History 215 Course Wikipedia Portal
For this project, you’ll identify a missing/overlooked topic on Wikipedia that merits further coverage to expand the depth and breadth of articles on Wikipedia, and counter its systemic biases. You must pick a topic related to class themes, and that has sufficient resources available to demonstrate your skills of research and writing.
This assignment is intended to develop the following course learning goals:
- clear communication: elegant writing following the conventions of Wikipedia, including tone, standards of proof, and digital communication.
- historical research: selection of useful and appropriate scholarly sources for your citations and outside links.
- historical knowledge: increasing Wikipedia’s coverage of the peoples and cultures of Latin America and explaining their significance.
In addition, the research for your Wikipedia article will also serve as background information for your semester-long material culture project.
Wikipedia Intervention:
For your chosen article, you should:
- compose at least three new paragraphs with at least three internal wikilinks each
- incorporate at least three reference sources (footnoted in the “Sources” section)
- add at least two external links to reputable web sources (in the “External Links” section)
- include an image from Wikicommons
- Correct any factual errors, broken links, or inappropriate evidence
- Write with clarity and style, using the tone appropriate for the genre.
Resources:
Wikipedia Portal: Latin America
Guidelines for “Good” Article Status
Examples of “good” or “featured” history articles related to our class themes:
Intermediate deadlines are available through our class Wikipedia portal, and on the course schedule.
Project Memo: In addition to you work improving Wikipedia, you will write a short project memo essay (2-3 pages) that contains at least a paragraph each on the following questions:
- Why did you select this article to create or improve? What is the larger historical significance of this entry, and how does your work make it better?
- What state was it in before your intervention? Why?
- How did you improve this entry and bring it to “good” status? Why did you choose to intervene in these ways?
- How does your work show your skills completing historical research?
- How did you shape your edits to meet the Wikipedia community guidelines (5 Pillars)
- What, if any, interactions did you have with other Wikipedia editors?
Share your slide to our collaborative Google slideshow and upload your project memo to Moodle by Friday, November 3. This project is worth 10% of your course grade.