Wikipedia:Wiki Ed/Brown University/Crime, Violence, and Policing in Latin America (Spring 2023)

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Course name
Crime, Violence, and Policing in Latin America
Institution
Brown University
Instructor
Jessie Trudeau
Wikipedia Expert
Brianda (Wiki Ed)
Subject
Political Science
Course dates
2023-01-31 00:00:00 UTC – 2023-05-02 23:59:59 UTC
Approximate number of student editors
30


Crime, Violence, and Policing in Latin America (POLS-1825C) Brown University, Spring 2023

This course covers questions and theories at the center of contemporary debates about crime, violence, and police in Latin Amerian society. We will discuss various theories of crime reduction that have motivated public policy, as well as the consequences of crime and violence for residents of these countries. Throughout the course, students will learn key concepts in social science related to crime, violence, and public security, and will gain experience applying them to specific country cases discussed in class.

This course will integrate a Wikipedia writing assignment as part of their final project. Students will choose a topic (e.g. "violence against women in Brazil", "coca spraying in Colombia") and complete four assignments: 1) collect/summarize existing literature and write/improve Wikipedia page; 2) submit a memo to me analyzing and explaining, using political science theory, how or why the topic is the way it is; 3) submit an argumentative memo to me analyzing policies or interventions that address the issue; 4) present their findings to the class.

Student Assigned Reviewing
BLThornton13 Terrorism Confinement Center Crime in Cuba
Brown997 Femicide in Latin America Terrorism Confinement Center
Margherita MH Crime in Cuba Comando Vermelho
Backerman1 Comando Vermelho Femicide in Latin America

Timeline

Week 1

Course meetings
Tuesday, 31 January 2023
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.)

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:

Week 2

Course meetings
Tuesday, 7 February 2023
Milestones

This week, everyone should have a Wikipedia account.

In class - Discussion
Assignment - Review the rules for health topics
Assignment - Evaluate Wikipedia

Week 3

Course meetings
Tuesday, 14 February 2023
In class - Discussion
Assignment - Make a small edit

Week 4

Course meetings
Tuesday, 28 February 2023
In class - Discussion
Assignment - Choose possible topics

Resource: Editing Wikipedia, page 6

Week 5

Course meetings
Tuesday, 7 March 2023
Assignment - Finalize your topic and find sources
Assignment - Start drafting your contributions

Reach out to your Wikipedia Expert if you have questions using the Get Help button at the top of this page.

Resource: Editing Wikipedia, pages 7–9

Week 6

Course meetings
Tuesday, 14 March 2023
Milestones

Everyone has begun writing their article drafts.

Guide(s) for writing articles in your topic area

Political Science

Week 7

Course meetings
Tuesday, 21 March 2023
Assignment - Continue improving 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.

Week 8

Course meetings
Tuesday, 4 April 2023
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 9

Course meetings
Tuesday, 11 April 2023
Assignment - Peer review an article

Guiding framework

Week 10

Course meetings
Tuesday, 18 April 2023
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 - 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 - 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

Week 11

Course meetings
Tuesday, 25 April 2023
Milestones

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