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SOC 341 Urban Sociology Spr15 (Chenault): Week 2 Evaluating

Week 2 | Evaluating, Editing and Communicating

Become familiar with the expected make-up of a Wikipedia article.

Michael Scott on Wikipedia

Learn how to tell a good article from a bad article...

Or be like Michael Scott...

Evaluating Wikipedia

EVALUATING ONLINE INFORMATION SOURCES

To determine the quality of information on a website check the following:

Authority – Who is responsible for the content of the page?  What are the individual or organization’s goals and purpose?  Is there contact info? What’s the domain in the site address?

Accuracy – Are the sources for any factual information clearly cited?  Is the information free of errors that would indicate a lack of quality control or produce inaccuracies in the information?

Objectivity – Is there bias?  Who’s the intended audience?  Is advertising playing a role?

Currency – Date published?  Date last revised?  Out-dated info?  Out-dated links?

Coverage – Page still under construction?  Does it address intended topics or has something significant been left out?  Is there a fee to get to some of the information?  Is the info well supported and cited?

Possible Topics to Research - A result of your brainstorming!

Editing Wikipedia

Editing Wikipedia was covered in your Training for Students online tutorial.  Here are some quick links in case you need a refresher or short cuts.

Communicating on Wikipedia

Now that you have a user account and are enrolled in the course, one of your assignments is to communicate to a classmate or Wikipedian helping your class using their user talk page.  

 

REMEMBER!  Use (~~~~) at the end of any talk message and it will automatically sign and date your message.

 

Talk Pages Tutorial

CLASS EXERCISE - Evaluating

Neighborhoods pair up to make groups for this exercise.  Once in given your group number, as a group you will use the "Wikipedia Reliability Worksheet"  to evaluate the Wikipedia entry on an urban sociology related term that you have been assigned.

WIKIPEDIA COUSE PAGE LINK