User:Julianfulton/ER190
 | ATTENTION: This is not a course page
Students: Please do not edit this page. If you're reading this, you're probably looking for your course page. If you have not yet enrolled in the class on Wikipedia, please search the list of courses and locate the name of your class. Once you've found it, just click "Enroll" at the top of the page. If you have already enrolled, you can find your course page by clicking the Courses link in the top-right corner of every page on Wikipedia (you must be logged in). If you are having technical difficulties, please contact your instructor. Instructors: Changes you make to the assignment here will be reflected on your course page automatically, but you will need to visit the course page for class administration purposes or to make changes beyond the displayed text. |
- Course name
- ER190
- Institution
- UC Berkeley
- Instructor
- Julian Fulton
- Subject
- California Water and Society
- Course dates
- 2015-04-03 – 2015-05-11
- Approximate number of student editors
- 50
This is an extra credit assignment for ER190 - California Water. You can earn up to ten percentage points (that's a whole grade step!) toward your final course grade. It can also be done in-part, though the bigger point opportunities are dependent on completing previous assignments. See the grading rubric on our wiki course page and set your goal accordingly.
Basically, this assignment is about contributing your California water knowledge to Wikipedia. Yes, your words published on the most widely used knowledge base on the web! Wikipedia only works through user contributions, so this is your chance to give back. You will be guided through the process in steps, so don't worry if it feels daunting right now; you will be ready!
Timeline[edit]
Week 1 (2015-03-30): Wikipedia essentials, Editing basics, Exploring the topic area[edit]
- Course meetings
-
- Tuesday, 31 March 2015 | Thursday, 2 April 2015
- Assignment (due Week 2)
- Create an account and then complete the online training for students. During this training, you will make edits in a sandbox and learn the basic rules of Wikipedia.
- Create a User page, and then click the "enroll" button on the top left of this course page.
- To practice editing and communicating on Wikipedia, introduce yourself on the user talk page of one of your classmates, who should also be enrolled in the table at the bottom of the page.
- Explore topics related to your topic area to get a feel for how Wikipedia is organized. What areas seem to be missing? As you explore, make a mental note of articles that seem like good candidates for improvement.
- Review Editing Wikipedia (available in print or online from the Wiki Education Foundation)
- Review Using Talk Pages handout and Evaluating Wikipedia brochure
- Review Choosing an article
- Review pages 4-7 of the Evaluating Wikipedia brochure. This will give you a good, brief overview of what to look for in other articles, and what other people will look for in your own.
- Evaluate an existing Wikipedia article related to the class, and leave suggestions for improving it on the article's talk page.
- A few questions to consider (don't feel limited to these):
- Is each fact referenced with an appropriate, reliable reference?
- Is everything in the article relevant to the article topic? Is there anything that distracted you?
- Is the article neutral? Are there any claims, or frames, that appear heavily biased toward a particular position?
- Where does the information come from? Are these neutral sources? If biased, is that bias noted?
- Are there viewpoints that are overrepresented, or underrepresented?
- Check a few citations. Do the links work? Is there any close paraphrasing or plagiarism in the article?
- Is any information out of date? Is anything missing that could be added?
- A few questions to consider (don't feel limited to these):
- Milestones
- All students have Wikipedia user accounts and are listed on the course page.
Week 2 (2015-04-06): Using sources and choosing articles[edit]
- Course meetings
-
- Tuesday, 7 April 2015 | Thursday, 9 April 2015
- Assignment (due Week 3)
- Add 2-3 sentences of new information, backed up with a citation to an appropriate source, to a Wikipedia article related to the class.
- Research and list 3–5 articles on your Wikipedia user page that you will consider working on as your main project. Look at the talk page for existing topics for a sense of who else is working on it and what they're doing. Describe your choices to your instructor for feedback.
- For next week
- Instructor evaluates student's article selections, by next week.
Week 3 (2015-04-13): Finalizing topics and starting research, Drafting starter articles[edit]
- Course meetings
-
- Tuesday, 14 April 2015 | Thursday, 16 April 2015
- Assignment (due Week 4)
- Select an article to work on, removing the rest from your user page. Add your article to the class’s course page.
- By the start of our next class, find an article you want to work on and mark the article's talk page with a banner to let other editors know you're working on it. To add the banner, add this code in the top section of the talk page:
{{course assignment | course = User:Julianfulton/ER190 | term = Spring 2015 }}
- Add a link to your selected article to the table at the bottom of this course page.
- Compile a bibliography of relevant, reliable sources and post it to the talk page of the article you are working on. Begin reading the sources. Make sure to check in on the talk page (or watchlist) to see if anyone has advice on your bibliography.
- If you are starting a new article, write a 3–4 paragraph summary version of your article—with citations—in your Wikipedia sandbox. If you are improving an existing article, create a detailed outline reflecting your proposed changes, and post this for community feedback, along with a brief description of your plans, on the article’s talk page. Make sure to check back on the talk page often and engage with any responses.
- Begin working with classmates and other editors to polish your short starter article and fix any major issues.
- Continue research in preparation for expanding your article.
- Milestones
- All students have started editing articles or drafts on Wikipedia.
Week 4 (2015-04-20): Moving articles to the main space[edit]
- Course meetings
-
- Tuesday, 21 April 2015 | Thursday, 23 April 2015
- Assignment (due Week 5)
- Review Moving out of your sandbox
- A general reminder: Don't panic if your contribution disappears, and don't try to force it back in.
- Check to see if there is an explanation of the edit on the article's talk page. If not, (politely) ask why it was removed.
- Contact your instructor or Wikipedia Content Expert and let them know.
- Move your sandbox articles into main space.
- If you are expanding an existing article, copy your edit into the article. If you are making many small edits, save after each edit before you make the next one. Do NOT paste over the entire existing article, or large sections of the existing article.
- If you are creating a new article, do NOT copy and paste your text, or there will be no record of your work history. Follow these instructions on how to move your work.
- Optional: For new articles or qualifying expansions of stubs, compose a one-sentence “hook,” nominate it for “Did you know,” (see detailed instructions) and monitor the nomination for any issues identified by other editors. Wiki Education Foundation staff can provide support for this process.
- Begin expanding your article into a comprehensive treatment of the topic.
Week 5 (2015-04-27): Building articles, Creating first draft, Getting and giving feedback[edit]
- Course meetings
-
- Tuesday, 28 April 2015 | Thursday, 30 April 2015
- Assignment (due Week 6)
- Review "Illustrating Wikipedia" (pgs 4-7) and "Evaluating Wikipedia article quality" (handed out originally earlier in the course)
- Select a classmate's article that you will peer review and copyedit. On the table at the bottom of this course page, write your username next to the article you plan to review. (You don’t need to start reviewing yet.)
- Expand your article into an initial draft of a comprehensive treatment of the topic.
- Peer review your classmate's article. Leave suggestions on the article talk page.
- Copy-edit the reviewed article.
- Milestones
- Every student has finished reviewing their assigned articles, making sure that every article has been reviewed.
Week 6 (2015-05-04): Responding to feedback, Continuing to improve articles, Finishing touches[edit]
- Course meetings
-
- Tuesday, 5 May 2015 | Thursday, 7 May 2015
- Assignment (due Week 7)
- Make edits to your article based on peers’ feedback. If you disagree with a suggestion, use talk pages to politely discuss and come to a consensus on your edit.
- Return to your classmates' articles you previously reviewed, and provide more suggestions for further improvement. If there is a disagreement, suggest a compromise.
- Do additional research and writing to make further improvements to your article, based on your classmates' suggestions and any additional areas for improvement you can identify.
- Add final touches to your Wikipedia article. You can find a handy reference guide here.
- Write a reflective essay (500-800 words) on your Wikipedia contributions and learning experience.
- Milestones
- Every student has finished reviewing their assigned articles, making sure that every article has been reviewed.
- Every student has finished reviewing their assigned articles, making sure that every article has been reviewed.
Week 7 (2015-05-11): Due date[edit]
- Course meetings
-
- Tuesday, 12 May 2015 | Thursday, 14 May 2015
- Milestones
- Students have finished all their work on Wikipedia that will be considered for grading.
Grading[edit]
5%
Completion of Wikipedia training
15%
Early Wikipedia exercises
10%
Quality of bibliography and outline
10%
Peer reviews and collaboration with classmates
50%
Quality of your main Wikipedia contributions
10%
Supplementary assignments
- Articles to be edited and updated
| Wikipedia article | Page views (in the last 30 days) | Editing goals | Online resources |
|---|---|---|---|
| East Bay MUD | 713 |
|
|
| Pardee Reservoir & Dam | 186 |
|
|
| Lafayette Reservoir | 224 |
|
|
| San Pablo Reservoir | 229 |
|
|
| Sherman Island | 210 |
|
|
| Ryer Island | 209 |
|
|
| Camanche Dam | 159 |
|
|
| Camanche Reservoir | 358 |
|
|
| Fish Hatchery | 124 |
|
|
| Briones Reservoir | 180 |
|
|
| Briones Regional Park | 332 |
|
|
| Shiloh Wind Power Plant | 312 |
|
|
| Delta Tunnel Project & Peripheral Canal | 389 |
|
|
| Consumnes River | 482 |
|
|
| New Hogan Lake | 199 |
|
|
| New Melones Lake | 827 |
|
|
| Santa Clara Valley Water District | 278 |
|
|
| San Francisco Public Utilities Commission | 757 |
|
|
| Middle Bar, California | 109 |
|
|
| Lake Chabot | 307 |
|
|
| Los Vaqueros Reservoir | 242 |
|
|
| Crystal Springs Dam | Example | Example | |
| Walnut Grove | 823 |
|
|
| Locke, California | 899 |
|
|
- Articles that need to be created
| Article name | Editing goals | Online resources |
|---|---|---|
| Contra Costa Water District |
|
|
| California Ground Water |
|
|
| Mokelumne River Tributaries |
|
|
| Woodbridge Irrigation District |
|
|
| Woodbridge Dam |
|
|
| Caples Lake |
|
|
| Sierra Reservoir |
|
|
| Golden State Water Company |
|
|
| Zone 7 Water Agency |
|
|
| Upper San Leandro Reservoir |
|
|
| Chabot Reservoir |
|
|
- EBMUD water treatment plants that need Wikipedia pages
| Treatment plant name | Editing goals | Sources |
|---|---|---|
| Upper San Leandro Water Treatment Plant in East Oakland |
|
|
| San Pablo Water Treatment Plant located in Kensington |
|
|
| Sobrante Water Treatment Plant in El Sobrante |
|
|
| Orinda Water Treatment Plant |
|
|
| Lafayette Water Treatment Plant |
|
|
| Walnut Creek water treatment plant |
|
|
- Other project brainstorms & links
Water Supply & Sanitation in Taiwan
Australia's WELS rating system
- Quality at affordable prices
- The European Water Label: An analysis and review - page 6 talks specifically about WELS.
San Francisco Bay & Estuary
San Francisco Estuary Partnership
- Flood program aims to keep shorelines above water
- 2011 report: San Francisco Bay getting healthier, not in the clear yet
- 2010 Bill to fund efforts to restore bay's wetlands
- EPA announces $5 million in grants to restore S.F. Bay Water Quality and Habitats in 2014
- Random Helpful articles & wikipedia pages
- Investments in water in poor nations give big benefits:
- The World Bank's Water and Sanitation Program
- In world’s poorest slums, landfills and polluted rivers become a child’s playground
- Delaware River Basin Conservation Act
- Wikipedia Category: Water Conversation Articles
- Sanitation
- Stubs
List of Water Transport Stub Articles
Water_district Stub Article
List of Water Supply Stubs
Social_hygiene_movement
Catchwater
Rural_Water_Supplies_and_Sewerage_Act_1944
- Links to Wikipedia Commons Categories
- Examples of good editing in our field
Follow up workshop, field trip debrief[edit]
- date TBD
- Discuss the fieldtrip & our progress on articles relating to their field trip.
- Answer any editing questions for personal projects.
- Add final touches to your Wikipedia article!
Wikipedia Resources[edit]
Selecting your article[edit]
Before selecting the topic you will research, remember to review this guideline for selecting an article. Most important points:
- To begin, check the available literature in your course work, class readings, or academic journals. Are there important people, things, theories, or events that aren't developed very well on Wikipedia? Search Wikipedia with a few different search terms to be sure.
- Try to choose a "stub" or "start-class" article to expand.
- Verify your topic's notability.
- Search Wikipedia to see if this content already exists.
- Make sure you have enough reliable sources to cite your contributions.
- Work with a relevant WikiProject whenever possible.
- If you're still stuck, check out our Choosing an Article handout for more ideas.
Tips for Wikipedia editing[edit]
To prepare: Critically evaluate an existing Wikipedia article related to the club, and leave suggestions for improving it on the article's talk page. Don't forget to add your article to the class’s course page. Reach out to Samantha for questions.
- Start small!
- Add 1–2 sentences of new information, backed up with a citation to an appropriate source, to a Wikipedia topic of your choosing.
- If you are starting a new article, write a 3–4 paragraph summary version of your article—with citations—in your Wikipedia sandbox before moving it to the live page.
- If you are improving an existing article, write a summary version reflecting the content the article will have after it's been improved, and post this along with a brief description of your plans on the article’s talk page. Once you've interacted with any common editors, and made any suggested changes, you're ready to move your edits live!
- Using your Sandboxes
- How to use a sandbox for existing articles: When you start to revise larger chunks of an existing article, it's a good idea to draft your first significant edits into a sandbox. Don't copy the whole article, just choose the small piece you want to work with. Trying to rewrite an entire article in a sandbox can be annoying to editors who work on that article. Other editors will keep making good edits or expansions to that article while it's in your sandbox, which you'll kick out if you just copy and paste! Focus on small chunks of the text you want to edit instead. It's polite to use the talk page of the article to link to your sandbox when you copy things over. That way editors can see what you're up to, and post suggestions to the talk page before you start. Once you are happy with your sandbox draft, you can place another notice on the talk page of the article with a link to the sandbox, explaining what you've done and asking for comments on it once you've added it to the main page.
- In general, the sooner you move out of a sandbox, the better. Then, watch the Talk page for your article. You may receive more feedback on your edit once it "goes live" compared to when it is in your sandbox.
- Using your Watchlist
- When you add an article to your watchlist, you also watch the corresponding Talk page, so if someone responds to your article edits on the Talk page, it will show up on your watchlist.
- Finding & Contributing Sources
- Compile a bibliography of relevant research and post it to the talk page of the article you are working on to help keep track.
- Look for news clipping, journal articles, and more.
- Help eachother!
- Begin working with classmates and other editors to polish your short starter article and fix any major issues.
- Select two articles that you will peer review and copy-edit.
- Follow through!
Handouts & Useful Links[edit]
See also the Resources tab at the top of this page[edit]
- Handouts: “Uploading images” and “Evaluating Wikipedia article quality”
- Handouts: Choosing an article
- Handouts: Citing sources on Wikipedia and Avoiding plagiarism on Wikipedia
- Handout: Moving out of your sandbox
- Handout: Citing sources on Wikipedia
- Handout: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/ed/WikipediaReferencing.pdf
- Handouts: Using Talk Pages handout and Evaluating Wikipedia brochure
- Wikipedia's Five Pillars
- Wiki Project Bay Area
- Blog Post about the Pilot Program
- Write up about Wiki Ed's Classroom Program