Work to find consensus

No firm rules outside the pillars

Example: Windows Vista

• Definition

• What is important?

• Vista at Wikipedia

• Another Perspective?

• Apple at Wikipedia

Steps to Neutral Writing

• Wikipedia policies that affect you– No original research (NOR)– Verifiability (V)– Neutral point of view (NPOV)

• Opinion-based vs. research-based writing

• Begin with strong research!

Sources of Information

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Newspapers

Encyclopedias

Wikipedia

Books

Magazines

Journal Articles Websites

Where to Find Them

CSC104 SourcesBooks

Web pages

Encyclopedias

Types of Sources

• Primary• Secondary• Tertiary

• Scholarly• Non-scholarly

• Refereed (peer-reviewed)

Sort Your Sources

Scholarly

Non-Scholarly

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Websites

Books

Newspapers

Wikipedia

Magazines

Journal ArticlesPrimary

Secondary and Tertiary

Encyclopedias

How to Use Your Sources?

• Cite your sources

Why?

So that others can find your source and verify what you have said.

Recognizing Good Sources

• Authoritative (author, publisher)• Current• So-called “reliable sources”• Peer-reviewed

Putting It All Together

• Consult the “Five Pillars”

• Identify the important issues– What should your reader learn?

• Identify your support– What references have you used?

• Research, outline, draft, edit, revise