home

Wikipedia is a free, crowd-sourced online encyclopedia. It is not a primary reference, but can often provide valuable insight on a wide range of topics. People from all over the world with varying levels of knowledge and expertise weigh in on everything from apple pie to zinc oxide. Since its creation in 2001, Wikipedia has accumulated more than 19 million articles in 270 languages. Here’s the official scoop:
 * __Project overview and instructions__**

//“Wikipedia is a multilingual, web-based, free-content encyclopedia project based on an openly editable model. The name "Wikipedia" is a portmanteau of the words wiki (a technology for creating collaborative websites, from the Hawaiian word wiki, meaning "quick") and encyclopedia.”//

For this class you will create your own Wiki page. You will pair up with 1-2 other students to collaboratively research, write, and construct your Wiki. Assume that your audience has no prior knowledge of your topic; your goal is to draw them in and expand their minds. At first glance this project may look a little intimidating. However, your Wiki page will take shape and evolve over the course of the next ten weeks, from a rough idea today to a finished product by the end of the quarter. You’ll have two weeks to complete each of the following steps.


 * __The first step__** is to settle upon a suitable topic and title. Requirement #1 is that the topic is related to class. Requirement #2 is that you and your partners agree upon the topic in general. However it’s not at all necessary to share identical viewpoints. In fact, it’s a good idea to approach your topic from a number of different angles.

Coming up with a title may sound easy, but it actually requires a fair amount of thought. The title should make it obvious to a reader what your Wiki page is about, much like the title for a new blockbuster book on the private life of some famous politician or Hollywood movie star. For example, “//Apple Pie”// is too broad, but //“Apple Pie, Lies, and Videotape: The Real Dirt on Johnny Appleseed”// is better. //“Zinc Oxide”// is too broad, but //“Zinc Oxide: Origins, Uses, and Misuses”// is better. Dig deep, this is your chance to make a good first impression on your readers.


 * __The second step__** is to put together an outline for your Wiki page. This step is worth 20% of your project grade. You’ll find that the more time and energy you put into this step, the easier it will be to complete the rest of your project. The outline should take the form of an elaborate table of contents. Following are examples of what not to do (Johnny Appleseed) and what to do (Zinc Oxide). Although the second example is better than the first, it could made be even better by providing an additional layer of detail under each bullet/letter.

__What //not// to do__: JOHNNY APPLESEED
 * 1) Life
 * 2) Death
 * 3) Epilogue

__What //to// do__: ZINC OXIDE
 * 1) Chemical properties
 * 2) Physical properties
 * 3) Structure
 * 4) Mechanical properties
 * 5) Electronic properties
 * 6) Production
 * 7) Indirect (French) process
 * 8) Direct (American) process
 * 9) Wet chemical process
 * 10) Laboratory synthesis
 * 11) Nanophase ZnO
 * 12) Applications
 * 13) Rubber manufacture
 * 14) Concrete industry
 * 15) Medical
 * 16) Cigarette filters
 * 17) Food additive
 * 18) Pigment
 * 19) Coatings
 * 20) Corrosion prevention in nuclear reactors
 * 21) Potential applications
 * 22) Electronics
 * 23) Zinc oxide nanorod sensor
 * 24) Spintronics
 * 25) Piezoelectricity
 * 26) In popular culture
 * 27) United States
 * 28) Other countries
 * 29) Safety
 * 30) Industrial use
 * 31) Personal use
 * 32) References*
 * 33) *You must use a minimum of ten references; three of these references must be from peer-reviewed scientific journal articles. To find peer-reviewed journal articles, try using the //PubMed// or //Academic Search Premier// online databases available at the COCC library. The library staff are always happy to help, as am I (please stop by my office hours).
 * 34) The rest of your references may be from reputable sources like textbooks, first person interviews, newspapers, and/or journalist magazines (like //Time, Newsweek,// or //National Geographic// – NOT //People, Men’s Health,// or //Entertainment Weekly//). If in doubt about the quantity or quality of your references, please ask me. Cite your references with in-text notes (# or author) and a bibliography. Again, I’m always happy to help.


 * __The third step__** is to create a rough draft of your Wiki page. This step is worth 40% of your project grade, so don’t make it too rough. In fact, upon completing this step you should feel that your Wiki page is nearly complete. After receiving feedback from other students (see the next step), you should have only minor edits and additions to make. If you fail to put forth a good effort on this step, it will be difficult to earn a strong overall project grade.


 * __The fourth step__** is to put your Wiki page aside temporarily and review two other class Wikis. This step is worth 10% of your project grade. With the help of a standardized feedback form you will provide constructive comments to your classmates on the overall format, content, readability, references, and creativity of their Wiki page. We all want each other to succeed, so be respectful and thorough. Let your classmates know what they did well and what they could improve upon in order to get an A+.


 * __The fifth step__** is to incorporate student and instructor feedback into the final draft of your Wiki page. This step is worth 30% of your project grade, so you still have the opportunity to make a significant impact on your overall grade. Correct any spelling, grammar, or factual mistakes; make your Wiki page more readable; boost the credibility of your Wiki by bringing in more references and/or better references; add photos or videos to your Wiki; etc.

If you any questions at all, don’t hesitate to ask me.
 * Final thoughts...** The primary goal of this project is to understand a class-related topic at a deeper level than you would otherwise gain from a textbook. But rather than write a static black-and-white research paper that only the instructor would read, you now have the opportunity to add some color to your “paper” and share your knowledge with your fellow classmates. Be thorough. Be collaborative. Be respectful. Be creative. And have fun!