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Wikipedia:Wiki Ed/University of Maryland College Park/LING272 Biophysics of Language (Fall 2018)

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Course name
LING272 Biophysics of Language
Institution
University of Maryland College Park
Instructor
John Locke
Wikipedia Expert
Shalor (Wiki Ed)
Subject
Biolinguistics
Course dates
2018-08-27 00:00:00 UTC – 2018-12-20 23:59:59 UTC
Approximate number of student editors
30


Description from Syllabus: A classical debate concerns whether natural (human) language is unique. While natural communication systems are common, the specific properties witnessed in human language have not been easy to find in other species. This course debates that question, different sides of which (extreme or synthesizing) are left for students to take. The only precondition is that the matter be approached scientifically, starting with notions from the Computational Theory of Mind. Depending on the majors students seek, insights from linguistics, paleoanthropology, cognitive psychology, animal behavior, neuroscience, molecular biology, biophysics, etc., may be brought to bear on how an abstract systematic behavior can arise within an animal brain, and what that says about language and evolution.

Course Goals: Students succeeding in the class should be able to: Critically evaluate the human and animal cognitive behavior literature (on communication and thinking), gain skills related to the analysis and production of written scientific studies, and formulate arguments related to central issues in the language sciences and science more generally.

The Wikipedia component of this course is meant to: help students engage in science communication, begin to learn about and engage in the process of peer review, research topics that will inform the generation of proposals for potential experiments in biolinguistics for the end of semester presentations, and assist in the development of critical thinking and writing skills.

Student Assigned Reviewing
Hannah M Weinstein Neanderthal behavior
Meganlib Origin of Language
Keri M Sullivan Neanderthal behavior
Autumn Johnson Neanderthal behavior
Lgrant22 Neanderthal behavior
Njamison95 Neanderthal behavior
JillianZiegler
Chau.austin
Gamodio Origin of Language
Dylanquinn
Jaredwhaas
Mbiskach112 Neurobiological origins of language
Sarahschneider68 Origin of Language
Kathleen McClellan
Sjane19 Neanderthal behavior
Aarora13 Neurobiological origins of language
Ggilham Origin of language
DStreit99 Neanderthal behavior
WikiOverflow
Turing Complete Human
Afelds00
David robinson25
Baileerichman Origin of Language
Kw2700 Origin of Language
Chloe qualls Origin of Language
Sophierj
Andrewdoran12
Baconman7

Timeline

Week 11

Course meetings
Wednesday, 7 November 2018
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.

Assignment - Evaluate Wikipedia

Exercise

Evaluate an article


Week 12

Course meetings
Monday, 12 November 2018   |   Wednesday, 14 November 2018
Assignment - Review the rules for health topics
In class - Discussion

What's a content gap?

Assignment - Choose possible topics

Exercise

Choose a topic

Resource: Editing Wikipedia, page 6

Week 13

Course meetings
Monday, 19 November 2018
Assignment - Add to an article

Exercise

Add a citation


Assignment - Exercise

Copyedit an article

Week 14

Course meetings
Monday, 26 November 2018   |   Wednesday, 28 November 2018
In class - Discussion

Thinking about Wikipedia

Assignment - Start drafting your contributions

Resource: Editing Wikipedia, pages 7–9


Guide(s) for writing articles in your topic area

Cultural Anthropology

Genes and Proteins

Linguistics

Science Communication

Species

Milestones

Everyone has begun writing their article drafts.

Week 15

Course meetings
Monday, 3 December 2018   |   Wednesday, 5 December 2018
Assignment - Peer review an article

Guiding framework

Milestones

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


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.


Assignment - Continue improving your article

Exercise

Add links to 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 16

Course meetings
Monday, 10 December 2018   |   Wednesday, 12 December 2018
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 - Reflective essay

Guiding questions

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

Milestones

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