User talk:Mclaughl

Welcome![edit]

Hello, Mclaughl, and welcome to Wikipedia! Thank you for your contributions. I hope you like the place and decide to stay. Here are a few links to pages you might find helpful:

You may also want to complete the Wikipedia Adventure, an interactive tour that will help you learn the basics of editing Wikipedia. You can visit the Teahouse to ask questions or seek help.

Please remember to sign your messages on talk pages by typing four tildes (~~~~); this will automatically insert your username and the date. If you need help, check out Wikipedia:Questions, ask me on my talk page, or ask for help on your talk page, and a volunteer should respond shortly. Again, welcome! Blythwood (talk) 07:32, 12 November 2017 (UTC)[reply]

Check it out[edit]

Please see this Be cautious with homework assignments unless you are already above the students' skill level in terms of editing Wikipedia.--Smokefoot (talk) 17:50, 11 December 2017 (UTC)[reply]

Hi @Smokefoot:, Thank you for bringing this section to my attention. In class, we have looked at the WikiProject Chemistry page, yet I had not realized the extra challenge of reviewing and editing can be for regular editors, especially with class projects. I have only eight students contributing to Wikipedia this semester who are currently drafting ideas for editing (but mostly adding to) current articles. As this is a new experience for me as well as my students, we appreciate all feedback! Mclaughl (talk) 21:18, 11 December 2017 (UTC)[reply]

There is some frustration or even resentment with homework assignments dropped onto Wikipedia by inattentive and inexperienced faculty, some of whom seem to view Wikipedia as day-care for their kids.

My main advice is to make sure that the assigned topics are supported by one or two great sources, like a review or better a textbook. Challenges for selecting topics for students: (1) lot of the easy stuff has been written already and (2) much of the content is patrolled by editors with PhDs, so clumsy edits are quickly removed.

Wikipedia is an encyclopedia, not Chemical Reviews (which aggregates primary references). Wikipedia is also not a textbook (WP:NOTTEXTBOOK): it does not explain things. Wiki editors are however fine with fixing format or markup language, so students should not worry about that aspect. What we are more attentive to is quality and appropriate content. We present facts, general ones. A lot of students and inexperienced faculty are in a hurry to prove that they can dig up minutia and cite specialized journals, which is fine training, but not our mission. Cheers and feel free to ask questions.--Smokefoot (talk) 23:06, 11 December 2017 (UTC)[reply]