English 343: 001 / NCLC 343:001
Textual Media

Wikipedia Assignment

For this assignment, each student will write and post one article to Wikipedia.

The articles can be entirely new, but it is often easier (and more efficient), to choose a "stub," and article which needs expanded. many stubs are only a few lines long, and if you can find one on a suitable subject, expanding it can be quite straightforward.

A few caveats:

• You will need to learn some basic wiki code. The code is not difficult, and there is a graphical editor with buttons to insert links and the like.
• Others can (and will) alter your contribution. In most cases, other users will add to and occasionally correct your work. But your work could be vandalized or deleted. You can always change the page back to what it was before, but such "revert wars" are frowned upon.
• You won't credit on Wikipedia. Usernames are attached to the edits and visible on the history page, but the entire Wikipedia is licensed under the the GNU Free Documentation License.
  

First, read the Wikipedia Getting Started page.

Then create an account (Sign In/Create Account link).

Once you've familiarized yourself with the Wikipedia community, you'll need to find a "stub," an incomplete article on the Wikipedia site.

1. Go to the Main page of Wikipedia
2. Click on the "Help" link in the Navigation sidebar
3. Choose "Resources and Lists"
4. Choose "List of Stub Types"

You should end on this page: Stub Types

Choose a category which interests you, one to which you can contribute some new information. Then choose the stub you will complete.

Read the Editing Wikipedia page.

Begin editing the stub.

Preview, then Save your changes to the site.

Turn in a copy of your article to me for credit and a grade.