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Wikipedia:Wiki Ed/Middle Tennessee State University/Historical Research Methods (Fall 2022)

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Course name
Historical Research Methods
Institution
Middle Tennessee State University
Instructor
Suzanne Sutherland
Wikipedia Expert
Ian (Wiki Ed)
Subject
History
Course dates
2022-08-22 00:00:00 UTC – 2022-12-12 23:59:59 UTC
Approximate number of student editors
8


This course is an introduction to the work of the historian. We’ll explore how historians find sources (primary sources) and then analyze and interpret those sources. We’ll examine how historians engage in a conversation with other historians by reading, analyzing, and citing their books (secondary works), and how multiple interpretations contribute to a broader and deeper understanding of the past. We’ll talk about what makes historical research different from other kinds of research and we’ll examine the ethical and professional obligations of the historical researcher. To do this, each of you will complete a research project that fits with your academic interests (it may be part of your thesis), has easily accessible primary sources, has an easily identifiable historiography, and can be completed by the end of the semester. Each of you will also edit or create a Wikipedia article on a topic related to the same research.

Student Assigned Reviewing
Millssteveh Dog tag
Nicolefrones American folk music
Strobelight94 Ivan Seal
Glacece Z. Alexander Looby, Avon Williams
MattRyanPace Prussian Army
Cah2ae Oak Ridge, Tennessee
Prof. Ethan Y.
Disastrouspeacock Morgan le Fay (painting), Camp Hereford
Olivia Pugh
JamesPegler Quillwork

Timeline

Week 2

Course meetings
Monday, 12 September 2022
In class - Introduction to the Wikipedia assignment

Welcome to your Wikipedia assignment's course timeline. This page guides you through the steps you'll need to complete for your Wikipedia assignment, with links to training modules and your classmates' work spaces.

Your course has been assigned a Wikipedia Expert. You can reach them through the Get Help button at the top of this page.

Resources:

Assignment - Get started on Wikipedia

Create an account and join this course page, using the enrollment link your instructor sent you. (Because of Wikipedia's technical restraints, you may receive a message that you cannot create an account. To resolve this, please try again off campus or the next day.)

Milestones

This week, everyone should have a Wikipedia account.

Week 3

Course meetings
Monday, 19 September 2022
Assignment - Evaluate Wikipedia
In class - Discussion

Week 4

Course meetings
Monday, 26 September 2022
Assignment - Choose possible topics

Resource: Editing Wikipedia, page 6

In class - Discussion

Week 5

Course meetings
Monday, 3 October 2022
Assignment - Add to an article
Assignment - Exercise
Assignment - Exercise

Week 6

Course meetings
Monday, 17 October 2022
Assignment - Start drafting your contributions

Reach out to your Wikipedia Expert if you have questions using the Get Help button at the top of this page.

Resource: Editing Wikipedia, pages 7–9

Guide(s) for writing articles in your topic area

Art History

Biographies

Books

Films

History

LGBT+ Studies

Women's Studies

Milestones

Everyone has begun writing their article drafts.

Week 7

Course meetings
Monday, 24 October 2022
Assignment - Peer review an article

Guiding framework

In class - Discussion
Milestones

Every student has finished reviewing their assigned articles, making sure that every article has been reviewed.

Week 8

Course meetings
Monday, 31 October 2022
Assignment - Respond to your peer review

You probably have some feedback from other students and possibly other Wikipedians. Consider their suggestions, decide whether it makes your work more accurate and complete, and edit your draft to make those changes.

Resources:

  • Editing Wikipedia, pages 12 and 14
  • Reach out to your Wikipedia Expert if you have any questions.

Week 9

Course meetings
Monday, 7 November 2022
Assignment - Begin moving your work to Wikipedia

Now that you've improved your draft based on others' feedback, it's time to move your work live - to the "mainspace."

Resource: Editing Wikipedia, page 13

Week 10

Course meetings
Monday, 14 November 2022
Assignment - Continue improving your article

Now's the time to revisit your text and refine your work. You may do more research and find missing information; rewrite the lead section to represent all major points; reorganize the text to communicate the information better; or add images and other media.

Assignment - Polish your work

Continue to expand and improve your work, and format your article to match Wikipedia's tone and standards. Remember to contact your Wikipedia Expert at any time if you need further help!

Week 11

Course meetings
Monday, 21 November 2022
Assignment - Final article

It's the final week to develop your article.

  • Read Editing Wikipedia page 15 to review a final check-list before completing your assignment.
  • Don't forget that you can ask for help from your Wikipedia Expert at any time!
Assignment - Original analytical paper

Write a paper going beyond your Wikipedia article to advance your own ideas, arguments, and original research about your topic.

Week 12

Course meetings
Monday, 28 November 2022
Milestones

Everyone should have finished all of the work they'll do on Wikipedia, and be ready for grading.